Fairs/Festivals
Westerville Area Chamber Music & Arts Festival 2026
Westerville, Ohio
Artshow Jury Fee: $30
Contact Information
Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce
Contact Email: srusterholz@westervillechamber.com
Contact Phone: 614-882-8917
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 2
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
The Westerville Area Chamber is excited to present the 52nd Annual Westerville Music & Arts Festival July 11 & 12, 2026 at picturesque Heritage Park in historic Westerville, Ohio.
The cost is $2 to attend. Kids 10 & under are free. Enjoy over 125 artists, 30+ performances, 20 food vendors, youth art exhibit, silent auction, youth activities, and more. This two-day Festival brings around 15,000-20,000 attendees of all ages.
Note for 2026 Festival- Please note that Everal Barn will be under construction at this year's festival. We are currently working on relocating the Youth Art Exhibit and Silent Auction (traditionally housed in the Barn).
Set Up/ Registration:
Friday, July 10 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 11 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Show Hours:
Saturday, July 11 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 12 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Jump to
General Information
For the past 51 years, this Festival has been a summer staple for our community. To participate in our Festival, all applicants go through a blind jury conducted in partnership with the Arts Council of Westerville, local art professors, and area artists.
Mediums
All work must be of high quality, original work. Items not accepted include: imports, craft supplies, kits, commercially-produced items, home-style crafts, manufactured beads and other mass-produced items, dried flowers, or work produced by anyone other than the applying exhibitor. Not all of the display can be prints. A portion of the display must be originals. No Buy/Sell work is allowed
Accepted medium categories for the Westerville Area Chamber Music & Arts Festival include the following:
2D Mixed Media – The use of two or more mediums (paint, pencil, watercolor, photography, printmaking or drawing, fabric, etc.) in one piece.
3D Mixed Media – The use of two or more mediums (clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, etc) in one piece.
Ceramics – All original clay and/or porcelain.
Digital Art – Work in which the original image, or the manipulation of other source material, was completed by the artist using the computer. Work generated by or with the aid of AI is not allowed.
Drawing – Works created using chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax crayons, inks and washes applied by pen or brush.
Fiber – All work handcrafted from fibers, including basketry, embroidery, weaving, tapestry and papermaking.
Glass – Glass (kiln-formed or have been made by glass blowing, fusing, staining, molding, casting, or cold working)
Jewelry – Limited use of pre-made material such as beads (see details below)** or small ornamental items is permitted. No more than 50% of a piece may consist of commercial findings including hardware like clasps and earring backs.
**Beads must be made by the artist with two exceptions 1. If the beads are not made by the artist, they must clearly play a subordinate role in the finished piece; and, 2. bead weaving; however, commercial bead weaving kits are not permitted.
Leather - Factory-produced items regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist are not permitted.
Metal – All non-sculptural, non-jewelry work crafted from metals. No production studio work is allowed.
Other- We do have limited spaces (10) for more craft fair items such as dolls, candles, tye-dye/hand printed shirts, etc. These will be juried, but if accepted, not judged for our awards program (and all will be grouped in one place on the festival ground).
Painting –The use of acrylics, gouache, oils, watercolors, and tempera suitable for hanging.
Photography – Includes film photography, hand-colored images, emulsion transfers, and digital photography that has not been manipulated to achieve results beyond what could be done in a traditional darkroom. Note: Digital photography should be submitted in the Digital Art category.
Printmaking – Printed works in which the artist hand-manipulated the plates, stones, or screens. Prints must be signed and numbered as a limited edition. Printmakers are required to disclose their printing process.
Sculpture – Three-dimensional original work created in any medium.
Wood – Original works that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved. Embellished manufactured wood items and mass-production are not permitted.
Artist Amenities include
- Complimentary water upon arrival for set up on Friday evening.
- Artist Assistants to sit in your booth in your absence to use restrooms or get more product from your vehicles or trailers.
- One parking space is included in the artist parking lot located at the back of Heritage Park.
- Golf Cart transportation by a Festival staff member or volunteer to your vehicles.
- Traditionally, we are able to offer air-conditioned vendor-only restrooms, but this year due to construction on Everal Barn, we are not able to.
For further information or inquiries please contact Stacey Rusterholz at srusterholz@westervillechamber.com or call (614) 882-8917.
Application Requirements
APPLICATION PROCESS & JURYING
Application Deadline: Applications must be received by February 13, 2026, and include four recent digital images of your work, one recent booth image, AND a $30 jury fee to be considered for acceptance into the festival. A jury fee must be received before your artwork can be considered.
Jury Process: Every applicant is juried by an expert panel during a blind jury. The panel consists of local art professors, members of the Arts Council of Westerville, and local artists. The jury reserves the right to re-categorize an artist's submission to another category. Artists will be notified if this is done.
Multiple Entries: If your work spans multiple categories, you must apply separately in each category with the applicable application fees. If you’re accepted in multiple categories, you may exhibit work from those categories under one tent. Please note this in your application.
One Booth Per Exhibitor: Multiple exhibitors cannot exhibit under one booth. Exhibitors must complete separate applications and submit the fee for separate booth spaces. Exhibitors may request on the application to be located near another exhibitor. The Jury Committee reserves the right to review co-exhibitors on a case-by-case basis.
Photos: All images must be digital. No physical photos will be considered.
ACCEPTANCE, ENTRY & INFORMATION
Jury Committee decisions are final.
All work submitted for review must be of high quality, original work. Items not accepted include: imports, craft supplies, kits, commercially-produced items, home-style crafts, manufactured beads and other mass-produced items, dried flowers, or work produced by anyone other than the applying exhibitor. Not all of the display can be prints. A portion of the display must be originals.
Applications are due by February 13, 2026.
JUDGING & AWARDS
All artists must provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance that names the Westerville Area Chamber as an additional insured.
Application Deadline: Applications must be received by February 13, 2026, and include four recent digital images of your work, one recent booth image, AND a $30 jury fee to be considered for acceptance into the festival. A jury fee must be received before your artwork can be considered.
Jury Process: Every applicant is juried by an expert panel during a blind jury. The panel consists of local art professors, members of the Arts Council of Westerville, and local artists. The jury reserves the right to re-categorize an artist's submission to another category. Artists will be notified if this is done.
Multiple Entries: If your work spans multiple categories, you must apply separately in each category with the applicable application fees. If you’re accepted in multiple categories, you may exhibit work from those categories under one tent. Please note this in your application.
One Booth Per Exhibitor: Multiple exhibitors cannot exhibit under one booth. Exhibitors must complete separate applications and submit the fee for separate booth spaces. Exhibitors may request on the application to be located near another exhibitor. The Jury Committee reserves the right to review co-exhibitors on a case-by-case basis.
Photos: All images must be digital. No physical photos will be considered.
ACCEPTANCE, ENTRY & INFORMATION
Jury Committee decisions are final.
All work submitted for review must be of high quality, original work. Items not accepted include: imports, craft supplies, kits, commercially-produced items, home-style crafts, manufactured beads and other mass-produced items, dried flowers, or work produced by anyone other than the applying exhibitor. Not all of the display can be prints. A portion of the display must be originals.
Applications are due by February 13, 2026.
JUDGING & AWARDS
- Exhibitor judging begins at 10:00 AM on Saturday, July 11.
- Awards include Best in Show, 1st Place, 2nd Place, 3rd Place, Emerging Artist, and Honorable Mention. Cash prizes are awarded for Best in Show, 1st Place and Emerging Artist. Emerging Artist is defined as an artist from central Ohio (Franklin, Delaware or Fairfield counties) and has sold artwork for five years or less.
- The Jury Committee reserves the right to request the removal of any work found to be sub-standard or non-representative of the work submitted for approval. All exhibitors are checked for compliance during the regular Festival hours.
- If you do not want your artwork to be judged for the awards program, please indicate that in the application.
All artists must provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance that names the Westerville Area Chamber as an additional insured.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
200
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
125
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
4
Booth Information
- Booth spaces are 12’ x 12’. If you’re selected, a $175 entry fee will be due by March 27, 2026 to confirm your attendance and receive a space assignment. Please do not send booth fees with your application. Booth space requests do not guarantee placement.
- Spaces may be on pavement, grass, or gravel. No staking in the grass is allowed, per the City of Westerville, please bring tent weights to accomodate.
- Only white tents are permitted. We suggest that you have side panels to close your tent at night.
- If you are requesting a double booth space, the fee is $350.
- The accepted exhibitor must be in his/her booth during Festival hours. Substitute exhibitors are not permitted with the exception of the pre-approval of co-exhibitors by the Jury Committee.
- All accepted artists MUST keep their booths open the entirety of the show unless approved otherwise in advance by the festival planning committee.
- All artists must provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance that names the Westerville Area Chamber as an additional insured.
- Wi-Fi is not provided.
Refund Policy
No refunds will be made after May 1, 2026.
Additional Fees
Double Booth Fee: $350
Booth Fee: $175
Terms to Apply
Artshow Jury Fee: $30