VisArts' Rockville Arts Festival 2026

The 14th Annual VisArts' Rockville Arts Festival invites you to showcase your original art, May 2-3, 2026. A premier event in a spectacular venue produced by VisArts - the largest visual arts center in Montgomery County Maryland. This festival will create a spectacular outdoor pedestrian gallery on the streets of Rockville Town Square where Every Booth is a Corner.

The Festival attracts 10-12,000+ high income attendees from the Washington, DC Metro Area, and surrounding suburbs of Rockville, Bethesda, and Chevy Chase. Cultural events are an important dynamic in this affluent community.

Our extensive marketing and PR campaigns include a dedicated PR team that is amazing at getting artist stories in the local papers and on television and partners with the 12 Rockville cultural organizations, invests heavily in social media, digital and print media.  Our media outreach is prolific and effective. 

GENERAL INFORMATION
We invite you to showcase your art at the 13th Annual VisArts' Rockville Arts Festival. The Festival will take place Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3, 2026 on the streets of Rockville Town Square, located in Rockville, Maryland (Maryland, Ave and Middle Street). Streets are closed to traffic for the Festival. 

CALENDAR
January 4, 2026:  Regular Application Deadline ($35 Jury Fee)
January 5-19, 2026: Late Application Deadline ($45 Jury Fee)
January 20-21, 2026:  Jury Period
January 22, 2026: Artist Notication
February 20, 2026: Booth Fee Due
April 2, 2025: Email Booth Assignment
May 1, 2026: Load-in: 11am to 6pm (time may be adjusted to meet Police requirements)
May 2, 2026: Load-in: 6:30am to 8am
May 2, 2026: Show Hours 10am to 5pm
May 3, 2026: Show Hours 10am to 5pm
May 3, 2026: Load Out 5pm to 9pm

FAST FACTS
Location: Rockville, Maryland
Contact: Robin Markowitz, Festival Director
Email: rmarkowitz@visartscenter.org
Website: http://rockvilleartsfestival.org/
Mailing Address: VisArts, 155 Gibbs Street, Rockville, MD 20850
Telephone: 202-251-0637
Images: 4 images of work + 1 booth image 
Projection Jury: Images viewed simultaneously projected 1-5 left to right horizontally, artist viewed in order of the date their application is submitted.
Jurors: 3 art professionals. New jury each year.
Multiple Applications: If an artist has work in different media categories you may apply with multiple applications. You can only showcase work that has been accepted.
You must apply separately for Jewelry. You cannot showcase jewelry unless accepted in that category.
Application Fee: $35 until 1/1/26 | $45 Late Fee 1/5/26 - 1/19/26
Booth Fees: 10'x10' Booth $495 - EVERY BOOTH IS A CORNER
                      10'x20' Booth $990 - DOUBLE CORNER BOOTH
Number of Artist: Limited to 130 artists and fine crafters
Security: 24 hours, City of Rockville Police
Parking: Free
Past Attendance: 12,000+ 
Booth Sitters: Available daily
Hotel: Cambria Suites and Hotel Special artist rate. This hotel is on the show site - walk out to your booth.  
Insurance Required for All Artists: VisArts' Rockville Arts Festival will be requiring liability insurance for all
artists in 2026. To help you – Robin has negotiated a discount with ACT insurance (through Rose Squared Art Shows but extended to this show). You will save $25 off a yearly ACT Pro Policy (rosesquared25) and $5 off single show ACT Go (rosesquared5). 

ACT – Insures artisans, and crafters (no food)
https://app.actinsurance.com/events/9187

FLIP – (Food Liability Insurance) - Insurance for food vendors
https://app.fliprogram.com/events/9188

JURY PROCESS
Artist excellence of original work is the sole criteria for selection of exhibitors. Images are reviewed by jurors in a blind jury online process. Artists are assigned a number and judged only by the digital images submitted, not on any other qualifications. The digital images will be displayed in one row showing four (4) digital images of the artwork, and one (1) image of the booth. The identities of artists are not disclosed to jurors. The jury is comprised of one working artist and two art professionals. Each juror will view each artist’s set of five images. The process, materials and dimensions for each image as well as artist information statements are made available to the jury. Artistic excellence and a well-balanced show are the criteria for selection of exhibitors. Scores are averaged together.

CATEGORIES
The Festival reserves the right to re-categorize an artist’s submission. Every attempt will be made to notify the artist if this is done.

APOTHECARY: Handmade, natural, organic soap, lotions and powders. Photos of booth and product are required.
ARTISANAL FOOD: Packaged for home consumption. Must be approved by Festival Director. A Montgomery County temporary food permit is required for the Festival. Photos of booth and food are required.
CERAMICS: Original clay and porcelain work other than jewelry. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, each must be signed.
DIGITAL ART: Includes any original work by the artist using the computer. Work must be in editions, signed and numbered, on archival papers, inks and emulsions.
DRAWING: Work created using dry medium including pencil, chalk, pastel or charcoal, etc. or from fluid mediums like inks and washes applied by pen or brush.
FIBER - Decorative: Any work created from fiber, including leather and basketry. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns or other forms of mass productions allowed.
FIBER - Wearable: Any work created from fiber, including leather. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns or other forms of mass productions allowed.
GLASS: Glasswork that has been handcrafted by glass blowing, molding, casting or kiln-forming. No alterations of pre-fabricated glass objects.
GRAPHICS/PRINTMAKING: Original works created using traditional printmaking methods including block, lithograph, serigraph, etc.
JEWELRY: All jewelry must be entered into this category. No strung pearls or beads. Only those artists accepted in the jewelry category may display or sell jewelry.
METALWORK: Includes all non-sculptural, non-jewelry works crafted from metals. No production studio work is allowed.
MIXED MEDIA 2D: Two-dimensional work that incorporated more than one type of physical material in their production.
MIXED MEDIA 3D: Three-dimensional work that incorporates more than one type of physical material in their production.
PAINTING: Oils, acrylics and watercolor - Reproductions allowed (must be clearly marked)
PHOTOGRAPHY: Prints created from the artist's original photograph. Prints must be framed to hang on the walls; they must be signed. If prints are in a bin, they must be matted and signed.
SCULPTURE: Three-dimensional work created in any medium.
WOOD: Original works in wood that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved.

Show Requirements
Adherence to the following rules during the show is necessary to maintain the quality of the show at a high level for artists and patrons. VisArts' Rockville Arts Festival considers the enforcement of its rules to be a necessity and a responsibility. Non-compliance with the rules, outlined below, can result in requests for work to be removed from display and for sale, and/or expulsion from the show. If an artist is removed from the show, no booth fee refunds will be issued.

• COI listing Visarts as additionally insured required. Artists are responsible for proper insurance and protection of work and booth. Proof of insurance is due 45 days before the show  - you will need to have a COI sent via email to rmarkowitz@visartscenter.org and listing Metropolitian Visual Arts Center (VIsarts),155 Gibbs Street, Rockville, MD 20850 as addtionally inured.
• A photo ID (driver's license or passport) of the artist is required during check-in. In addition, the show has the right to check ID during the show.
• Artists must be present during the entire event. No dealers, agents or representatives will be permitted.
• Work done by a production studio is not acceptable. VisArts wants artwork made by the hands of the artists selling the work. If the hands of others make the artwork, please don’t apply to the show. You will not be accepted. If you are a production studio, the Rockville Arts Festival is not for you.
• Buy-sell and/or imports, candles and weapons are not allowed. Work from kits, commercial designs, or done in classes/workshops are prohibited. Artists selling work that is not their own will be expelled from the show.
• No sharing of booths is allowed. Only artists who have been juried will be allowed to display.
• All artists' work on display must be for sale.
• Professional Display. If you are selling 2D work it must be displayed on walls. Pro-panels, mesh and grids that are covered are acceptable. Easels are not allowed because they are hazards in the wind. 
• Artists may only exhibit work in the category in which they were juried. Exhibited work must be consistent in style, quality, and method with juried images. (e.g., All jewelry must be juried in the jewelry category; no glass jewelry in a glass booth unless such has been juried)
• Rockville Arts Festival Policy regarding "bread & butter" pieces. We realize that in order to make shows financially feasible, some artists must sell less expensive, "bread & butter" creations. Our guidelines regarding the sale of "bread & butter" pieces: 1) must NOT be the largest part of inventory that is displayed, and they should occupy only a small part of your booth and less than 10% of stock, 2) must be in the same style and category as the work you were accepted in. For example, a) note cards reproduced from an artist’s original work may be exhibited but in small quantity, or b) a wood turner may sell wooden pens provided they have created them and are displayed in small quantity. What you have juried with into the show should be the prime focus and occupy the vast majority of your booth.
• Prohibited are: commercially manufactured or reproduced items; (For example: posters, mouse pads, magnets, etc.); T-Shirts and commercial clothing; any item that employs the use of commercially available molds or patterns; items that have been purchased and then embellished. No Candles.
• 2D Reproductions: All reproductions must be clearly labeled "reproduction" on the front of the piece or clearly labeled on front of a display bin. If you are a painter, we expect at least 50% of the display to be paintings hanging and not more prints than paintings. 
• An artist’s statement describing the techniques, materials, and processes used in the creation of work should be posted visibly in the booth. Our patrons will appreciate this.
• Tents/Canopies (White) are required and must be professional grade (e.g. Trimline, Showoff, Lite dome, Caravan, Crafthut) with a minimum of 40-pound weights on each corner to provide safety to artists and guests.
• No propping artwork outside your assigned space.
• The Festival reserves the right to conduct multiple calls for entry until the event is sold out.
• The Festival Director, or her appointed representative, has final authority to make necessary adjustments for the show's benefit and remove artists who do not follow the above rules or regulations.
• Although we do not anticipate COVID or any other communicable disease being an issue, the Rose Squared Art Shows reserves the right to implement and enforce mitigation efforts. If such action is necessary, artists will be notified about specific requirements before the show.

Artist/Exhibitor(s), in submitting this application, represents, affirms and agrees, that he/she:
 
1.  has received, read, understands and is bound by the rules, regulations and guidelines in the Prospectus and Application for the VisArts' Rockville Arts Festival;
 
2.  accepts and will not in any way challenge decisions made by jurors and others regarding the selection or rejection of applicants for participation and the determination of recipients of prizes and awards;  
 
3.  has or will have been directly and materially involved in the creation of each and every item exhibited for sale by him/her at the event; Each exhibitor is responsible for the sale of his/her work. No agents or representatives are permitted. 

4. each artist must be present for the entire show. If accepted as collaboration, both artists must be present.
 
5.  consents to the VisArts' Rockville Arts Festival using and displaying, including by electronic media and other methods of  publication, for promotional and educational purposes any images of items submitted in the selection process or photographed during the event;
 
6.  acknowledges his/her obligation to immediately remove from the booth space and cease further exhibiting any work or item which Festival Director, in his or her sole discretion, finds not in conformity with to the Rules and Guidelines for Participation;
 
7.  acknowledges awareness of the broad range of risks of personal injury and property loss or damage inhering in and intrinsic to participation in this years event, including, but not limited to, those arising from negligent and other wrongful acts or omissions of other participants and attendees, those arising from adverse weather conditions, theft and vandalism, and those arising from failure, misuse or malfunction of electrical and other equipment, fixtures and facilities;
 
8.  voluntarily assumes all such risks and, in consideration of anticipated benefits from participating in the event, expressly releases from liability and waives all rights to bring causes of action or other legal process against the VisArts' Rockville Arts Festival, the City of Rockville, Montgomery County, Morguard, Metropolitian Visual Arts Center, Mayor and Council of Rockville, MD, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers and agents for any personal injuries and damage to or loss of property sustained by him/her and attributable to such risks; and
 
9.  accepts full responsibility for his/her own negligent and other wrongful acts and omissions, and those of his/her employees and/or assistants and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the VisArts' Rockville Arts Festival, the City of Rockville, Montgomery County, Morguard, Metropolitian Visual Arts Center, Mayor and Council of Rockville, MD, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers and agents from any and all claims, losses, causes of action, costs and expenses, arising from such negligent and other wrongful acts and omissions.1. Applicants must create 100% of all work displayed. Artwork on display must be consistent with the images submitted for jurying. Artists may only exhibit work in the medium (media) for which they were selected

Your booth fee is your commitment to the show. If you withdraw from the show because you have been accepted into another event, your booth fee is forfeited (we do check). If you need to withdraw due to life circumstances, any withdrawal (by email) 65 days or more before the event you will receive a booth credit minus $80 adminstration fee. The show is rain or shine. Jury fees are nonrefundable. 

There are no rain dates for the show. We do not, at any time, issue refunds unless we have canceled a show with ample time prior to its scheduled date. If a show is canceled AFTER logistical and advertising arrangements have been made, refunds will not be issued under our rain or shine policy nor due to any forces of nature, (i.e., hurricanes, tornados, floods, earthquakes, pandemics, etc.). We understand that there are many unforeseen circumstances that may arise at the last minute, however, we cannot make exceptions to this policy. 

Ad fees are not refundable once the program has been finalized.