Fairs/Festivals
Stockley Gardens Spring Arts Festival 2026
Norfolk, Virginia
Application Fee: $40
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Submission Limit: 2
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
Hope House Foundation, an agency that provides support services to people with disabilities, is celebrating its 42nd year of hosting the Stockley Gardens Arts Festival. The juried festival, located in beautiful Stockley Gardens Park in the heart of historic Ghent, draws thousands of people over the course of the weekend and in addition to fine art, features a wide variety of foods, music, and children’s activities. Our festival has been called Hampton Roads’ best arts festival and was named one of the top outdoor art events in Eastern Virginia by Virginia Living Magazine. We are proud to provide artists an opportunity to display and sell their work in a beautiful environment.
General Information
FESTIVAL HOURS:
Saturday, May 16, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, May 17, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
SET-UP TIMES:
Friday, May 15, 1:00 pm – 7:00pm
Saturday, May 16, 7:30 am – 9:30 am
ACCEPTED MEDIUM CATEGORIES:
Drawing, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metal, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Pottery, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Wood. We do not accept body care items, food items, or clothing.
WAIT LIST POLICY: Artists who advance to the final round of jurying, but are not invited to participate, will be considered alternates and will be notified of their alternate status and placed on the wait list.
NOTIFICATION: Artists will be notified the week of March 11th, 2026. If accepted into the show, checks need to be received no later than March 25th. At which point, we will fill your spot with an artist from the alternate list. When you pay by credit card you must pay the credit card fee, otherwise Hope House has to pay for it and we will collect it at the event.
AWARDS
The Helen G. Gifford Foundation Best in Show - $3,500
The Alexis Reass 1st Place Award- $2,000
The Melayna Sophia 2nd Place Award - $1,000
3rd Place Award - $500
(1) Award of Merit - $150
Edward G. Carson Memorial Award - $250 (SPRING ONLY)
Randy Smith Memorial Award - $100 (SPRING ONLY)
Saturday, May 16, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, May 17, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
SET-UP TIMES:
Friday, May 15, 1:00 pm – 7:00pm
Saturday, May 16, 7:30 am – 9:30 am
ACCEPTED MEDIUM CATEGORIES:
Drawing, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metal, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Pottery, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Wood. We do not accept body care items, food items, or clothing.
WAIT LIST POLICY: Artists who advance to the final round of jurying, but are not invited to participate, will be considered alternates and will be notified of their alternate status and placed on the wait list.
NOTIFICATION: Artists will be notified the week of March 11th, 2026. If accepted into the show, checks need to be received no later than March 25th. At which point, we will fill your spot with an artist from the alternate list. When you pay by credit card you must pay the credit card fee, otherwise Hope House has to pay for it and we will collect it at the event.
AWARDS
The Helen G. Gifford Foundation Best in Show - $3,500
The Alexis Reass 1st Place Award- $2,000
The Melayna Sophia 2nd Place Award - $1,000
3rd Place Award - $500
(1) Award of Merit - $150
Edward G. Carson Memorial Award - $250 (SPRING ONLY)
Randy Smith Memorial Award - $100 (SPRING ONLY)
Artist Reception/After Hours Party: A free artists' reception with live music takes place on the main stage on Saturday evening. The party takes place immediately after the show ends for the day, and lasts from 5 to 7 pm. We encourage the festival artists to attend, along with sponsors, volunteers, and the community at large. Midway through the reception, the Festival judge announces the award winners and distributes prizes.
In addition to live music provided by talented musicians, food vendors remain open for the reception, and beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages are available. This rockin' outdoor party is a great opportunity to have fun and mingle with both patrons and artists.
Hope House Foundation, an agency that provides support services to people with disabilities, is celebrating its 42nd year of hosting the Stockley Gardens Arts Festival. The juried festival, located in beautiful Stockley Gardens Park in the heart of historic Ghent, draws thousands of people over the course of the weekend and in addition to fine art, features a wide variety of foods, music, and children’s activities. Our festival has been called Hampton Roads’ best arts festival and was named one of the top outdoor art events in Eastern Virginia by Virginia Living Magazine. We are proud to provide artists an opportunity to display and sell their work in a beautiful environment.Application Requirements
DISPLAYS: Artists must provide their own display unit(s). Electricity is NOT provided. A standard space is 10’x10’, but one and one half and double spaces are also available. Your display must be completely contained within the space you purchase (this will be strictly enforced).
IN CASE OF RAIN: The festival does not have a rain date. Artists are encouraged to have suitable material to protect their work. The cost of the event prohibits refunds. A weather watch is maintained and artists will be informed of impending storms by the Festival Committee. The decision to close the show due to weather is at the sole discretion of the Stockley Gardens Arts Festival Committee. Artists leaving or packing out without approval of the committee is prohibited. Artists risk not being invited back by leaving or packing out early!
REFUND POLICY: Refunds for all fees are non-refundable outside of a pandemic.
THE SELECTION PROCESS: Selection is based on creativity, technical ability and use of medium. The selection process is based solely on the images submitted and does not take into account factors such as prior history with the festival or awards won in other shows. The jury selection is final.
Artists may show only in the mediums in which they are accepted. No artist may display work in a medium that has not been juried. If you would like to have more than one medium considered for the show you must submit digital images and jury fees for all mediums for jurying. For example, a glass artist who wants to display glass jewelry must apply and be juried in both glass and jewelry. Stockley Gardens Arts Festival turns other artists away based on your commitment to participate; therefore, no refunds will be made for cancellations.
STANDARDS
Our show is designed for artists and artisans who bring their own original work, created and executed by their own hand, and of professional quality. Work is absolutely limited to the work of a single artist or a two-person team collaboration. Art that is generated digitally, including photography, must be displayed in a manner consistent with, and respectful of the standards of the art that is created by hand.
Photomechanical reproductions of an artist’s original work may be present in a small quantity in a spin tower or portfolio/bin or hung on one side of one wall, whichever is lesser. The individual prints must be clearly labeled as reproductions. THIS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
In the Medium of Jewelry, beads made by the standards committee at intervals throughout the show to ensure all items in the booth are the same or better quality as the images submitted. The artist will be required to remove ineligible items based upon show standards (i.e, if you are a potter and would like to show clay jewelry, you must also apply and be juried in the medium of jewelry).
Ineligible items include items made with commercially available molds or patterns or any item produced commercially including canvas prints of photography or by anyone other than the artist. No representatives or dealers may show. PHOTO ID may be required at check in. Ineligible items also include items in a medium which has not been juried into the show. Artists violating the rules of this show or who fail to cooperate with the festival committee will be asked to leave.
DIGITAL IMAGES: Please only submit 4 digital images representing each category of work intended for display at the festival plus 1 additional image of the artist booth. Each image needs a description of the type of work submitted including materials used to make the piece. All images must be digital. We will print the images of the exhibiting artists to recheck the artwork during the show.
Your images (particularly your booth image) should include everything that will be brought to the show. One image can include many types of items. Your Zapp image submissions must also include prices.
SALES TAXES
Each exhibitor is responsible for collecting applicable sales taxes. Tax forms will be provided at the festival.
IN CASE OF RAIN: The festival does not have a rain date. Artists are encouraged to have suitable material to protect their work. The cost of the event prohibits refunds. A weather watch is maintained and artists will be informed of impending storms by the Festival Committee. The decision to close the show due to weather is at the sole discretion of the Stockley Gardens Arts Festival Committee. Artists leaving or packing out without approval of the committee is prohibited. Artists risk not being invited back by leaving or packing out early!
REFUND POLICY: Refunds for all fees are non-refundable outside of a pandemic.
THE SELECTION PROCESS: Selection is based on creativity, technical ability and use of medium. The selection process is based solely on the images submitted and does not take into account factors such as prior history with the festival or awards won in other shows. The jury selection is final.
Artists may show only in the mediums in which they are accepted. No artist may display work in a medium that has not been juried. If you would like to have more than one medium considered for the show you must submit digital images and jury fees for all mediums for jurying. For example, a glass artist who wants to display glass jewelry must apply and be juried in both glass and jewelry. Stockley Gardens Arts Festival turns other artists away based on your commitment to participate; therefore, no refunds will be made for cancellations.
STANDARDS
Our show is designed for artists and artisans who bring their own original work, created and executed by their own hand, and of professional quality. Work is absolutely limited to the work of a single artist or a two-person team collaboration. Art that is generated digitally, including photography, must be displayed in a manner consistent with, and respectful of the standards of the art that is created by hand.
Photomechanical reproductions of an artist’s original work may be present in a small quantity in a spin tower or portfolio/bin or hung on one side of one wall, whichever is lesser. The individual prints must be clearly labeled as reproductions. THIS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
In the Medium of Jewelry, beads made by the standards committee at intervals throughout the show to ensure all items in the booth are the same or better quality as the images submitted. The artist will be required to remove ineligible items based upon show standards (i.e, if you are a potter and would like to show clay jewelry, you must also apply and be juried in the medium of jewelry).
Ineligible items include items made with commercially available molds or patterns or any item produced commercially including canvas prints of photography or by anyone other than the artist. No representatives or dealers may show. PHOTO ID may be required at check in. Ineligible items also include items in a medium which has not been juried into the show. Artists violating the rules of this show or who fail to cooperate with the festival committee will be asked to leave.
DIGITAL IMAGES: Please only submit 4 digital images representing each category of work intended for display at the festival plus 1 additional image of the artist booth. Each image needs a description of the type of work submitted including materials used to make the piece. All images must be digital. We will print the images of the exhibiting artists to recheck the artwork during the show.
Your images (particularly your booth image) should include everything that will be brought to the show. One image can include many types of items. Your Zapp image submissions must also include prices.
SALES TAXES
Each exhibitor is responsible for collecting applicable sales taxes. Tax forms will be provided at the festival.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
215
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
130
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
4
Booth Information
FEES: There is a non-refundable application fee of $40 for each medium entered and is only payable through credit card and PayPal. The booth fee is $275 and is non-refundable if accepted into the show and is payable to Hope House Foundation through check or credit card through our online donation page. Please send checks payable to Hope House Foundation to 801 Boush Street, Suite 302, Norfolk, VA 23510. If you pay by credit card you must pay the credit card fee, otherwise Hope House has to pay for it and we will collect it at the event.
AVAILABLE BOOTH SPACES:
Single (10x10) $275
1 1/2 Space (10x15) $415
Double Space (10x20) $550
(You may only use the amount of space purchased! This will be strictly enforced.)
PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS: Artists who have won Best in Show, 1st, 2nd & 3rd place awards in Fall 2025 are exempt from jury selection. They will be given a coupon code to use during electronic payment of the application fee to excuse them from payment. They must still apply by February 15th, 2026, and pay the $275 booth fee by March 25th, 2026.
AVAILABLE BOOTH SPACES:
Single (10x10) $275
1 1/2 Space (10x15) $415
Double Space (10x20) $550
(You may only use the amount of space purchased! This will be strictly enforced.)
PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS: Artists who have won Best in Show, 1st, 2nd & 3rd place awards in Fall 2025 are exempt from jury selection. They will be given a coupon code to use during electronic payment of the application fee to excuse them from payment. They must still apply by February 15th, 2026, and pay the $275 booth fee by March 25th, 2026.
Refund Policy
IN CASE OF CANCELATION DUE TO PANDEMIC: You will be refunded your booth fee if you already sent in your check. Unfortunately, we can not refund application fees because we have upfront costs associated with our online application on ZAPP.
Terms to Apply
Application Fee: $40