Fairs/Festivals
Vancouver USA Arts and Music Festival 2026
Vancouver, Washington
Application Fee: $30
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist & Non-Artist Vendor
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 5
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
The 2026 Vancouver Arts & Music Festival (VAMF) welcomes local and regional artists and makers to showcase and sell original work in the Visual Arts & Creative Makers Marketplace while connecting with a diverse, engaged community. VAMF is a joyful, three-day celebration of creativity, culture, and community held in downtown Vancouver, Washington. Now entering its fourth year, the festival draws 50,000+ attendees from across the region and features:
- 160+ visual artists in a curated marketplace and Art Exhibit
- 40+ musical, dance, and street-theater performances
- Interactive art zones and hands-on creative activities
- Food and beverage vendors offering regional fare
- Nightly performances by the award-winning Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
The Visual Arts & Creative Makers Marketplace is a central feature of VAMF, showcasing talented local and regional artists and makers working across a wide range of mediums. We welcome artists at all stages of their careers and proudly offer an Emerging Artist category to support rising creatives.
The 2026 Vancouver Arts & Music Festival will take place August 7–9, 2026, in Esther Short Park and the surrounding downtown area.
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General Information
SELECTION PROCESS
Approximately 60 Visual Arts & Creative Makers Marketplace booths will be selected through a review process conducted by a selection committee meeting virtually in multiple rounds.
Selections are guided by the following criteria:
- Artistic excellence, including the quality, creativity, and overall impression of the work
- Work that is well conceived and expertly executed
- A commitment to showcasing diverse styles, techniques, and media
- A broad range of price points to encourage accessibility and sales
- Overall balance of the Marketplace, with the goal of maximizing visitor engagement, experience, and purchases
There are no quotas or guarantees associated with any category.
MEDIA CATEGORIES
Media categories help organize artists’ work into related groups for review and booth placement. Artists are encouraged to carefully review the categories and select the one that best represents their work. The Vancouver Arts & Music Festival strives to create a balanced marketplace showcasing both fine art and craft across a diverse range of media. There are no quotas or guarantees associated with any category.
Ceramics: Original clay and porcelain work, including wheel-thrown and hand-built pieces. Slip-cast work is permitted when the designs are original to the artist. No machine-made, mass-produced work, or commercially produced molds are allowed.
Digital Art: Two-dimensional work created by the artist using computer-based technologies. This may include scanned images from the artist or other source material that has been substantially modified by the artist using digital tools. All work must be produced as signed and numbered limited editions not to exceed 250, and printed on archival-quality materials. Artwork generated by or with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence is not permitted.
Drawing/Pastels: Original compositions utilizing pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, and ink. Reproductions must be printed on archival materials in signed and numbered limited editions not exceeding 250.
Fiber: Work crafted from fiber that is non-wearable, including basketry, weaving, rugs, tapestry, and batik. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns, or mass production permitted.
Glass: Hand-crafted glass using glass blowing, fusing, casting, or kiln-forming techniques. No mass production permitted.
Jewelry: All jewelry produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic, or other materials. No commercial casts, molds, or production studio work allowed. Artists whose process consists primarily of assembly and the use of commercially produced components must apply in the Traditional Crafts category.
Metalwork: Original work by way of forging, hammering, or fabrication that is functional or decorative rather than sculptural. Examples include bowls, wall art, lighting, and furniture. No assembled kits or pre-formed parts allowed. Excludes jewelry and sculpture. No production studio work allowed.
Mixed Media, 2D: Any work intended for display on a wall that combines two or more media.
Mixed Media, 3D: Original work from multiple materials with a multi-sided orientation.
Painting: Original compositions created in oils, acrylics, watercolor, encaustic, or other fluid paint media. Paintings must be the full intellectual property of the artist. All reference material used in the creation of the work must have been done by the artist themselves without the use of AI or photography found online (unless assisted by a collaborator who will be listed in the application). Reproductions must be printed on archival materials in signed and numbered limited editions not exceeding 250.
Photography: Photographic prints made from the artist's original image captured through film, digital, or alternative processes, and processed by that artist or under their direct supervision. Must be printed on archival materials in signed and numbered limited editions not exceeding 250. AI may be used as an aid in editing photographs captured by the artist, but AI cannot be used to generate the original image. Photographers must disclose creative and printing processes.
Printmaking: Signed and numbered limited-edition prints encompassing woodcuts, engraving, etching, mezzotint, screen-printing, or other traditional print methods. Must be printed on archival materials in editions not exceeding 250. Artists must disclose creative and printmaking processes.
Sculpture: Three-dimensional sculptural work in any medium including metal, clay, wood, glass, or mixed materials. Work must be hand-built, formed, molded, or sculpted by the artist and viewable from multiple angles.
Traditional Crafts: Traditional crafts may include culinary, soap, candles, beadwork, needlepoint, cross-stitch, quilting, brooms, dolls and toys, calligraphy, pressed flowers, and hand-embellishments or painting on items that were not made by the artist. Jewelers whose process consists primarily of assembly, mainly wire wrapping, and the use of commercially produced components such as charms and findings must apply in this category.
Wearables: Original, handmade wearable work such as clothing, hats, fabric purses, leather belts, leather purses, satchels, and leather accessories. No factory-produced items, regardless of artist modification.
Wood: Original hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned, or carved wood pieces, including furniture and musical instruments. May be functional or non-functional.
Not Accepted: Buy/sell items, mass-produced goods, AI-generated artwork, commercial imported goods.
IMAGE SUBMISSIONS
Five images are to be submitted with each application. Four images must be of individual pieces of work. The fifth image must be of a booth or display a grouping of the artist's work. The purpose of the booth image is to ensure the artist has a cohesive body of work large enough for a 3-day event. It also helps to quickly identify the scale of the artist's work for the jury.
Note: This is a blind jury process; please avoid submitting booth images with any identifiable signage or a photo of the artist themselves. Avoid having the artist's name in any of the image titles when uploading to ZAPP. For artists with multiple bodies of work or those working in multiple categories, VAMF encourages them to submit these in separate applications.
Only Emerging Artist Applicants may apply with a 5th image of their work instead of a booth shot. Artists may apply as an established artist or as an emerging artist, but not both. Artists who wish to share a booth must apply jointly.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
Artists who meet any of the following criteria should apply to the Visual Arts & Creative Makers Marketplace:
Local and Regional Fine Artists
- Have extensive prior experience or a consistent record of participating in professional art festivals
- Have an established art business or substantial annual sales
- Use production studios, apprentices, or outsourced fabrication
- Have previously exhibited at VAMF as a general Marketplace Artist
Interactive Artists
Interactive Artists create participatory experiences that invite attendees to engage directly in the artistic process. These artists design hands-on, collaborative, or immersive activities such as live painting, community-built installations, make-and-take projects, or creative workshops that encourage visitors of all ages to create alongside them.
Demonstration Artists
Demonstration Artists showcase their craft through live, skill-based demonstrations that highlight technique, process, and artistry. Their work focuses on educating and engaging the public by showing how artwork is made such as glass blowing, wheel throwing, fiber arts, printmaking, sculpture making, metalsmithing, or other process-driven disciplines.
Emerging Artists
An Emerging Artist is an early-career creator who is developing their professional artistic practice and has limited experience exhibiting at regional or national art festivals. This category is designed to support artists who are building their portfolio, booth presentation, and business foundations.
To qualify as an Emerging Artist, applicants should meet most of the following criteria:
- Have fewer than 3 years of experience participating in professional art festivals, markets, or juried shows
- Are new to selling their work at large public events
- Are still developing a professional booth display, brand identity, or sales experience
- Are actively growing their body of work and artistic direction
- Create original, handcrafted work made by the artist (no buy/sell, kits, or mass-produced items)
EQUITY STATEMENT
VAMF is committed to cultivating an inclusive, welcoming, and equitable festival experience. We value diverse artistic voices and encourage applications from artists of all backgrounds, identities, and levels of experience. We strive to ensure that the Artist Marketplace reflects the cultural richness of Vancouver and the broader creative community.
Application Requirements
ARTIST COMMITMENT
By applying, artists agree:
- All work is designed and created by the artist
- The artist will be present during all festival hours
- Display consistent with submitted images
- No buy/sell or mass-produced goods are permitted
- Artist responsible for collecting and reporting all applicable sales tax
INSURANCE
Artists are responsible for securing appropriate insurance to protect their work, displays, and personal property. The Vancouver Arts & Music Festival and its partners are not responsible for damage or loss due to weather, theft, or other incidents beyond the festival’s control.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
200
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
55
Booth Information
FESTIVAL HOURS
Friday, August 7: 10 AM – 8 PM
Saturday, August 8: 10 AM – 8 PM
Sunday, August 9: 10 AM – 7 PM
LOAD IN/OUT
Load-In: Thursday, August 6th
Load-Out: Sunday, August 9, after 7 PM
Overnight security details: 24-hour security throughout the site from Thursday, August 6 – Sunday, August 9, 2026
BOOTH FEES
- 10x10 Booth: $200
- 10x20 Booth: $300
- 20x20 Booth: $500
- Emerging Artist Booth Fee: $150
Vendors are required to supply their own tent. If assistance is needed, please reach out to the festival organizers—we’re happy to help where possible.
Refund Policy
Application fees are non-refundable.
Booth fees:
- April 30, 2026: Last day to cancel with 50% refund
- No refunds after April 30, 2026
The festival will take place rain or shine.
Additional Fees
20x20 Booth: $500
10x20 Booth: $300
10x10 Booth: $200
Emerging Artist 10x10: $150
Terms to Apply
Application Fee: $30