Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival 2026

This 22nd annual juried, fine arts festival is well known for exceptional treatment of the artists, many of whom return year after year. This outdoor venue is beautiful Styron Square in the heart of Port Warwick in Newport News and is often described as "walking through an outdoor art gallery"!

We search for qualified artists throughout the country who continually challenge themselves to achieve a higher artistic level both in subject matter and technique. The Show is organized by the Port Warwick Foundation which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that encourages emerging artists and embraces culturally diverse artists to our Show.  Live entertainment all weekend, ever expanding family and children's activities, food trucks and conveniently located between Williamsburg and Virginia Beach makes this the perfect addition to your Fall Virginia Tour!

Marketing to include: radio and tv advertising, print advertising in the local newspapers and billboards, an expanded social media campaign and press releases to encourage the local media to promote this growing festival.

• No more than 120 Artists accepted - Rolling Admission through Zapp until Show is filled
• Prior-year award winning artists are jury-exempt
• Notification within 2 weeks of Application
• Cash Awards in 14 categories
• 24 hour security with local police department
• Free program & artist listing
• Artist gallery posted on Festival website
• Award winning, upscale pedestrian-oriented community
• A region that embraces the arts with art educated patrons visiting all weekend long
• Southern hospitality
• Friendly, hard working volunteers
• Friday Set-Up
• Assistance with load in & load out
• Discounted hotel rates
• Flat, affordable booth fee, no commission
• Emerging Artists Tent
• Children's and Family Outreach activities
• Live Entertainment on both days
• Wide Selection of Food available
• Upscale Wine and Beer Garden
• Booth sitters
• Complimentary lunch provided on both days
• VIP dinner with entertainment provided on Saturday night
• Champagne Brunch on Sunday morning during the Awards Ceremony
• The Festival Poster is selected from the artists' uploaded images so keep that in mind when uploading examples of your work. One lucky artist will be selected for the Festival Poster!

Booth Fee: $350 - 10x10 booth space
$650 - double booth space
Registration: $35
Application Deadline: June 12, 2026
Booth Purchase Deadline: June 12, 2026

COVID-19 STATEMENT
The safety or our exhibitors, staff, volunteers and patrons is our number one priority. All safety guidelines will be met to ensure a safe environment for the Art Festival to go on. In the event that the Art Festival has to be cancelled due to COVID-19, we will continue to offer full booth refunds or booth fee credits as we did in 2020.

​​​​​​In Case of Rain: The festival does not have a rain date. Artists are encouraged to have suitable materials 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 Port Warwick Foundation’s Board of Directors. Artists leaving or packing out without committee approval is prohibited and may result in not being invited back in future years.


DESCRIPTION OF ACCEPTABLE MEDIA AND CATEGORIES:

CERAMICS: Functional and non-functional clay works excluding clay jewelry and clay sculpture. No part of the finished pieces shall be the result of mass production.

DRAWING AND GRAPHICS: Work created using dry media such as chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, and crayons or from fluid media, such as ink applied by brush or pen. Printed works from which the artist creates the plates, stones or screens and pulls the prints are accepted.

FIBER: Any work created from fibers, including leatherwork, basketry, papermaking, weaving, etc. No machine tooling, machine screening or any form of mass production is permitted. T-shirts and commercial clothing are ineligible.

GLASS: Functional and non-functional items are accepted. No part of the finished pieces shall be the result of mass production. Pressed glass objects are not permitted.

JEWELRY: Personal adornment. Original and unique designs incorporating any of the following: gold, silver, gemstones, glass, wood, clay and other non-precious material.
What is not permitted: strung pearls, craft clay, and use of commercial casts or molds; commercially available pendants and brooches, catalogue merchandise. Loose stones may not be sold.

MIXED MEDIA: Includes 2-D and 3-D non-sculptural work, incorporating more than one type of physical material or processes in its production, i.e. an etching that is then painted or a collage of handmade paper and photography.

SCULPTURE (LARGE): Defined as over 3 feet tall, functional and non-functional, 3-D work in any medium.

SCULPTURE (SMALL): Defined as less than 3 feet tall, functional and non-functional, 3-D work in any medium.

PAINTINGS: Original 2-D work created in oils, acrylics, watercolor, etc.

Photography: Limited-edition prints produced from the artist’s original film or digital file. The edition quantity may not exceed 250 prints of any single image. Artists may be required to provide proof of authenticity at the Director’s discretion. Failure to provide the original film or digital file upon request will result in disqualification and exclusion from the festival.

PRINTMAKING: Printed works for which the artist’s hand manipulated the plates, stones or screens and which have been properly signed and numbered as a limited edition may be entered in this category. All photogravure, photocopy and/or offset reproductions, will be rejected. Printmakers are required to disclose both their creative and printmaking processes.

WOOD: Works crafted from wood, excluding furniture and sculpture that are hand tooled, machine turned or machine carved. No magnifying glasses, pens, bottle stoppers or catalogue merchandise are permitted.

OTHER: Work that does not fall into the above mentioned categories.
 

Artists Standards of Eligibility

All original pieces must be signed.

Works produced with commercial kits (molds, patterns, plans, prefabricated forms, or other commercial methods) are not permitted.

Exhibited work must be consistent with the digital images or slides submitted by the artist and follow Festival guidelines.

Artists may exhibit work in two or more categories if they have applied and have been accepted in each category.

Only the work of the juried artist or collaborating team may be displayed and/or sold.

Artwork priced under $20 is not permitted without prior approval from the Festival Director. Discount or sale signs are strictly prohibited.

Artwork in which software or automated systems generate the majority of the final composition or substitute for the artist’s creative decision-making is not eligible

REPRODUCTIONS

Reproductions include, but are not limited to, the following non-original medium: intaglio, and giclee prints signed or unsigned.

Whether framed or unframed, these must be clearly and individually labeled “REPRODUCTION” or “LIMITED EDITION REPRODUCTION.” Please note that limited edition and giclee prints of no more than 25 from one source will be permitted.

Reproductions must not be displayed in the same browse bins as original art work.

However, exhibited (bins, hanging, etc.) reproductions must not comprise more than 25% of your total booth display.

THE DISPLAY

Approximately 100 artist booths will be placed throughout festival grounds. Booths will be safely distanced apart.

Each booth area is 10×10 with 3-foot alley behind the booth, all located on grassy terrain and adjacent to a wide sidewalk.

Artists are responsible for providing tents (white) and display equipment. Electricity is not available to artists.

All materials must be kept within the assigned booth area. Display, bins, or work cannot extend out into traffic areas.

Paintings, graphics, prints and photographs must be appropriately framed or matted and must be displayed in a suitable panel, portfolio or stand.

FAILURE TO MEET THE STANDARDS:

Artists will be expected to adhere to the Festival Rules. Our Standards Committee will review booths daily to ensure compliance. The Port Warwick Foundation retains the right to remove any ineligible artwork from the exhibition. Further, the Foundation and their representatives also have the right to remove an artist for non-compliance of Festival rules with no refund.

10x10 Booth Space - must supply your own booth (white tent with sides) or rent through our recommended rental company

Booth Fee:

Single Booth Space:  $350
                                              
Double Booth Space:  $650
                               
 Registration: $35

All booths are on a grassy park like setting but placed right up to a sidewalk. Set-up is the Friday before the Show with 24 hour security by the local police department. Booths will be safely distanced apart. White tents required for aesthetic conformity within the park like setting.

 

The application fee is non-refundable. Booth fees will be refunded minus a $50 administration fee  if a refund request is submitted to laura@portwarwickcom by July 1, 2026. After July 1^st until July 31^st, 50% of the booth fee will be returned. Cancellations after July 31^st will not receive refund.