Westsylvania Arts Festival 2026

The Indiana Arts Council is proud to produce the 2nd Annual Westsylvania Arts Festival on Memorial Day Weekend from 11am to 6pm. It will be held with the Delaney Chevrolet Westsylvania Jazz & Blues Festival on the main street of historic Indiana, PA. The Delaney Chevrolet Westsylvania Jazz & Blues Festival is a well-established music festival that attracts at least 1,500 people to Downtown Indiana. ArtsFest includes three components: the art vendors street market (next to the music festival), an art demo and hands on experience zone, and an open arts exhibition.
The Indiana Arts Council and the Indiana County Tourist Bureau advertise and promote this "first weekend of summer" festival through various media including print, radio, and social media in regional cities including Johnstown, Altoona and Pittsburgh, all within an hour's drive.
Forty-five booth spaces are available. Vendors are also invited to apply to the Westsylvania Open Arts Exhibit.  Open Arts is a juried exhibit in local galleries with awards including purchase prizes.

ABOUT DOWNTOWN INDIANA, PA
Indiana is a university town with a community that supports, promotes and enjoys the arts. Downtown Indiana is a boutique shopping district and county seat including the new Indiana County Welcome Center. The walkable, tree lined main street features IRMC Park below Vinegar Hill, the Jimmy Stewart Museum, locally owned cafes and restaurants, and wide, walkable sidewalks.

Important Dates:

• Application Opens: January 16, 2026
• Application Deadline: April 11, 2026
• Jury Process: February 2, 2025 – April 24, 2026
• Jury Notification Results: Rolling deadline within three weeks of application
• Accept Invitation & Purchase Deadline: May 1, 2026
• Cancellation Deadline: May 11, 2026
• FESTIVAL!: May 23, 2026    11:00am-6:00pm

Jury Process:
Selection will be determined by the professional quality of the work and its presentation. Work will be juried by representatives of the entities organizing the festival: The Indiana Arts Council, The Artists Hand Gallery, The Westsylvania Jazz & Blues Festival, and Downtown Indiana, Inc.

Waitlist:
45 booths spaces are available, and will be offered on a rolling basis after jurying. Once all booth spaces are purchased, applicants will be placed on a wait list.

Application Requirements:
All artists must submit a total of four images of their work and one booth shot.

Artist Awards:
Artists participating in the associated Open Arts Exhibition will be eligible for awards. Until the Exhibition link is live, please indicate interest to IAC.ArtsFest@gmail.com so that we can keep you in the know! Awards will not be presented to art in booths. 

Media Categories:

• Basketweaving
• Ceramics
• Digital
• Drawing
• Fiber Arts
• Glass
• Graphic Arts
• Jewelry
• Metalwork
• Mixed Media
• Mosaic Art
• Painting
• Photography
• Sculpture
• Wearables: Non Jewelry
• Woodworking

EXHIBITOR RULES AND REGULATIONS
The Indiana Arts Council would like to thank you for your interest in our show.  To help us make our shows the best they can be, we have established some rules and regulations.  To participate you MUST observe the following…
ARTWORK

• All work must be original, handcrafted, created and exhibited by the approved artist themselves.  Kits, imports, and mass-produced items are not acceptable.  This rule is strictly enforced.
• All categories shall be reviewed, juried and screened prior to your acceptance.  Your booth must be similar to the booth illustrated in your application. Festival managers will request removal of media that was NOT approved in the application.
• Though preparing food is an art, food vendors are excluded. Food vendors may apply separately as a Westsylvania Festival food vendor. Please email IAC.ArtsFest@gmail.com for food vendor information and an application form.

APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION

• First Time Exhibitors: If you are applying within 30 days of an event, a credit card, money order, or cashier’s check is required for the booth fee. 
• WAITING LIST –   Once placed on the waitlist, the office will contact you as soon as we have an opening in the show. If you are called from the waitlist there is NO penalty if you do not accept the spot.
• Refund/Cancellation Policy: The Westsylvania Arts Fest application (jury) fee is non-refundable. Booth fees will be refunded at 50% until April 1, Cancelled booth fees can also be applied to future shows for up to two years. Cancellations after May 10 may result in forfeit of booth fee credit, and non-acceptance in future years.
•  All cancellations MUST be in writing (email to IAC.ArtsFest@gmail.com preferred).  

THE MONEY

• Payment will be through the Zapplication Portal.  
• TAXES – Each exhibitor is responsible for collecting the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania sales tax and remitting it.
• Your confirmation and purchase of booth space is a commitment to display your work during ALL scheduled hours of the show.  If you are not present for part of the show, you may not be accepted into future shows.

OCCUPANCY

• Exhibitors will receive a 10x10 booth space. Exhibitors will NOT take up any additional space without first consulting with a show coordinator.  ALL WORK, DISPLAY and STORAGE WILL NOT GO BEYOND THE ASSIGNED EXHIBITOR SPACE.  
• TENTS – Exhibitors must provide their own tent. Exhibitors are responsible for making their tents sturdy against wind, rain etc.  Tents MUST be manufactured of flame-retardant materials.  Staking into the pavement will NOT be permitted . 
• The exhibitor’s space shall be occupied by 9:30 a.m. the morning of the show or you will be considered a “no-show” and your space may be given away with no refund or credit.  Vehicles MUST be removed from the show area by 10:30 a.m. unless otherwise specified. Exhibitors shall be “show ready” by the official festival start time, 11:00 a.m.
• Exhibitors will leave their exhibit space clean after packing up at break down.  If your space is not clean after an event, you may not be accepted into future shows.
• Set-up and breakdown times will be strictly enforced.  Please see your show confirmation for details.
• The approved exhibitor will occupy their booth at all times.  NO subletting or sharing of space is permitted.  No representatives are allowed.  Friendly pets are allowed.

BEHAVIOR

• No Solicitation - Exhibitors are present at our shows for the purpose of representing their work. For that reason, no exhibitor, or their representatives, will engage in any type of solicitation of any products, supplies, shows, etc. during the course of the show, starting at the commencement of the event and ending at the end of breakdown of the said event.  The exhibitors’ role is to sell their work and not engage in any other non-related business activities during the course of the event.  Failure to comply may result in expulsion from the show.

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• The IAC will do its best to maintain a safe, friendly and pleasurable environment for artists and patrons.
• The IAC is not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen property.
• Management reserves the right to make final interpretations of all rules and regulations. 

 

Booth space cost is $75, and is 10'X10', arranged at curbs and the center of the main street with two aisles between the three rows of tents. Exhibitors must provide their own tent.

WAF is a "rain or shine" event. Exhibitors are responsible for making their tents sturdy against wind, rain etc.  Tents MUST be manufactured of flame-retardant materials.  Staking into the pavement will NOT be permitted . WAF recommends weighting tents with water filled tie downs, sand bags, or pvc pipes filled with concrete and eye hook.

Refund/Cancellation Policy:
The Westsylvania Arts Fest application (jury) fee is non-refundable. Booth fees will be refunded at 50% until April 1, Cancelled booth fees can also be applied to future shows for up to two years. Cancellation notice must be received in writing.  Cancellations after May 10 may result in forfeit of booth fee credit, and non-acceptance in future years.

Event Cancellation:
In the unlikely event that Westylvania Arts Fest must be cancelled (for example: a civil emergency, hazardous weather or natural disaster), applicants will receive full credit to participate in the next year's festival.