Fairs/Festivals
Quad City Arts' 38th Annual Riverssance Festival of Fine Art 2026
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 2
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
QUAD CITY ARTS’ 38th ANNUAL RIVERSSANCE FESTIVAL OF FINE ART
Quad City Arts’ Riverssance Festival of Fine Art is celebrating its 38th year as the premier fine arts festival of the Quad Cities, showcasing close to 100 of the top artists throughout the greater Midwest along with regional musical entertainment, delicious food from area restaurants, wine tasting booth, craft beer tent, and a free children’s art tent.
Riverssance is located in Davenport's Lindsay Park between River Drive and E. 11th Street on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. This picturesque venue is nestled between a beautifully restored turn-of- the-century area of shops and restaurants called the Village of East Davenport and a neighborhood of rolling hills and stately homes.
We’re proud of our reputation of treating artists like friends. We provide easy access onto the park for booth set up, “art angels” for booth breaks, complimentary water, commemorative festival t-shirt, and we buy ART!
Organized and run by art enthusiasts, Riverssance continues to be recognized for its careful attention to artists’ success, community partnerships, great buyers, beautiful location, and a fun weekend.
https://www.quadcityarts.com/riverssance-festival.html
Quad City Arts’ Riverssance Festival of Fine Art is celebrating its 38th year as the premier fine arts festival of the Quad Cities, showcasing close to 100 of the top artists throughout the greater Midwest along with regional musical entertainment, delicious food from area restaurants, wine tasting booth, craft beer tent, and a free children’s art tent.
Riverssance is located in Davenport's Lindsay Park between River Drive and E. 11th Street on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. This picturesque venue is nestled between a beautifully restored turn-of- the-century area of shops and restaurants called the Village of East Davenport and a neighborhood of rolling hills and stately homes.
We’re proud of our reputation of treating artists like friends. We provide easy access onto the park for booth set up, “art angels” for booth breaks, complimentary water, commemorative festival t-shirt, and we buy ART!
Organized and run by art enthusiasts, Riverssance continues to be recognized for its careful attention to artists’ success, community partnerships, great buyers, beautiful location, and a fun weekend.
https://www.quadcityarts.com/riverssance-festival.html
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General Information
CATEGORIES
• one $1000 Best of Show award
• five $500 Merit awards
• one $200 People’s Choice award
A reception for participating artists (and their supporting booth attendants) will take place directly after public hours Saturday evening. Monetary awards and a special set of trophies designed by one of our regional master artisans will be awarded. Light tastings and beverages will be served. The annual Harley Award for Outstanding Community Art Support will also be presented during the reception for the selected recipient.
ARTISTS BREAKFAST
Join us in the food tent Saturday and Sunday morning beginning at 7am for tasty treats as long as they last. Our awesome committee members will be serving up breakfast with a smile!
LUNCH DELIVERY
Artists will have the option to pre-purchase boxed lunches from a local provider that will be delivered to their booths both Saturday and Sunday.
ABOUT
Quad City Arts is a non-profit arts organization serving a six-county area in eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois. We are dedicated to the growth and vitality of the Quad City region through the presentation, development, and celebration of the arts by offering the community arts opportunities, programming, and community events.
The organization’s dual role of presenting the arts and humanities, as well as serving as an arts resource, allows us to serve more than 350,000 people annually in the Arts Center in Rock Island and at over 200 rural and urban community sites.
- Ceramics: Original shaped and fired clay (including earthenware, porcelain, stoneware and terracotta).
- Drawing: pencil, chalk, charcoal, pen & ink
- Fiber: Original work created by the artist from fibers/fabric or leather including batik, basketry, weaving, and quilt-making. No factory produced items are permitted.
- Glass: Original work created in glass by the artist including blown glass, fused glass or stained glass.
- Jewelry: Original work created through fabrication and/or original casting by the artist. If commerically made beads are used, they must be subordinate to the overall design.
- Metal: Any work crafted of metal (not to include jewelry)
- Mixed Media: Includes collage and handmade paper; incorporates more than one type of material.
- Painting (Pastels): Dry pigments applied to a surface.
- Photography: Black & white, color, black and white & color, hand color, digital.
- Painting (Oils): Applied to a surface in any way.
- Painting (Acrylics): Applied to a surface in any way.
- Sculpture: Three-dimensional art that serves an aesthetic or functional purpose.
- Painting (Watercolor): Applied in any way.
- Wood: Original hand-tooled, machine worked, built-up, turned or carved work.
- Printmaking (lithography): Production of images on paper, parchment, or other support.
- Printmaking (screen-print): Production of images on paper, fabric, wood, metal, plastic, or glass.
- Printmaking (etching/engraving): Production of images from etched or engraved plates
- Other: If your category is not represented, you may add your own.
• one $1000 Best of Show award
• five $500 Merit awards
• one $200 People’s Choice award
A reception for participating artists (and their supporting booth attendants) will take place directly after public hours Saturday evening. Monetary awards and a special set of trophies designed by one of our regional master artisans will be awarded. Light tastings and beverages will be served. The annual Harley Award for Outstanding Community Art Support will also be presented during the reception for the selected recipient.
ARTISTS BREAKFAST
Join us in the food tent Saturday and Sunday morning beginning at 7am for tasty treats as long as they last. Our awesome committee members will be serving up breakfast with a smile!
LUNCH DELIVERY
Artists will have the option to pre-purchase boxed lunches from a local provider that will be delivered to their booths both Saturday and Sunday.
ABOUT
Quad City Arts is a non-profit arts organization serving a six-county area in eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois. We are dedicated to the growth and vitality of the Quad City region through the presentation, development, and celebration of the arts by offering the community arts opportunities, programming, and community events.
The organization’s dual role of presenting the arts and humanities, as well as serving as an arts resource, allows us to serve more than 350,000 people annually in the Arts Center in Rock Island and at over 200 rural and urban community sites.
Application Requirements
ELIGIBILITY
All artwork must be original and created by the artist. Limited edition prints are permitted but must be clearly marked as a reproduction. Commercial exhibits, buy-and-sell items, items made from kits and commercially molded articles are not permitted. Any commercially produced materials used to complete exhibited work MUST be subordinate to the original artistic interpretation and technique of the exhibited art.
Artists may apply in additional categories, with a separate application, jury fee and images for each category. Different mediums within the same category (e.g. painting) are not subject to separate applications.
Duo artists will be considered for one booth if artwork is a cooperative effort. Group tents are not permitted.
Young emerging artists (under 23 years of age) are encouraged to participate. Special jury consideration will be given for this category as we recognize developing talents may differ from those more accomplished.
The Riverssance Festival Committee reserves the right to request the removal of any work that differs from these criteria or from the images submitted. Failure to comply will result in the removal of the booth from the Festival, without refund.
Sales Tax
All artists are responsible for paying Iowa sales tax. Sales tax for Davenport is 7% (6% state plus 1% local). For additional information, visit https://tax.iowa.gov/iowa-sales-and-use-tax-guide.
Liability
Riverssance, Quad City Arts, or any community partners or sponsors are not responsible or liable for the loss or damage of property or display.
All artwork must be original and created by the artist. Limited edition prints are permitted but must be clearly marked as a reproduction. Commercial exhibits, buy-and-sell items, items made from kits and commercially molded articles are not permitted. Any commercially produced materials used to complete exhibited work MUST be subordinate to the original artistic interpretation and technique of the exhibited art.
Artists may apply in additional categories, with a separate application, jury fee and images for each category. Different mediums within the same category (e.g. painting) are not subject to separate applications.
Duo artists will be considered for one booth if artwork is a cooperative effort. Group tents are not permitted.
Young emerging artists (under 23 years of age) are encouraged to participate. Special jury consideration will be given for this category as we recognize developing talents may differ from those more accomplished.
The Riverssance Festival Committee reserves the right to request the removal of any work that differs from these criteria or from the images submitted. Failure to comply will result in the removal of the booth from the Festival, without refund.
Sales Tax
All artists are responsible for paying Iowa sales tax. Sales tax for Davenport is 7% (6% state plus 1% local). For additional information, visit https://tax.iowa.gov/iowa-sales-and-use-tax-guide.
Liability
Riverssance, Quad City Arts, or any community partners or sponsors are not responsible or liable for the loss or damage of property or display.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
120
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
95
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
7
Booth Information
EXHIBITION AND SPACE
Single booth: $225
Double booth: $450
Artists must supply all necessary display equipment. All canopies are required to be white and able to withstand winds and rain and be properly weighted. Tents may be staked into the ground. Each exhibitor will be assigned a 12-x12-foot area. Displays must conform to space allotted. Artists are required to display during all public event hours on both days. There is no rain date. Come prepared for inclement weather.
The Riverssance Committee will make every effort to give accepted artists requested spaces, contingent on the layout of the festival. There are a limited number of corner and/or shaded booths. These and other requests will be granted based upon the date received.
Artists are welcome to check-in and set up their booths after noon Friday. Please do not arrive earlier than noon as this takes us away from our set-up. We will stop checking in artists by 6pm. If you arrive after 6pm, you are still welcome to set up your booth. Your check-in packet will be in the information tent, self-service. We will be back by 7am Saturday morning and you can pick up your check-in packet under the large food tent.
As long as the ground is not soft from rain, you can drive onto the park for unloading and loading. There is weekend parking for artists on the park bluff, east of the event grounds. We will also have golf carts available at the information booth to help you retrieve more stock from your vehicle, which you will have so graciously parked in the designated area. There will be NO PARKING behind any booth. You may park your car temporarily to load or unload then it must be moved to the east of the festival grounds.
No electricity is supplied to artists’ booths.
There will be off-duty police officers in the park both Friday and Saturday nights. While we have never had any problems, you leave your possessions at your own risk.
Single booth: $225
Double booth: $450
Artists must supply all necessary display equipment. All canopies are required to be white and able to withstand winds and rain and be properly weighted. Tents may be staked into the ground. Each exhibitor will be assigned a 12-x12-foot area. Displays must conform to space allotted. Artists are required to display during all public event hours on both days. There is no rain date. Come prepared for inclement weather.
The Riverssance Committee will make every effort to give accepted artists requested spaces, contingent on the layout of the festival. There are a limited number of corner and/or shaded booths. These and other requests will be granted based upon the date received.
Artists are welcome to check-in and set up their booths after noon Friday. Please do not arrive earlier than noon as this takes us away from our set-up. We will stop checking in artists by 6pm. If you arrive after 6pm, you are still welcome to set up your booth. Your check-in packet will be in the information tent, self-service. We will be back by 7am Saturday morning and you can pick up your check-in packet under the large food tent.
As long as the ground is not soft from rain, you can drive onto the park for unloading and loading. There is weekend parking for artists on the park bluff, east of the event grounds. We will also have golf carts available at the information booth to help you retrieve more stock from your vehicle, which you will have so graciously parked in the designated area. There will be NO PARKING behind any booth. You may park your car temporarily to load or unload then it must be moved to the east of the festival grounds.
No electricity is supplied to artists’ booths.
There will be off-duty police officers in the park both Friday and Saturday nights. While we have never had any problems, you leave your possessions at your own risk.
Refund Policy
Cancellations
For any cancellation prior to August 16th, booth fees will be refunded (less $25 administration fee). After that date, there are no refunds.
For any cancellation prior to August 16th, booth fees will be refunded (less $25 administration fee). After that date, there are no refunds.
Additional Fees
Double Booth Fee: $450
Booth Fee: $225
Terms to Apply
Application Fee: $30
