Fairs/Festivals
Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival 2027 - Florida
Bay Harbor Islands, Florida
Application Fee: $25
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist & Non-Artist Vendor
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 1
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
NEW DATE: JANUARY 17th & 18th (Sunday & Monday) MLK WEEKEND!
LOCATION: KANE CONCOURSE! (Heart of the Community)
The Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival is back for 2027! This 2-day event will be held in the beautiful Town of Bay Harbor Islands. Long known as "The Best Kept Secret on the Water," this two-island, vibrant and progressive community is located in the heart of Biscayne Bay, surrounded by some of the most affluent coastal communities in South Florida. With its sought-after real estate and small-town appeal, art lovers live and work here.
The Festival takes place January 17th & 18th, 2027, on the royal palm tree-lined street of Kane Concourse in the Town’s center downtown area with its boutique shops, fine dining, and one of the most luxurious malls in America just steps away.
The Festival will showcase exceptional fine art and craft exhibitors, culinary arts, hands-on activities for families, and a variety of live performances over the two days.
LOCATION: KANE CONCOURSE! (Heart of the Community)
The Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival is back for 2027! This 2-day event will be held in the beautiful Town of Bay Harbor Islands. Long known as "The Best Kept Secret on the Water," this two-island, vibrant and progressive community is located in the heart of Biscayne Bay, surrounded by some of the most affluent coastal communities in South Florida. With its sought-after real estate and small-town appeal, art lovers live and work here.
The Festival takes place January 17th & 18th, 2027, on the royal palm tree-lined street of Kane Concourse in the Town’s center downtown area with its boutique shops, fine dining, and one of the most luxurious malls in America just steps away.
The Festival will showcase exceptional fine art and craft exhibitors, culinary arts, hands-on activities for families, and a variety of live performances over the two days.
General Information
- The Festival is a 2-day, FREE to the public, community event, with an anticipated attendance of 10,000 attendees.
- Located in a community of dedicated art buyers and supporters of the Arts
- A perfect weekend destination for young professionals and their families with its free, fun, art-related activities for kids of all ages
- Features oversized booth spaces and convenient Friday set up with drive-up access and reserved artist parking
- Application Deadline: October 9th, 2026
- Application Fee: $25
- Booth Fee: $425
- Artists are selected by blind jury, based upon quality of workmanship, originality, and artistic conception. All work must be done solely by the exhibiting artists. Artists will be invited to showcase their work in the following categories: Mixed Media 2-D, Mixed Media 3-D, Ceramics, Digital, Drawing/Graphics, Glass, Jewelry, Painting (Oil & Acrylic), Watercolor, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture/Metal, Fiber (2-D), Fiber (Wearable) and Wood.
- The Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival is a community event with a focus on Fine Arts. The festival will include a high school art exhibit, a children's interactive art area and a Music Stage featuring regional performing arts groups and organizations. Our upscale dining vendors with shaded table seating provide ample food/beverage options.
IMPORTANT DATES
October 9, 2026 - Application Deadline
October 18, 2026 Invitations & Waitlist Status Sent
December 4, 2026 Booth Fees Due (Non-Refundable)
January 16, 2027 (Saturday) Artist set up, with staggered assigned times beginning at 2:00PM
January 17 & 18, 2027 (Sunday & Monday) Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival 10 AM – 6 PM
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
IMPORTANT
It is critical that each accepted artist and waitlist artist maintains an accurate and up-to-date artist profile in Zapp through February 2027, especially telephone, email, website, and postal mail. In addition, it is important to check your email often as all acceptances and pertinent information will be communicated electronically.
TO APPLY
Each exhibiting artist must complete an online application with only one artist per entry unless you are entering as collaborating artists. A separate online application must be completed for each medium in which you would like to apply. Each application requires a jury fee and its own set of images.
IMAGES
Five (5) images are to be submitted for each individual media category entered by the artist. Four (4) images of individual work and a booth shot which is mandatory.
JURY PROCESS
The jury is a blind jury, meaning that the jurors do not know the names or any other information about the artists. The four-member panel is convened in the same room, each having access to a computer monitor for scoring purposes.
The jurors, a diverse group of experienced art professionals, are selected for their art background and for their appreciation of the value of art festivals. Our jury members vary each year and we often include a festival artist on this panel.
The Booth image should show your booth as it is set up for exhibition at an outdoor show with your work displayed, but must not reveal the artist’s name or have people standing in the booth. The image description and Artist Statement will be available to the jurors on their computer monitor. Please use the artist statement to convey the process used to create your work and not the inspiration behind your artwork as that should speak for itself.
Images from accepted artists will be retained for promotion, and adherence to the rules.
A Waitlist, by category, will be established, based on jury scores.
PROMOTIONS/MARKETING
All advertising messages and media will be focused on bringing art buyers to you! Drawing in art lovers, experienced and new collectors and educated buyers, who are year-round residents and those visiting South Florida during the peak of season, is our goal.
Our Marketing Plan includes direct mail to area residents, social media, street banners, radio promotions, print, posters and news print.
Artists are encouraged to share videos and photos of their work and process for us to post on our social media sites.
ARTIST AMENITIES
Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival is an artist-friendly outdoor fine arts festival. Our staff and volunteer crew want your experience with us to be enjoyable, as well as profitable. Our local businesses support us, so that we can continue to provide you with:
- Saturday set-up, with staggered times beginning at 2:00PM
- Drive up access for ease in unloading & loading
- Professional 24-hour security
- Oversized booth spaces available
- Reserved artist parking
- Free and secure parking for artist RVs
CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS
Ceramics - Art objects either functional or decorative of earthenware, porcelain, or tile, made by shaping and then firing a nonmetallic mineral, such as clay, at a high temperature.
Digital - Images made with the assistance of computers. Computer graphics are often made with software called drawing, painting, illustrating and photographic programs or applications. Traditional photographs taken with digital media should apply in the Photography category.
Drawing/Pastels - Drawings are works on paper using pencil, crayon, ink, charcoal, pastels and a variety of other marking media.
Fiber - Includes non-wearable artwork from fibers such as basketry, embroidery, weaving, tapestry, and papermaking.
Glass - The expression of art made from blowing, fusing or otherwise fashioning glass.
Jewelry - Ornaments, such as bracelets, necklaces, or rings, made of precious metals set with gems, semi-precious gems, ceramic, glass or any other product. Jewelry must always enter in this category and not in glass, ceramic, etc. that may be the type of material used – jewelry is always jewelry.
Mixed Media 2-D - Works that incorporate more than one type of physical material in their production. 2-D Mixed Media should include more than one of the following: Paint, pencil, watercolor, photography, printmaking or drawing, fabric or other found objects.
Mixed Media 3-D - Works that incorporate more than one type of physical material in their production. 3-D Mixed Media should include more than one of the following: clay work, fiber, glass, metal, wood or any other 3-D objects.
Painting: Oil/Acrylic - Creation of a still life, portrait, landscape, abstract or other image on a flat surface, such as canvas, with oil and/or acrylic paint or sticks.
Photography - Process of capturing images of objects by the action of light, then printing the images, by chemical or digital means, onto a flat surface.
Printmaking/Graphics - Printmaking is a transfer process of producing original art, usually in multiples. It involves creating a drawing or other composition on a surface other than paper, for transfer to paper using a press or through impressions made by hand.
Sculpture/Metal - Shaping figures or a design in the round or in relief, by chiseling marble, modeling clay, casting metal or other materials. Creating artwork through the forging, twisting, and fabricating of various metals.
Watercolor - Creation of a still life, portrait, landscape, abstract or other image on a flat surface with watercolors.
Wearable - Includes clothing, or leather goods, such as belts or purses, that can be worn. No factory-produced items, regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist, may be exhibited.
Wood - Art objects, either functional or decorative, that may be hand-tooled or machine worked in wood.
Application Requirements
Artwork must be original in design and an artist may display and sell only in the media category in which the work has been accepted. Work displayed and sold must be consistent with work represented by jury images. Artists are not allowed to sell non-original promotional items (i.e., posters, postcards, note cards, calendars, tee shirts, etc.) at the Festival.
Artist desiring to rent a tent and/or booth setup may do so through one of our recommended vendors. Vendors fees and contact information will be provided with invitation.
Artists choosing to sit in a chair outside of their booth in attendee walking areas must use High Chairs Only! It is a tripping hazard and safety concern to have a lower type of chair in the way of attendee traffic.
Artists must confine their set-up to the space allocated by Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival and not in any way infringe on the space of neighboring artists. Space allocations are based on Fire Marshall rules and no infringements will be tolerated.
If two or more persons collaborate to produce original work, each person must be identified on the Application. Collaborations are to be true artistic collaboration rather than business collaboration. For example, framing or printing of work does not constitute a creative partnership, and, therefore, individuals involved in those processes should not be listed on the application as a partner. No work by apprentices or employees will be accepted.
Artist and all collaborating partners must be present on-site with their booths open for business during the entire Festival. If two names are on the application, both must check in & show photo I.D. and be present for the entire festival.
Commercial agents, dealers, manufacturers or buy-sell vendors are not eligible to enter nor can they be proxies for artists.
Artwork produced with kits, castings from commercial molds, patterns, plans or other commercial means is not permitted.
Displaying ribbons and awards from previous shows or other shows is not allowed.
Original art must occupy at least 50% of the artist's wall space. All artwork on walls must be framed or otherwise professionally hung. Browse bins may occupy only minimal space and must be aesthetically pleasing and not obstruct patron flow. All artwork displayed must be for sale.
Limited edition, signed, and numbered reproductions of artwork are allowed (including reproductions printed on paper, canvas or metal etc.). Artist must define “limited edition” in their Artist Information Statement and must disclose their reproduction process to buyers. All reproductions must be clearly marked as such.
Artists must comply with all safety requirements, including weighted tents, and vehicles must be parked only in designated areas.
Exhibitors are responsible for the collection and payment of 7% Florida sales tax.
Artists are responsible for procuring and maintaining their own liability insurance and must provide Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival with a Certificate of Insurance by January 5th, 2027.
No artist-owned animals are allowed in or around Artists' booths (service dogs allowed at all times).
Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival’s Compliance Team will inspect booths on-site to assure compliance of the Rules and reserves the exclusive right to interpret and enforce the Rules. In any dispute, the decision of the Executive Director shall prevail. Failure to comply with the rules may result in the artist’s removal from Festival without a refund and the right to exhibit in future events will be jeopardized.
No refunds will be issued after the payment due date, December 4, 2026. Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival is a rain or shine festival. No refunds will be issued for weather or other acts of God.
REPRODUCTION POLICY
To foster an appreciation and value of the arts in all people, including those who cannot afford original work, we believe it is important to offer attendees the opportunity to buy reproductions. As their incomes grow, they will turn to original work. This transition is possible only if buyers understand exactly what they are buying and the process behind it. Therefore, our guidelines are as follows:
All reproductions must be clearly and individually labeled as such. Labels must say “reproduction.” This includes any framed reproductions.
Artist desiring to rent a tent and/or booth setup may do so through one of our recommended vendors. Vendors fees and contact information will be provided with invitation.
Artists choosing to sit in a chair outside of their booth in attendee walking areas must use High Chairs Only! It is a tripping hazard and safety concern to have a lower type of chair in the way of attendee traffic.
Artists must confine their set-up to the space allocated by Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival and not in any way infringe on the space of neighboring artists. Space allocations are based on Fire Marshall rules and no infringements will be tolerated.
If two or more persons collaborate to produce original work, each person must be identified on the Application. Collaborations are to be true artistic collaboration rather than business collaboration. For example, framing or printing of work does not constitute a creative partnership, and, therefore, individuals involved in those processes should not be listed on the application as a partner. No work by apprentices or employees will be accepted.
Artist and all collaborating partners must be present on-site with their booths open for business during the entire Festival. If two names are on the application, both must check in & show photo I.D. and be present for the entire festival.
Commercial agents, dealers, manufacturers or buy-sell vendors are not eligible to enter nor can they be proxies for artists.
Artwork produced with kits, castings from commercial molds, patterns, plans or other commercial means is not permitted.
Displaying ribbons and awards from previous shows or other shows is not allowed.
Original art must occupy at least 50% of the artist's wall space. All artwork on walls must be framed or otherwise professionally hung. Browse bins may occupy only minimal space and must be aesthetically pleasing and not obstruct patron flow. All artwork displayed must be for sale.
Limited edition, signed, and numbered reproductions of artwork are allowed (including reproductions printed on paper, canvas or metal etc.). Artist must define “limited edition” in their Artist Information Statement and must disclose their reproduction process to buyers. All reproductions must be clearly marked as such.
Artists must comply with all safety requirements, including weighted tents, and vehicles must be parked only in designated areas.
Exhibitors are responsible for the collection and payment of 7% Florida sales tax.
Artists are responsible for procuring and maintaining their own liability insurance and must provide Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival with a Certificate of Insurance by January 5th, 2027.
No artist-owned animals are allowed in or around Artists' booths (service dogs allowed at all times).
Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival’s Compliance Team will inspect booths on-site to assure compliance of the Rules and reserves the exclusive right to interpret and enforce the Rules. In any dispute, the decision of the Executive Director shall prevail. Failure to comply with the rules may result in the artist’s removal from Festival without a refund and the right to exhibit in future events will be jeopardized.
No refunds will be issued after the payment due date, December 4, 2026. Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival is a rain or shine festival. No refunds will be issued for weather or other acts of God.
REPRODUCTION POLICY
To foster an appreciation and value of the arts in all people, including those who cannot afford original work, we believe it is important to offer attendees the opportunity to buy reproductions. As their incomes grow, they will turn to original work. This transition is possible only if buyers understand exactly what they are buying and the process behind it. Therefore, our guidelines are as follows:
All reproductions must be clearly and individually labeled as such. Labels must say “reproduction.” This includes any framed reproductions.
- Reproductions must be signed and numbered editions.
- No hand colored or enhanced reproductions will be considered “original” works; they will be considered reproductions.
- Reproductions are considered as an ancillary part of the artist's display.
- Violators of the spirit, as well as the letter of this policy, will be asked to remove their unlabeled reproductions. In any dispute, the decision of the Executive Director shall prevail
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
100
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
60
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
5
Booth Information
Application Fee: $25
The non-refundable Application Fee is due and payable upon submitting application to participate in the 2027 Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival.
Applicants make their payments through ZAPP by credit card.
Applications will not be processed until the Application Fee is received.
Booth Fee: Single 10 x10 is $425
Double Booth spaces: $850
Corners are available in limited number for an additional supplemental fee of :$150
Artists who are selected by the jury and invited to participate must remit the Booth Fee on line by credit card through ZAPP. Deadline for payment is December 4, 2026
Artists are responsible for procuring and maintaining their own liability insurance and must provide Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival with a Certificate of Insurance by January 5, 2027. Details for Certificate of Insurance will be included in your invitation packet.
ARTIST SET UP
Staggered artist set up times are scheduled all day Saturday, January 16, 2027, beginning at 2:00 PM, with consideration for good traffic flow and artist access. A special "vehicle holding zone lot" is designated for artists who arrive early. Volunteers are conveniently stationed at access points and throughout the festival to facilitate a stress free set up experience. Details and maps will be available in January 2027 and will be sent to you with your invitation to participate.
The non-refundable Application Fee is due and payable upon submitting application to participate in the 2027 Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival.
Applicants make their payments through ZAPP by credit card.
Applications will not be processed until the Application Fee is received.
Booth Fee: Single 10 x10 is $425
Double Booth spaces: $850
Corners are available in limited number for an additional supplemental fee of :$150
Artists who are selected by the jury and invited to participate must remit the Booth Fee on line by credit card through ZAPP. Deadline for payment is December 4, 2026
Artists are responsible for procuring and maintaining their own liability insurance and must provide Bay Harbor Islands Arts Festival with a Certificate of Insurance by January 5, 2027. Details for Certificate of Insurance will be included in your invitation packet.
ARTIST SET UP
Staggered artist set up times are scheduled all day Saturday, January 16, 2027, beginning at 2:00 PM, with consideration for good traffic flow and artist access. A special "vehicle holding zone lot" is designated for artists who arrive early. Volunteers are conveniently stationed at access points and throughout the festival to facilitate a stress free set up experience. Details and maps will be available in January 2027 and will be sent to you with your invitation to participate.
Refund Policy
No refunds for cancellations will be given.
Terms to Apply
Application Fee: $25