ARTfest on Main 2026

We’re anticipating an exceptional crowd for ARTfest on Main—one that truly values and collects art. Springboro and its surrounding communities rank among the highest income per capita areas in Ohio and within the top 40 nationally, drawing an audience that appreciates craftsmanship, originality, and fine art.

Set against one of the region’s most elegant and picturesque historic districts, ARTfest on Main offers a stunning backdrop of tree-lined streets and beautifully preserved historic homes—an ideal setting to showcase fine art and fine craft at a professional level.

Our jury and event team work intentionally to curate a balanced, high-quality show that reflects a wide range of artistic styles, mediums, and price points—creating strong buying opportunities for artists while maintaining the integrity of a juried fine art fair. Patrons can expect an inspired collection of original work, including painting, sculpture, pottery, leather, wood, photography, textiles, glass, and other fine art disciplines.

This is a free-admission, outdoor event held rain or shine, welcoming thousands of engaged patrons who come ready to browse, connect, and buy.

📅 Show Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
🕙 Public Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
🎨 Street Jury: Begins at 9:30 AM — artists must be open and presentation-ready

ARTfest on Main combines a beautiful setting, an art-loving and affluent audience, and thoughtful artist support—creating the kind of show artists are proud to be part of and excited to return to year after year.

If you’re looking for a juried show that values your work and your time, we invite you to apply.

 

Artist Rules & Guidelines

ARTfest on Main is a juried fine art and fine craft festival. These guidelines are in place to support our artists, protect the integrity of the show, and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for patrons, collectors, and exhibitors alike.

We understand that art is creative, and unique situations can arise. If you have a question or special circumstance, please reach out—we’re happy to talk. Don’t let rules discourage you from applying. This event is built for artists and art lovers, and we truly want you here.

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1. Artist Eligibility & Accepted Work

• All work must be original, designed, and executed by the accepted artist(s).

• Work displayed at the festival must be representative of the images submitted for jurying, with appropriate inventory.

• Mass-produced, buy/sell, or manufactured work is not permitted.

• Displaying work that was not juried into the show may result in removal.

• Agents, dealers, galleries, or representatives are not permitted.

Committee members will visit booths during the event to ensure compliance. Enforcement of these guidelines is the exclusive responsibility of the Springboro Arts Council.

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2. Prohibited Items

To maintain a true fine art experience, the following may not be sold or displayed:

• Postcards, posters, calendars

• Books or instructional materials

• Apparel or novelty items

• Cell phone cases, mousepads

• Photocopies or commercially produced merchandise

Only artist-made work is permitted.

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3. Prints, Photography & Specialty Media

• Prints and mechanical reproductions must be disclosed on the application.

• Prints must be signed and numbered.

• Some original work must be displayed.

• Traditional printmaking techniques are exempt from reproduction limits.

Photography:
Offset reproductions may not exceed 25% of the total booth display.

Handcrafted Musical Instruments:
At least 75% of the booth must consist of original, for-sale instruments. Recordings may be sold but may not be the primary focus of the booth.

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4. Booth Presentation & Professional Appearance

• Booths must be professional in appearance and remain within the assigned footprint.

• Artists must display:

  • Booth number

  • A photo of the artist is visible in the booth

• Storage or setup that detracts from the overall booth or festival appearance may be considered an infraction and could result in removal.

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5. Tents, Weights & Safety

• All booths must use a sturdy, professional canopy.

• All tents must be WHITE. EZ-Up style tents are permitted only if white.

• Each tent leg must be secured with a minimum of 40 lbs of weight.

• NO stakes or ground penetration are permitted.

• ARTfest on Main reserves the right to inspect tent stability and weighting.

• Failure to comply with the tent or weight requirements may result in removal.

Display Height:
The maximum display height is 12 feet, due to overhead tree canopies.

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6. Insurance & Liability

• Artists are strongly encouraged to carry general liability insurance.

• ARTfest on Main does not provide insurance coverage for artist booths, artwork, or equipment.

• The Springboro Arts Council and ARTfest on Main are not responsible for loss, damage, or theft due to weather, accident, or other causes.

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7. Artist Presence, No-Show & Early Teardown Policy

• Artists must be present and open for business during all official show hours.

• Early teardown is not permitted unless ARTfest on Main officially closes early due to severe weather or safety concerns.

• Artists who tear down early without approval may jeopardize future participation.

No-Show Policy:

• Artists who are accepted but fail to check in or do not arrive without prior notification may forfeit all fees.

• No-shows may be restricted from future participation, as this impacts booth layout and waitlisted artists.

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8. Setup, Load-In & Load-Out

• Booth setup takes place the morning of the show.

• Registration and setup:
  🕖 7:00 AM – 9:30 AM (Saturday)

• Loading and unloading are permitted near booth locations. Details will be announced closer to the show.

• All storage must be neatly concealed within or around the booth.

Load-Out:

• Load-out procedures and vehicle access times will be announced at the close of the show.

• Vehicles may not enter the festival area until authorized by event staff.

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9. Display Space & Site Conditions

• Artists must provide their own 10’ x 10’ or 10’ x 20’ display suitable for outdoor conditions.

• Booth spaces may be located on streets, grassy areas, curb cuts, or driveways.

• Only a limited number of spaces are perfectly level.

• Artists must comply with all local fire and safety regulations.

• No electricity or running water is available.

Lighting & Power:
Silent, odorless, non-gas generators and battery-powered lighting are permitted.

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10. Conduct & Sound

• Professional, respectful conduct is expected at all times.

• Artists may not sell food products.

• Noise must remain within the artist’s booth space unless prior written permission is granted.

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11. Sales & Taxes

• Artists retain 100% of their sales.

• Artists are responsible for collecting and reporting all applicable taxes.

• Ohio sales tax is 7.00%
  🔗 www.tax.ohio.gov

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12. Promotion & Image Use

By participating in ARTfest on Main, artists grant permission for the event to use submitted images and event photography for promotional and marketing purposes. Artists retain full copyright to their work.

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13. Weather & Refund Policy

ARTfest on Main is held rain or shine.
For the safety of artists and attendees, the event may be paused, delayed, or canceled due to inclement weather.

• No refunds, including application or booth fees, will be issued due to weather-related delays or cancellations.

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GENERAL EXHIBITION STANDARDS

Originality

All artwork must be original in concept and execution. Work created from commercial kits, molds, patterns, tutorials, templates, or mass-produced designs is not permitted unless clearly incidental to the final artwork.

Artist Presence

The accepted artist must be present and involved in the display and sale of their work during all show hours.

Buy/Sell Policy

Buy/sell items are strictly prohibited.

“Buy/sell” refers to work that is:

• Mass-produced
• Manufactured by a third party
• Imported
• Assembled primarily from commercially manufactured components
• Purchased for resale
• Produced from another artist’s design or copyrighted material

ARTfest on Main reserves the right to remove any work determined to violate this policy.

Reproductions

Reproductions are permitted only if:

• They are created from the artist’s original work
• They are clearly labeled as reproductions or prints
• They are professionally presented
• They do not dominate the booth display

No reproduced work may be submitted as jury images unless applying specifically in photography or digital art categories.

Commercial Products

The following are not permitted:

• Manufactured décor
• Imported goods
• Commercial signage
• Vinyl decals
• AI-generated merchandise with minimal artist involvement
• Mass-produced jewelry
• Template-based products
• Print-on-demand merchandise
• Wholesale items repackaged as handmade

Right to Review

ARTfest on Main reserves the right to review all work displayed during the event. Work that differs significantly from submitted jury images or violates show standards may be required to be removed immediately without refund.

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MEDIA CATEGORY DEFINITIONS

2D MIXED MEDIA

Two-dimensional artwork combining multiple artistic processes or materials into a single original composition.

Examples may include:

• Collage
• Resin layering
• Paint with fiber or paper elements
• Image transfer techniques
• Hand-constructed dimensional surfaces

Work must demonstrate significant artistic transformation and originality.

Not permitted:

• Scrapbook-style assembly
• Predominantly pre-manufactured embellishments
• Minimal-alteration craft projects

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3D MIXED MEDIA

Three-dimensional artwork combining multiple materials or techniques into a cohesive original work.

Examples may include:

• Assemblage
• Constructed sculpture
• Found-object transformation
• Multi-material installations

Commercial objects may not dominate the final piece.

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CERAMICS

Functional or sculptural work created primarily from clay and fired by the artist.

Permitted techniques include:

• Wheel-thrown
• Hand-built
• Slip-cast with significant alteration
• Raku
• Porcelain
• Stoneware

Not permitted:

• Commercially manufactured pottery
• Paint-your-own ceramics
• Mass-produced molds with minimal modification

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DIGITAL ART

Original artwork created primarily through digital processes controlled by the artist.

The artist must be directly responsible for:

• Composition
• Visual development
• Editing
• Final artistic execution

Limited-edition prints are strongly encouraged.

AI POLICY:
Artwork generated primarily through text-prompt AI systems without substantial artistic manipulation, transformation, and authorship by the artist is not permitted.

Artists using AI-assisted tools must disclose their process if requested by the jury committee.

Not permitted:

• Pure AI prompt-generated prints
• Stock-image composites with minimal editing
• Commercial clip-art compositions

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DRAWING & PASTELS

Original artwork created primarily through drawing techniques.

Permitted media include:

• Graphite
• Charcoal
• Ink
• Conte
• Colored pencil
• Pastel
• Scratchboard

Digital reproductions may not be submitted as original drawings.

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FIBER

Original work created primarily from fibers, textiles, or fabric-based materials.

Examples include:

• Weaving
• Quilting
• Felting
• Basketry
• Embroidery
• Surface design
• Textile construction

Not permitted:

• Commercial clothing resale
• Mass-produced sewn items
• Machine-produced imports

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GLASS

Original artwork created primarily from glass through artist-controlled processes.

Permitted techniques include:

• Kiln-formed glass
• Fused glass
• Blown glass
• Flame-worked glass
• Stained glass
• Etched glass
• Cast glass

The artist must substantially create the work.

Not permitted:

• Imported glass objects
• Commercial blanks with minimal decoration
• Predominantly assembled manufactured pieces

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JEWELRY

Original wearable art created and substantially handcrafted by the artist.

Permitted processes may include:

• Metalsmithing
• Stone setting
• Casting
• Beadwork
• Glasswork
• Wire work
• Enameling

Not permitted:

• Pre-assembled commercial jewelry
• Predominantly charm-based assembly
• Wholesale/imported jewelry
• Resale items
• Commercially manufactured settings used without significant artistic alteration

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LEATHER

Original handcrafted work created primarily from leather.

Permitted techniques include:

• Tooling
• Carving
• Stitching
• Dyeing
• Sculpting

Not permitted:

• Factory-produced belts, bags, or accessories with minimal customization

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METAL

Original artwork created primarily from metal through artist-controlled fabrication processes.

Examples include:

• Forging
• Welding
• Casting
• Fabrication
• Engraving

Not permitted:

• Manufactured décor with minimal modification
• Imported metal goods

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PAINTING

Original paintings created by hand using traditional or contemporary painting media.

Permitted media include:

• Oil
• Acrylic
• Watercolor
• Encaustic
• Gouache

Not permitted:

• Paint-by-number work
• Digital prints represented as paintings
• AI-generated imagery presented as hand-painted work

Reproductions must be clearly labeled.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Original photographic images captured and processed by the artist.

Permitted:

• Digital photography
• Film photography
• Artist-controlled darkroom or digital processing

The artist must own all original source imagery.

Not permitted:

• Stock photography
• AI-generated imagery
• Images not captured by the artist

Strong artistic editing and manipulation are acceptable when part of the artist’s creative process.

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PRINTMAKING

Original hand-pulled prints created through traditional printmaking processes.

Examples include:

• Etching
• Lithography
• Linocut
• Woodcut
• Monotype
• Screen printing

Not permitted:

• Digital reproductions of paintings or photographs marketed as printmaking

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SCULPTURE

Original three-dimensional artwork created through carving, modeling, casting, fabrication, or assemblage.

Examples include:

• Stone sculpture
• Metal sculpture
• Wood sculpture
• Mixed-media sculpture

Not permitted:

• Manufactured statuary
• Imported decorative sculpture
• Commercial garden décor resale

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WOOD

Original handcrafted work created primarily from wood.

Permitted techniques include:

• Carving
• Turning
• Joinery
• Wood burning
• Sculptural construction

Not permitted:

• Mass-produced furniture
• Imported wood décor
• Commercially manufactured blanks with minimal modification

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FINAL ACCEPTANCE POLICY

Acceptance into ARTfest on Main is based solely on the quality and originality of the work submitted to the jury.

The jury committee reserves the right to:

• Reclassify media categories
• Reject work inconsistent with the submitted images
• Remove prohibited items
• Require immediate booth corrections during the event

Failure to comply with show standards may impact future acceptance eligibility.

Thank you for reviewing these guidelines. We value our artists deeply and work hard to create a professional, welcoming, and rewarding event.

We look forward to reviewing your application and hope to welcome you to ARTfest on Main.

FEES & PRICING

Jury / Application Fee

• $35 non-refundable jury/application fee

• If applying in more than one medium, a separate application and fee is required for each medium
  (one application per medium)

• Collaborations require only one application fee

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Booth Fees

• 10’ x 10’ booth: $150

• 10’ x 20’ booth: $250
• Student booth: $25.00 (17Yrs  to 21Yrs must provide proof they are in school.)
   

Artists accepted in one category will be assigned one booth, unless additional space has been specifically requested and approved.

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AWARDS

• First Place: $500

• Second Place: $250
• Honorable Mentions: Ribbons
   

Jurors will review work before the festival and again on-site during the event. While artists may or may not have the opportunity to speak with jurors during the show, the award scoring criteria and process will be shared in advance.

🎉 First and Second  Place will receive a FREE booth for the 2027 ARTfest on Main.

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BOOTH ASSIGNMENTS

• Booth numbers will be assigned on the day of the show.

• Returning artists will receive preferred placement whenever possible.

• Every effort will be made to accommodate artists with physical limitations.

• Booth locations may shift year to year due to environmental factors (trees, curbs, etc.).

• Special requests are welcome; however, ARTfest on Main reserves the right to assign or adjust booth locations as needed.

• Artist cooperation is appreciated—we will always do our best to accommodate your needs.

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DISPLAY SPACE & TENT REQUIREMENTS

• Artists must provide their own 10’ x 10’ or 10’ x 20’ tent and display system, suitable for outdoor conditions.

• The event takes place in a business and residential district; booth spaces may vary in shape and surface.

• Booths may be located on streets, grassy areas, curb cuts, or driveways. Only a limited number of spaces are perfectly level.

• Maximum display height: 12 feet (to clear tree canopies)

• Artists must comply with all local fire and safety regulations.

Tents & Weights

• All tents must be WHITE.
  EZ-Up style tents are permitted only if white.

• Each tent leg must be secured with weights of 40+ lb.

• NO stakes are allowed.

• ARTfest on Main reserves the right to inspect tent stability and weights.

• Failure to comply with tent or color requirements may result in removal from the show.

Electricity & Lighting

• No electricity or running water is available.

• Silent, odorless, non-gas generators and battery-powered lighting are permitted.

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SET-UP INFORMATION

We’re excited to welcome you!

• Set-up takes place the morning of the show

• Registration & setup:
  🕖 7:00 AM – 9:30 AM (Saturday)

• Artists do not need to register before setting up their booth. (instructions to follow)

• Loading and unloading are permitted in close proximity to booth locations

• All storage must be neatly concealed within or around your booth

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PARKING

• Side Street parking is available nearby

• Additional parking details will be provided in the artist packet

Refund Policy: Application/jury fee and booth fees are non refundable.