Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival 2026

Vicksburg, Mississippi

View Site Plan

Contact Information

Vicksburg Main Street Program

Contact Email: bobmcfarland2@hotmail.com

Contact Phone: 253-275-8108

Requirement Overview

Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
Submission Limit: 5

Media Requirements

Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
Total | Max: 5

Opportunity Summary

Vicksburg, Mississippi is the quintessential river city, serving as the region’s center of commerce and culture for nearly 200 years. With a commanding view of the Mississippi River, Vicksburg is The Key to the South, a place where art, history and culture are on full display in several museums, art galleries, and more than 1,000 historic monuments. The downtown’s beautiful brick streets are also brimming with clothing boutiques, specialty shops, and antique stores. Fine flavors of the South, both old and new, can be found at several eateries throughout the city. In addition, live music aficionados can sample Mississippi Delta Blues, country, jazz, or rock ‘n roll at multiple venues, and those who want to try their luck can check out gaming, entertainment, and dining at one of Vicksburg’s four waterfront casinos.

Into this setting of Vicksburg as a shopping, dining, and vibrant hub for the arts will be the Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival, the new signature event for the city. The show will present artists and their work on the Blues Highway (Hwy. 61) against the splendid setting of the vibrant, hip, and historic downtown area, during glorious fall weather and the dryest time of the year in Mississippi. The timing of the Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival works well for routing with some of the fall shows in the South including the Cottonwood Art Festival near Dallas, Bayou City Art Festival in Houston, and RiverArtsFest in Memphis.

General Information

PURPOSE
The objective of the Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival is to provide an opportunity for artists from across the United States and patrons from across the Southeast to meet, interact and conduct business, while also increasing local tourism and improving the quality of life in the area.

The Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival is presented by Vicksburg Main Street Program, a non-profit public/private partnership working within Vicksburg's historic downtown area to develop a sustainable and comprehensive program to revitalize the downtown economy and preserve its character. The show is also presented with the generous support of the VIcksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau along with the Vicksburg Art Association, a non-profit organization that has promoted and celebrated the arts and its artisans for more than 40 years. It is a central resource for the entire creative community of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

POINTS OF INTEREST
-Affordable $350 booth fee
-Artists retain all proceeds from their sales
-$7,000 cash awards
-Number of participants limited to 100
-Strong community support
-Friendly, helpful volunteers
-All proceeds are used to produce and promote the festival

ARTIST AMENITIES
-Your name, medium, city, state, one image and a link to your website will be included on our website
-Easy, convenient, and leisurely load in and load out
-Free, plentiful artist parking near show
-Free van and RV parking near the festival
-24-hour security
-Booth sitters
-Cold bottled water delivered to your booth periodically
-Electrical outlets provided within 100' from each booth space.

AWARDS
$7,000 will be awarded by the festival judge. Best of Show will receive $2,000. There will be five (5) Judge’s Choice awards given in the two-dimensional category (includes: Drawing/Pastels, Mixed Media 2D, Painting, Photography, and Printmaking), and five (5) Judge’s Choice awards in the three-dimensional category (includes: Clay, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Mixed Media 3D, Sculpture, and Wood). All award winners will be automatically juried into the 2027 Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival. Judging will take place Saturday, October 2 during the hours of the festival. Awards will be presented to artists at their booth.

Best of Show ($2,000)
(5) Judge’s Choice, 3-Dimensional ($500 each)
(5) Judge’s Choice, 2-Dimensional ($500 each)

ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION
The Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau will develop and execute a comprehensive marketing plan that is designed to reach a broad range of visitors and residents throughout the state of Mississippi and Southeast region. The plan features strategic advertising across a range of media, including direct mail, print, broadcast, and online outlets, as well as social media and public relations campaigns. Artists are encouraged to promote their participation through their online and social media accounts.

IMPORTANT DATES
March 8, 2026 (Sunday): application available online at ZAPP - $30 jury fee
June 30, 2026 at Midnight CST (Tuesday): Application Deadline
July 11, 2026 (Saturday): Artists notified of selection via e-mail
July 31, 2026 (Friday): Deadline to accept invitation and pay booth fee
August 14, 2026 (Friday): Last day to cancel and receive a 90% refund of the booth fee

October 2, 2026 7am-Noon (Friday): Artist check-in
October 2, 2026 7am-3pm (Friday): Artist load-in - Sunrise: 6:58am

SHOW DATES
October 2, 2026 5pm-9pm (Friday) - Sunset: 6:46pm
October 3, 2026 10am-6pm (Saturday)
October 4, 2026 Noon-5pm (Sunday)

October 4, 2026 5pm-8pm (Sunday): Artist Load-Out

MEDIA CATEGORIES
Clay - Art objects, either functional or decorative of earthenware, porcelain or tile, made by shaping and then firing. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, the artist must sign each piece.
Drawing/Pastels - Drawings are works on paper using pencil, crayon, ink, charcoal, pastels and a variety of other marking media.
Fiber - Includes artwork from fibers such as basketry, embroidery, weaving, leatherwork, tapestry and papermaking.
Glass - Glass works that are functional or decorative by design and are kiln-formed or crafted by glass blowing, molding or casting. Works may be etched or engraved.
Jewelry - All jewelry, produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic or other materials.
Mixed Media (2D) - Works that incorporate more than one type of material in their production and are displayed on walls with a one-sided orientation.
Mixed Media (3D) - Works that incorporate more than one type of physical material (clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood or any other three-dimensional objects) in their production.
Painting - Creation of a still life, portrait, landscape, abstract or other image on a flat surface, such as canvas, with watercolors, oil, sticks or acrylic paint.
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. Photographers are required to disclose both their creative and printing processes. Work in this media category must be limited editions, signed and numbered on archival-quality materials.
Printmaking - Prints hand-pulled by artist from traditional methods, including etching, engraving, silkscreen, stone and plate lithography, linoleum block or woodcut, produced in signed and numbered limited editions from an original image created by the artist.
Sculpture - Non-functional, three- dimensional work of any material.
Wood - Art objects, either functional or decorative, that are hand-tooled or machine-worked, turned or carved.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Hotel Rooms, Restaurants or Directions - Information will be provided upon acceptance. For further information, please contact the Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau by phone at 800.221.3536 or visit our web site at www.visitvicksburg.com.

Other inquiries - Please contact Bob McFarland at bobmcfarland2@hotmail.com or by phone at 253.275-8108.

Application Requirements

IMAGES
The Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival uses ZAPPlication to administer our application and jury process. Interested artists should complete an online application and submit a non-refundable jury/application fee along with five (5) artwork images for each media category.

Digital Images: Images 1 - 4 should represent the complete range of work that you intend to display or sell at the Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival.

Digital Booth Image: Image number 5 should be an image of your booth display. Please be sure that the slide of your booth is representative of the booth quality you intend to provide at the festival. Please do not submit booth images with any identifiable signage or photo of the artist. If a booth image is not available, please submit an image taken of a grouping of works showing the overall continuity and presentation of your current body of work. The purpose of the booth image is to ensure you have a complete body of work which is represented in the first 4 images. It also helps us identify the scale of your work. We do not accept "photoshopped" or enhanced booth images.

Artist’s Statement: As part of your application, please submit an artist statement of fewer than 100 characters explaining the process and materials used in your artwork, as well as your reproduction process.

Images from accepted and waitlisted artists may be used for promotional purposes.

ELIGIBILITY/ARTWORK POLICIES
Artists must be at least 18 years old.

All work must be original, well-conceived, and expertly executed by hand or with appropriate tools by the exhibiting artist. Works from commercial kits, casts, molds, patterns or plans, prefabricated forms or other commercial methods are prohibited. Studios producing works in volume are not eligible for entry.

The Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival will inspect booths onsite to ensure adherence to rules and standards. Individuals selling work that is not their own or otherwise misrepresenting their product or themselves are not welcome and are requested to refrain from applying. Exhibitors found not to be complying at the very least will be asked to remove the unacceptable items, and risk forfeiture of all rights as an exhibitor. This includes closure of their booth for the rest of the festival with no refund of fees.

Only artists accepted in the jewelry category may exhibit or sell jewelry. Jewelry is not accepted in any other category.

Collaborative Work: Collaborating artists are defined as two (2) or more artists who work together on any one piece of art. Collaborative work is regarded as one entry and should be submitted as a joint application. If accepted, collaborating artists may only exhibit work that is collaborative.

Multiple Categories: A separate application, jury/application fee and (5) images are required for each media category entered. Artists may only exhibit and sell work in the medium (media) for which they are accepted.

Photographic and Reproduction Policies: Photographic and Digital Art prints must be made from the artist’s original negative or digital file under the artist’s supervision. A reproduction is defined as any existing work of art (such as a painting, watercolor, drawing, photograph, etc.) that is copied by digital or photographic means and printed on an offset press, a serigraph press, or through a computer by means of an ink jet or electrostatic printer. This definition includes giclées and reproductions with additional enhancement by the artist.

Artists must disclose the edition numbers for works produced in editions. All prints must be in limited editions of 350 or fewer (inclusive of all sizes) on archival paper and numbered and signed by the artist on the front of the piece.

Prints may comprise no more than 25% of the total works to be sold.

All two-dimensional artwork must be appropriately framed or matted and must be displayed on a suitable panel or in a portfolio or stand.

Mass-Production Policies: Ready-made or factory-produced objects (i.e., clothing or furniture) which have been embellished, painted, decorated, dyed or batiked will not be accepted regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist.

No machine-tooled, machine-screened patterns or miscellaneous forms of mass production are permitted.

Mass-produced merchandise and/or promotional items whether derived from original or non-original artwork are not permitted to be displayed or sold at the festival. This includes, but is not limited to, cards, postcards, note cards, photocopies, posters, mouse pads, t-shirts, calendars, etc.

Jury Details

Average number of applications submitted each year

100

Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event

Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event

Booth Information

BOOTH FEES - all paid via ZAPPlication.org
Standard Booth Fee (10' x 10'): $350 - many booth spaces present as corners
Double Booth Fee (10' x 20'): $700 (limited availability)

REFUND POLICY
After accepting our invitation and paying booth fees, artists who must withdraw can receive a refund of 90% of their booth fees through August 14. No fees will be refunded after August 14.

SALES TAX
The Mississippi Tax Commission requires the Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival to collect all sales taxes from artists at the conclusion of the festival. Artists are required to complete a very short tax form and remit all sales taxes to a designated festival representative at the end of the show. Warren County has a 7% sales tax.

BOOTH SPACES/POLICIES
Booth spaces are on brick on city streets that are on a slight hill. Each exhibitor will be provided a space measuring (minimum) 10'x10' with a 1' buffer on each side to house a booth structure with dimensions no larger than 10'x10'. Many booth spaces present as corners.

Artists are responsible for providing all booth structures, racks, tables, chairs, display units, and other fixtures suitable for outdoor use and constructed to withstand crowds and wind. Artists are responsible for ensuring that their tent and its accompanying structures are properly secured, especially in the case of rain or wind. All tents/structures must be secured using substantial weights. All booth spaces are on paved surfaces.

Artists are responsible for proper insurance and protection of work and structures. The festival is not responsible for damage to work or structures due to weather or unrelated incidents. Each artist is responsible for his/her own display in case of damage or loss. Artists will be held liable for any damage made by their tents or structures.

Booth assignments are at the sole discretion of the festival and are not interchangeable. Vicksburg Hipstoric Art Festival will attempt to honor specific location requests but can make no guarantees. Corner spaces may be requested but are assigned solely based on availability and at the discretion of the festival.

Artists must be present during the entire festival and must personally staff their exhibit space. No spouses, agents, dealers, or representatives may attend in place of the artist. Artists who sell their entire body of work must remain at their booths for the duration of the festival. Artists who break down displays or depart before closing time on any day of the festival will not be allowed to return the following day or to future shows unless proof of an emergency is presented.

All artwork must be set up within the booth space. No art is to be displayed outside the allotted booth space.

Refund Policy

After accepting our invitation and paying booth fees, artists who must withdraw can receive a refund of 90% of their booth fees through August 14.

Jury fees are non-refundable.