Fairs/Festivals
Desert Art Festival - November 27 - 29, 2026
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 3
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
The Desert Art Festival - Thanksgiving Weekend celebrates its 15th year and will be held at The River in Rancho Mirage. One hundred artists will display their original work in all mediums of fine art and fine craft.
Admission and parking are free. Hours are from 10 am - 4 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Admission and parking are free. Hours are from 10 am - 4 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Jump to
General Information
You are invited to submit your application for admission to the 15th annual Desert Art Festival, November 27 - 29, 2026. This Artist Prospectus and Exhibitor Application includes essential details on exhibitor participation and should be read carefully before applying.
Mission Statement
The mission of West Coast Artists is to conduct an outdoor festival for the promotion of the original work of artists, craftsmen, painters, sculptors, and photographers. We aim to bring together the artist and the public in informal surroundings to their mutual benefit. We continually strive for quality in the arts.
General Information
The Desert Art Festival - Thanksgiving Weekend is a three-day outdoor celebration of the visual arts. This event typically features the work of 100 exhibitors. Our goal is to provide a venue for creators of quality fine art and fine craft to meet with the art-buying public.
Important Deadlines
Friday, September 18, 2026: Application deadline
Saturday, September 19, 2026: Jury Begins
Tuesday, September 22, 2026: Email notification of application status.
Friday, October 16, 2026: Deadline for accepted artists to commit to exhibit and to remit booth fee.
Friday, October 30, 2026: Deadline to cancel participation in the 2026 festival and receive credit toward another event. After October 30, 2026, no credits or refunds will be issued.
Mission Statement
The mission of West Coast Artists is to conduct an outdoor festival for the promotion of the original work of artists, craftsmen, painters, sculptors, and photographers. We aim to bring together the artist and the public in informal surroundings to their mutual benefit. We continually strive for quality in the arts.
General Information
The Desert Art Festival - Thanksgiving Weekend is a three-day outdoor celebration of the visual arts. This event typically features the work of 100 exhibitors. Our goal is to provide a venue for creators of quality fine art and fine craft to meet with the art-buying public.
Important Deadlines
Friday, September 18, 2026: Application deadline
Saturday, September 19, 2026: Jury Begins
Tuesday, September 22, 2026: Email notification of application status.
Friday, October 16, 2026: Deadline for accepted artists to commit to exhibit and to remit booth fee.
Friday, October 30, 2026: Deadline to cancel participation in the 2026 festival and receive credit toward another event. After October 30, 2026, no credits or refunds will be issued.
Application Requirements
Jury Procedure
The jury is comprised of professionals working within the art community. The panel uses a blinded jury process to review a set of four images provided by each artist. The identities of individual artists are not disclosed to jurors. The process, materials, dimensions for each image, and artist information statements are made available to the jury. Artistic excellence is the sole criterion for the selection of exhibitors. The artists with the top scores will receive invitations to exhibit. High-scoring artists who are not initially invited to exhibit will be added to a waitlist and offered the opportunity to exhibit should an invited artist decline to participate in the Festival.
Booth Space and Regulations:
*All booth spaces are sized to accommodate display tents measuring 10' X 10' or 10' X 20'.
*Canopies must be white.
*Electricity is not provided.
*Display arrangements must meet with the approval of the committee. The committee is looking for balance in terms of the variety of artwork and how it is displayed.
*Artists must exhibit work on all three days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sales
Artists will pay a 10% commission on all sales made at and generated from the fair. The commission on sales is due at the close of the festival on Sunday at 4:00 pm. If you are not agreeable to paying a 10% commission, please reconsider and do not apply. Artists are responsible for their sales and collecting and reporting the State of California sales tax on any sales.
Application Fees
Please submit a non-refundable jury fee of $25 with your application. Applicants may choose to pay online with their Visa or Master Card or pay by check made payable to the West Coast Artists. Mail check to P.O. Box 7163, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.
Acceptance of Offer to Exhibit:
Any artist selected by the jury must notify the Festival of intent to exhibit at the 2026 Festival and submit a booth fee by Friday, October 16, 2026. Failure to respond by the deadline will result in the revocation of the invitation and the immediate invitation of an alternate from the waiting list. The applicant must keep his or her Zapp profile up to date with correct contact information, including mailing address, email address, and phone number.
Exhibit Fee
$350.00 for a 10' X 10' space
500.00 for a 10' X 20' space
corners are an additional $50.00
10% commission on sales
Digital Images
* Five (5) images are to be submitted for each media category entered by the artist.
* Four (4) images must be of individual pieces of work.
* One (1) image must be of a display of the artist's work, showing overall continuity and presentation of your current body of work.
* Images must be in 1920 pixel horizontal x 1920 pixel vertical format, for more information access www.zapplication.org/imaging_tips.phtml
* Images must accurately represent the body of the artist's work to be exhibited at the Arts Festival.
Artists can submit in up to 3 categories.
The jury is comprised of professionals working within the art community. The panel uses a blinded jury process to review a set of four images provided by each artist. The identities of individual artists are not disclosed to jurors. The process, materials, dimensions for each image, and artist information statements are made available to the jury. Artistic excellence is the sole criterion for the selection of exhibitors. The artists with the top scores will receive invitations to exhibit. High-scoring artists who are not initially invited to exhibit will be added to a waitlist and offered the opportunity to exhibit should an invited artist decline to participate in the Festival.
Booth Space and Regulations:
*All booth spaces are sized to accommodate display tents measuring 10' X 10' or 10' X 20'.
*Canopies must be white.
*Electricity is not provided.
*Display arrangements must meet with the approval of the committee. The committee is looking for balance in terms of the variety of artwork and how it is displayed.
*Artists must exhibit work on all three days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sales
Artists will pay a 10% commission on all sales made at and generated from the fair. The commission on sales is due at the close of the festival on Sunday at 4:00 pm. If you are not agreeable to paying a 10% commission, please reconsider and do not apply. Artists are responsible for their sales and collecting and reporting the State of California sales tax on any sales.
Application Fees
Please submit a non-refundable jury fee of $25 with your application. Applicants may choose to pay online with their Visa or Master Card or pay by check made payable to the West Coast Artists. Mail check to P.O. Box 7163, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.
Acceptance of Offer to Exhibit:
Any artist selected by the jury must notify the Festival of intent to exhibit at the 2026 Festival and submit a booth fee by Friday, October 16, 2026. Failure to respond by the deadline will result in the revocation of the invitation and the immediate invitation of an alternate from the waiting list. The applicant must keep his or her Zapp profile up to date with correct contact information, including mailing address, email address, and phone number.
Exhibit Fee
$350.00 for a 10' X 10' space
500.00 for a 10' X 20' space
corners are an additional $50.00
10% commission on sales
Digital Images
* Five (5) images are to be submitted for each media category entered by the artist.
* Four (4) images must be of individual pieces of work.
* One (1) image must be of a display of the artist's work, showing overall continuity and presentation of your current body of work.
* Images must be in 1920 pixel horizontal x 1920 pixel vertical format, for more information access www.zapplication.org/imaging_tips.phtml
* Images must accurately represent the body of the artist's work to be exhibited at the Arts Festival.
Artists can submit in up to 3 categories.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
140
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
80
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
20
Booth Information
Additional Policies
Overnight security will be provided for your convenience on Thursday (early set-up), Friday, and Saturday nights.
Overnight parking/camping is available at The River.
The Desert Art Festival presents the original work of exhibiting artists, not the work of mass production studios, organizations, or groups. No imports, commercial, or purchased for resale work.
Exhibitors must be at least 16 years old.
Artists must be present with their work for the entire event. Representatives may not attend in place of the artist.
Artists may exhibit only in the category in which they were juried and may not display work in new categories without re-jurying.
Work must be consistent with the submitted images.
Hours
Set-up:
10:00am - 8:00 pm Thursday, November 26, or 6:00 am - 9:00 am Friday, November 27, 2026
Festival Hours:
10:00 am - 4:00 pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Tear down:
4:00 pm- 8:00 pm - Sunday
Refund Policy
Credits will be given to artists canceling before October 30, 2026.
Refunds will be made at the discretion of the festival committee before October 30, 2026.
After October 30, 2026, no refunds or credits will be issued.
Refunds will be made at the discretion of the festival committee before October 30, 2026.
After October 30, 2026, no refunds or credits will be issued.
Additional Fees
10 X 20 space fee: $500
10 X 10 space fee: $350
Corner: $50
Terms to Apply
Application Fee: $25
