Piedmont Park Arts Festival: (18th Annual) 2027, Piedmont Park -Midtown, Atlanta, GA

Recognized several times in the Top 100 Best Arts Festivals by Sunshine Arts Magazine and consider the Best Summer Arts Festival in Metro Atlanta, 

The Piedmont Park Arts Festival is a juried, outdoor fine arts festival held annually each August in the heart of Midtown Atlanta’s iconic Piedmont Park. Produced by Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces (AFFPS), the festival is a long-standing and highly anticipated summer arts destination, attracting tens of thousands of art-loving patrons from across Metro Atlanta and beyond.

This two-day festival features up to 250 carefully selected artists representing a wide range of media, including painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, glass, metal, leather, wood, fiber, and mixed media. Artists are jury-selected to ensure high quality, originality, and diversity of work, creating a vibrant marketplace that appeals to both seasoned collectors and first-time buyers.

Set against the lush backdrop of Atlanta’s most beloved public park, the event offers a welcoming, walkable layout with strong visibility and steady foot traffic throughout the weekend.

With its prime location, established reputation, and strong community support, the Piedmont Park Arts Festival consistently provides artists with an excellent opportunity for exposure, sales, and meaningful engagement with a diverse and enthusiastic audience.

Festival Hours: Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm 
 

IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES:
Accept application: August 19, 2026
Application Deadline: June 22, 2027
Wait List Released: (as deemed necessary by the show/ category by category)

Event Dates: August 21-22, 2027
Load In Dates: August 20, 2027 (ONLY -Friday: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM)  

Late applications may be accepted at the discretion of the Director and included on the Wait List.

CATEGORIES
2-D Mixed Media: Includes more than one type of physical material such as collage, papermaking, encaustic, pen and ink, paint, pencil, watercolor, or photography.  The finished art is suitable for wall mounting. 
3-D Mixed Media: Includes more than one type of physical material such as mosaic, papier mache, clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, or any other 3-dimensional objects.
Ceramics: Original shaped and fired clay including earthenware, porcelain, and raku.
Digital Art: Two-dimensional works from which the original image is manipulated by the artist using a computer using programs such as Drawing, Illustrator, Paint, or other software applications. 
Drawing & Printmaking: Original drawings made with pen, pencil, charcoal, pastels or, chalk.  The printmaking process may include pulled plates, linoleum prints, etching, engraving, silkscreen, or lithography.  All prints must be signed and numbered by the artist. Photocopies are not permitted.
Fiber: Works created from fibers including basketry, batik, weaving, papermaking, knitting, and quilting.  An embellishment of manufactured materials is not permitted.  
Glass: An object made of glass including blown, fused, stained, cast, and molded.  An embellishment of manufactured materials is not permitted.
Handcrafted:  Handmade items made by the artist from manufactured, recycled, or repurposed materials transforming the combined materials into a unique product in a cohesive collection.  A complete description of the items is required.
Jewelry: All Jewelry is crafted from metal, glass, stone, clay, or other materials.  Commercial molds or casts are not permitted.  At least 50% of the organic materials in the finished product used must be produced by the artist.
Metal: Functional and non-sculptural works incorporating metal.
Painting: The use of oils, acrylics, watercolors, and tempera suitable for hanging.
Photography: Prints, transparencies, or digital images made from the artist’s original negative or taken with a digital camera that has been processed by the artist.
Sculpture: Three-dimensional work is done in any individual medium.
Wood & Furniture: Original works in wood that are built, turned, carved, or tooled. Embellished manufactured wood items are not permitted.
 
PROHIBITED ITEMS
-       T-shirts and commercial clothing
-       Posters
-       Manufactured toys
-       Commercially manufactured or reproduced items (resale)
-       Jewelry is made from more than 50% manufactured components
-       Any item that employs the use of commercially available molds or patterns
 
 
AMENITIES
- Water will be provided for artists on Saturday and Sunday.
- Booth Sitters are available during event hours upon request. (as available)
- Designated Festival Hotline available during event hours regarding assistance, emergencies, questions, concerns, etc.
- Friday load-in
- 24 Hour onsite Security
 
ADVERTISING & PROMOTION
- AFFPS is among the top award-winning art festival organizations in the southeast. 
- Voted Best Festivals by local media
- The holder of the only Guinness World Record by any arts festival organization in the U.S. 
- AFFPS employs professional marketing strategies including:
            - PR and online media platforms
            - Print and online media ads
            - Radio and TV
            - Billboards, banners, posters, and yard signs
            - Extensive business partner collaboration
            - Social media
            - Dedicated interactive website
            - Direct mail
            - 300+ online calendar entries
 
PARKING
On-street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood.  Paid parking options will also be available for festival-goers and artists.
 
WAITLIST
A waitlist will be maintained.  Selected waitlisted artists may be contacted when the Wait List is released one day prior to the event date.
 
NO SHOW POLICY
Artists who have not checked in by Saturday at 8:00 a.m. will be considered a “no-show.” No Show artists are not eligible for refunds.  Assigned space(s) will be forfeited to a wait-list artist.
 
RAIN OR SHINE
There will be no “rain date” and fees will not be refunded in the case of inclement weather.  The event will take place rain or shine.
 
SALES TAX
Artists are responsible for collecting and reporting Sales Taxes.  A Sales Tax reporting document is provided to participating artists at check-in at the event.  The current Sales Tax rate for this event is 8% (Georgia 4%, Fulton County 3%, City of Atlanta 1%).
 
HOW THE FEES ARE USED
All AFFPS Festivals support the Georgia Foundation for Public Spaces, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to building a stronger arts community.  The GFPS provides scholarships for artists to help them with their artistic careers.

To view the AFFPS Event Policies for Artists:

1. The Festival provides only the ground space for exhibits.  Each Exhibitor must provide and prepare his/her own displays.  We require Exhibitors to use white top tents of EZ UP quality or higher.  All tents must be weighted.  CLICK HERE for Tent & Weight Compliance. 
2. Prior to the Festival, Exhibitors will be notified of their site location and detailed setup information.  Plan to set up your booth on Friday before the Festival. (Please do not call for Booth assignments, once they are completed they will be posted on Zapp).
3. After unloading Exhibitor vehicles must be moved to designated parking.  Vehicles will not be permitted to remain in the exhibition space during the Festival, nor may they enter the Festival grounds until approved by the Festival Committee.
4. Exhibitors shall be responsible for obtaining any required licenses, permits, and approvals under state laws applicable to his/her activity at the Festival and for paying any taxes, sales taxes, fees, or, other charges that may be applicable to any Exhibitor's activity at the Festival.
5. The Festival is a rain or shine event.  Cancellations must be made and submitted in written form by email, 60 days prior to the event. By email: to info@affps.com.  No refunds will be given for cancellations less than 60 days prior to the event date or for no-shows. All refunds will receive a $50 administration fee. 
6. The Festival reserves the right to cancel an Exhibitor's contract.  The Festival may require the Exhibitor to leave the Festival at any time if the Exhibitor is in violation of any rules and/or regulations stated herein.
7. Neither AFFPS nor its agents or representatives will be responsible for any injury, damage, or loss that may occur to the Exhibitor, the Exhibitor's agents or representatives, or, his/her property from any cause whatsoever.  Exhibitors should obtain, at their own expense, insurance against any loss, damage, or injury they may require.
8. All Artist Market merchandise must be original, handmade, and created by the Exhibitor.  Reproductions must be clearly identified as such. Original art must occupy at least 50% of the artist's space.  Browse bins may occupy only minimal space and must be aesthetically pleasing and not obstruct patron flow.  All artwork on display must be for sale.
9. Artists may only show work in categories approved by the Jury.
10. Artists must be present and operational with their work for the duration of the Festival.  No commercial agents, dealers, or, salespeople may operate an artist's booth.  The maximum number of occupants per booth may not exceed two.
12. Only individual artists or two-person collaborative artists are permitted to submit an application.  Applications received from artist groups will be returned or rejected.
13. Booth sharing among non-collaborating artists is not permitted.    
14. Artist must be present, we do not permit Artist representatives or employees of the Artist to manage the booth.
15. In the occurrence that the event has to be canceled, postponed suspending, as a result of a pandemic such as the COVID Pandemic of 2020. Full credit for the upcoming show will be given and a Zapp code will be generated.
17. Submission by credit card is an acceptance of these terms and as such in the event that any dispute as related to credit card charges, will be binding under the terms of this agreement, additionally, the artist agrees to defend (accept) said charges and associated fees.

IDENTIFICATION: All Participating Artists are required to present Identification during check-in. Please have your driver's license on hand.

WEIGHTS REQUIRED:
AFFPS requires professional weights, min. 45 lbs. - 50 lbs per/each on all tent legs. 
Because, we are set up in City Park settings - NO ONE is permitted to stake, tie to a tree, lamp post, etc.
As such we require that anyone participating come equipped with the minimum standards of weights for their tent.
Any Artist that arrives without weights will not be permitted to set up and as such will forfeit their participation fee.

ARTIST:
Application fee: $30
Standard booth fee: $375
Premier Booth with extra space behind for tent: $425 (limited to 15) - grassy area
Premier Corner: $500 (Only three available) - (Must be approved)
Double booth fee: $750 (limited availability)
Corner upgrade: $100 (limited availability)
Electricity: $100 (limited availability)
Late Application Fee: $50 (after the July 9th deadline)

Businesses/Sponsorship: Please contact: randallfox2003@yahoo.com
 
Assigned Booth spaces are approximately 10’ deep and 11’ wide or greater. Double booths are also available.  Please note that the festival route is along a street with some areas that are not level.  All work exhibited must be confined to the assigned space(s). Artists are responsible for providing their own means of displaying their work.  All artist tents must be weighted with a minimum of 40 pounds per leg with a white canopy. 
 
LOAD-IN/LOAD OUT
Artists will be able to unload near their booth during set-up and tear down. Artists can load in only during the designated times and must check in with a photo ID. The lane of traffic where the festival takes place is only wide enough for one vehicle. Therefore, we depend upon artists’ cooperation to keep traffic moving at a pace that will allow everyone equal time to set up. We ask that upon arrival at your booth location you unpack and then move your vehicle before you start set-up. Artists will be responsible for hand carting in additional merchandise after the designated load-in time.

Things happen and we understand that, as such any cancellations up to 90 days prior to the event will have fees applied to the next scheduled show. There are no refunds within 60 days of the event. There are no refunds for booth fees applied to a previously canceled show. All credits must be used within one calendar year and it is the Artist's responsibility to track them. At times we offer the opportunity to secure a spot to artists from the immediately preceding year to grab a jury-exempt spot, those fees are non-refundable.

Artists that have a credit must apply to the show as they normally would, and notify the show director that they have applied, at that time they will be confirmed, once we are able to verify any credits. All application deadlines, etc. must be met/followed.

Additionally, credits if given must be applied to the show that it was given and may not transfer to another show, as they are considered separate entities.

Application/Administrative fees are non-refundable as outlined in the application.

• There are no rain dates and no refunds for show cancellation due to rain, floods, tornados, hurricanes, acts of God, acts of government, acts of other official authority, or for any other reason. If for any reason you are asked to leave the show for not following rules, guidelines, social media posts, acting up or disturbing your neighbors, etc. those fees are also non-refundable. Arriving without the necessary/required recommended weights automatic forfeiture of fees paid / 160lbs/40lbs per leg. Anyone caught driving on the grass, will be asked to exit the park and no refunds will be issued (do to irrigation lines and park guidelines).