Arts in the Middle Festival 2027

Arts in the Middle Fine Arts Festival~June 5 & 6, 2027 ~ Hewick Estate
                  A stroll away from charming waterfront village of Urbanna, VA

• The Rivah Magazine ~ Best Festival ~ #3 the last 3 Years!
• Virginia's River Realm Tourism promotion ~ Top10 Signature events
• Top artists’ ratings ~ “perfect venue”; “great artists”; “ buying public”; “very helpful volunteer support”; "great loading"; "water and booth sitting" 
• Talented/strong marketing team ~ wide regional print, radio, social media, pr, public posters & signage, and more
• We have seen increased attendance each year
• Over 100 juried fine artists from across the country
• Spacious booth sizes with storage areas behind
• A popular day and weekend destination for arts patrons from close urban areas of Richmond, Williamsburg, Tidewater, Fredericksburg, No VA & Washington DC
• Majestic tree shaded exhibit area on grounds of stately plantation
• Walk or trolley into town ~ shopping, dining, history, & more
• Hand crafted food ~ local culinary artist
• Beverage Tent - Craft beer, wine, soft drinks
• Patrons stroll exhibit area w/beverage of choice
• Impressive live music (blues, jazz, rock, classical ) ~ 2 stages 
• Hospitality design for patron enjoyment protects artists from noise intrusion.
• Unique family activities

• Eligible Medium Categories
  • Paintings Oils, acrylics, watercolor, encaustic, fresco, gouache, tempura, fluid media of inks and washes applied by pen or brush, etc.
  • Drawings  Chalk, charcoal, pastel, pencil, conte, graphite, wax crayon, etc.
  • Jewelry Jewelry of any material. No commercial casts, kits, molds or production studio work, commercial pendants, brooches & commercially made items, loose stones, or catalogue merchandise.
  • Ceramics  Original clay and porcelain work other than jewelry.
  • Photography   Photographic print from the artist's original image, processed & printed by artist, or under his/her direct supervision w/archival media on acid-free papers. Limited editions of 250 or fewer, inclusive of size & format, signed & numbered.  Bins may be limited to preserve the fine arts nature of this show. May be asked to disclose the creative/printing process.
  • Digital Art  Original work for which the base image, or the manipulation of other source material, is executed by applying artist w/computer software. Limited editions of 250 or less, inclusive of size & format, signed & numbered on acid-free materials. Bins may be limited due to fine arts nature of show. 
  • Graphics/Printmaking  Printed works for which the artist’s hand manipulated the plates, stones, or screens - properly signed & numbered as a limited edition.  Printmakers are required to disclose both their creative & printmaking process.  Bins may be limited due to fine arts nature of this show. 
  • Sculpture   Clay, Wood, Metal, Fiber, etc.
  • Wood Hand crafted furniture, wood turnings, etc  
  • Fiber/Leather High-end hand crafted textiles, wearable art, and leather artwork.
  • Glass High end glass artwork such hand blown glass, leaded glass, fused, etc.
  • Mixed Media   Non-sculpturing work incorporating more than one type of physical material or process in production, e.g, painted etching or collage combining handmade paper and photography.
  • Other Media  All other fine crafts and arts works considered to be in the Fine Arts category are acceptable.

• Jury Process  Artistic execution, creativity & well-balanced presentation are criteria for selection of exhibitors.  Decisions by jurors are final.  
• Awards & Artist Reception & Awards Ceremony  Exhibitor’s art will be professionally judged during the show on Saturday.  Awards are presented at the catered Artist Reception at 5:30 Saturday - complimentary for artists and 1 guest.
• On-site Support   Friendly festival team members and volunteers provide artist assistance during show hours, including short breaks upon request.  Complimentary coffee and home-made pastries on Sat. & Sun morning. Water delivered to your tent once in the morning and once in the afternoon Saturday and Sunday.
• Parking   Artist and public parking is steps away from the show entrance. Golf carts move from the parking lot to Artist Row during show hours for customers with special needs and help with large purchases. 
• Security   Security is available during all day Sat/Sun and overnight Sat. 
• Weather   This is a rain or shine event.  Be prepared for spring weather with rain gear for yourself, coverage for your artwork, and tools for securing your tent. Tents will be sited under large shade trees as much as possible for maximum sun protection, but we cannot guarantee total protection.  Be prepared for some sun exposure and for Spring insects!
• Food and Live Entertainment  Outstanding live music, local food and drinks, and popular AIM Beverage Tent in the hospitality on Artist Row both days.
• Children’s Activities   Kids are given Jr. Judge ribbons in the Welcome Tent to present to their favorite artists.  The Children’s Tent offers unique and creative activities specific to kids but engaging to the kid in all of us.
• First Aid   First aid in Welcome Tent. 
• Student Artists Program   The Student Artist Tent offers talented local high-school and college students the opportunity to become personally involved in a fine arts event, including professionally judged for Best Student Art Award.  
• Overnight Accommodations Our Host Home program offers a limited number of local residents willing to host artists into their home for Friday and Saturday nights. Let us know early if you are interested in a host home.  A complete list of other available accommodations and discounts can be found at our website: artsinthemiddle.org as well as virginiasriverrealm.com. 
• Application also available on our website - www.artsinthemiddle.org.

• Images:  Five images must accompany the application:  4 images of art representative of that to be exhibited in the show (titled and identified by medium type) and 1 image of the exhibition tent.  Zapplication is set up to receive images. Email applications must include clear image attachments (scanned or photographed).  Slides and copied paper prints will not be accepted by the jurists.  If images are not presented with sufficient clarity for review we will return them and/or request better quality before they can be juried. Please ensure images are in focus, properly lit, and proper orientation. Booth shot must show entire booth in a show setup.
• Application Fee:  A non-refundable jury fee of $30 must accompany the application (or $50 if late fee applicable.)  
• Application Deadline: January 29, 2027;  $50 late application fee. 
• Cancellation Policy:  Application Fee is non-refundable.  If notified by April 1st 100% booth fee refunded.  If notified by May 1st 50% booth fee refunded.  If notified any time after May 1st, the booth fee is non-refundable. 
• Collaboration: No more than two artists with similar artwork may share a tent space.  Both must apply & be juried separately.  In the case of acceptance of only one of the two applicants, only the accepted artist’s works may be displayed. 
• Jury Process:  Applications will be juried by a panel of art professionals for artistic execution, creativity and a well-balanced professional presentation as criteria for this show. Jury results will be sent through Zapplication or email (whichever is applicable) on February 20. Decisions are final.
• Booth Fees:   By March 28 artists wishing to accept their invitation to exhibit must pay for the assigned booth fee of $225 ($450 for double booth). Failure to pay by the deadlines may result in revocation of the invitation and immediate invitation of an alternate from the waiting list. 
• Tents & Weights:  In keeping with the fine art nature of this show, exhibits must be in professional 10’x10’ white top tent canopies with secure side curtains.  For the safety of you and your neighbor, tents must be secured with appropriate weights, straps and tie downs at all times.  A minimum of 40 pounds per tent leg is required. (eg: tube weights, solid sand bag weights, concrete filled buckets that look clean, stabilizer bars with solid sand bags, weight plates or dumbbells on each tent leg.) Not allowed:  Colored tents; dirty or damaged tents, lightweight framed tents with no weights, raw concrete blocks, lattice panels, bricks, plastic sand bags, or anything that doesn’t look clean and professional. No form of political, advertising, cause, fundraising literature or soliticing is allowed. Artists are not allowed to take up or occupy space outside of their assigned booth space for exhibiting or encroach on neighboring spaces. Vehicles are not allowed to drive or park on the lawns. Loading is just off the gravel drive and close to booths. Storage space behind booths.
• Eligible Works:   All exhibited works must be the original creation of the artist submitting the application, and must be of the same quality, category and body of work shown in the images juried. No work in a category the artist wasn't juried is allowed to be exhibited. Jurors on site may ask for evidence of the displaying artist’s involvement in the work and the process.
• Reproductions:  In keeping with the fine arts nature of this event, reproductions (photography and paintings) must be from the Artist’s original work, in limited editions of 250 or less, signed, numbered and identified as a reproduction. Giclees or reproduced paintings are limited to bins and 25% of the hanging space.  
• Racks and Bins:   Bins and racks should be kept to a minimum and be professionally presented. Racks and bins can be back filled as needed. 
• Not Acceptable:   No buy/sell, mass produced, production or manufactured items, gourmet foods, greenware, kits, or work other than that produced by the artist are permitted.   No bazaar crafts, crocheting, knitting, decoupage, candles or craft wearing apparel. Final interpretation of commercial status will be made by the Arts in the Middle Administration Committee, and show officials may contact applicant for additional information and clearification of process.  
• Artist Must Be Present:  Booths must remain open and the artist present during shows hours on Saturday and Sunday to show and sell their own works.  No dealers, artists reps, agents or other middlemen allowed. Volunteers are available to give you short breaks. 
• Liability:  While artists are not required to carry liability insurance, coverage is a growing trend among exhibitors and is strongly recommended by Arts in the Middle for protection against damage, loss or injury. Participating artists are fully and solely responsible for the safety and security of their own exhibit area and damages or injures to other exhibits or persons caused by their exhibit area..  Affordable short-term policies can be purchased through insurance companies. 
• Sales & Taxes:  Artists retain all revenue from their sales with no commission due to Arts in the Middle. Artists must report & pay their own 5.3% sales tax directly to VA  Dept. of Taxation.  Forms and information can be downloaded from www.tax.virginia.gov.
• Fees:   All show fees must be paid, as outlined in application info section, in order to participate in this event.  
• Enforcement:   Artists bringing ineligible items to the show will be required to immediately remove them and face disqualification.   Artists violating the rules of this show or who fail to cooperate with the festival committee will not be permitted to exhibit in this or future Arts in the Middle shows. Artists who create disruptions or cause problems with other artists or the staff will be asked to leave and will be banned from future events. Please notify the Arts Festival Committee if you see any infractions of the standards.
• Weather:   We always hope for perfect show weather, but we do monitor weather reports regularly throughout the show and reserve the right to close the show early or at certain points during the show, if necessary, for the protection of our artists and visitors.

• Artist Fees
  • Application fee:  35.00  Late fee added after January 29:  $50            
  • Booth fee 10 x 10:  $225.00   10 x 20: $450.00  due March 28, 2027.                            (Zapp with credit card or Pay Pal; checks to: AIM, P.O. Box 982, Urbanna, VA  23175) 
• Exhibit tents will be on grass under trees that generate a nice breeze.  This is usually enough to ward off bugs, but bring bug spray just in case.  
• Ample space between tents for viewing and display and storage behind;  limited corner booths  
• On-site Set-Up and Break-Down:  To protect the historic and picturesque venue, driving and parking is not allowed on the lawns.  Artists are offered the convenience of drive-in/drive-out unloading and loading along the gravel drive in front of their tents.  
  • Early set-up        noon - 6:00      Friday, June 4th (for early birds)
  • Regular set-up.   6 - 9:30 am      Saturday, June 5th (no vehicles on grounds after 9:30)
  • Break down         3:00 pm           Sunday, June 6th (no early break down allowed)