CultureWorks: Fashion Designers & Wearable Art Creators

CultureWorks is a day-long arts and culture festival, designed to highlight Greensboro's creative pulse and bring people together through art, fashion and creativity.  From local designers to nationally renowned creatives, CultureWorks uplifts diverse voices, supports community connection, and fuels cultural tourism in downtown Greensboro.

This is where art lives. Join us and experience what creativity looks like—Greensboro-style.

The CultureWorks festival is produced by Creative Greensboro, the City's Office of arts and culture, takes place on Saturday, May 23, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Greensboro Cultural Center and LeBauer Park-- the heart of the Cultural District.

Held during Arts & Culture Month in Greensboro, the free public event celebrates the city's artistic talent across multiple disciplines.

CultureWorks is a day-long arts and culture festival, designed to highlight Greensboro's creative pulse and bring people together through art, fashion and creativity.  From local designers to nationally renowned creatives, CultureWorks uplifts diverse voices, supports community connection, and fuels cultural tourism in downtown Greensboro.

This is where art lives. Join us and experience what creativity looks like—Greensboro-style.

The CultureWorks festival is produced by Creative Greensboro, the City's Office of arts and culture in collaboration with the Greensboro Cultural Affairs Commission and university partners. This event takes place on Saturday, May 23, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Greensboro Cultural Center and LeBauer Park-- the heart of the Cultural District.

This free public event celebrates the city's artistic talent across multiple disciplines. And yes—it’s 100% FREE and fully accessible. Whether you're a longtime supporter of the arts or just discovering what Greensboro’s creative community has to offer, CultureWorks welcomes everyone. 

CultureWorks: Fashion Designers and Wearable Art Creators

Creative Greensboro, the city’s office for arts and culture, invites fashion designers and wearable art artists to apply for participation in the CultureWorks Designer Showcase. This call seeks designers working across the spectrum of couture, ready-to-wear, experimental fashion, and sustainable design.

Selected designers will present original garments and collections in a public, festival-based context, offering high-visibility opportunities to showcase craft, concept, and innovation while engaging diverse audiences in the atrium of the Greensboro Cultural Center.

This opportunity is ideal for designers looking to introduce a new collection, test concepts, promote a fashion brand, or explore fashion as cultural expression.

What We’re Looking For

We welcome proposals and portfolios that reflect:

• Couture and high-concept fashion
• Ready-to-wear and contemporary collections
• Sustainable, ethical, and slow fashion practices
• Upcycled, recycled, or zero-waste design
• Experimental, conceptual, or wearable art approaches
• Fashion rooted in cultural storytelling or social practice
• Designers may present finished collections or works in progress.

Presentation Opportunities

• Selected designers may be featured through:
• Pop-up fashion showcases or installations
• Interactive or static garment displays
• Demonstrations or process-based activations
• Fashion presentations or mini-runway moments (as feasible)

Presentation formats will be determined in collaboration with Creative Greensboro and the Cultural Affairs Commission.

How to Apply

• Applications must be submitted through CaFÉ (www.callforentry.org) and include:
• A short designer statement or brand overview
• Images of garments or collections (or sketches for works in progress)
• Description of materials and processes
• Sustainability practices (if applicable)
• Preferred presentation format

Eligibility

• Applicants must be 18 years or older
• Open to local, regional, and national designers (priority given to Greensboro/Guilford) County based designers/artists.
• Individuals or design teams may apply
• All work must be original and created by the applicant

Important Notes

• All work must be appropriate for a family-friendly, public setting
• Designers may be asked to adapt work for outdoor or non-traditional spaces
• CultureWorks reserves the right to finalize presentation formats and schedules