2027 Artist Applications

Applications for the 53rd Stevens Point Festival of the Arts, held Sunday, April 4, 2027, are accepted exclusively through ZAPPlication.org.

Application Deadline: Sunday, January 31, 2027, at 11:59 PM CST

Jury/Application Fee: $35, non-refundable, paid through ZAPPlication.

Required Images: 5 total

• 4 images of artwork
• 1 booth display image

Available Artist Booths: 51

Booth Fee: $150 for accepted artists.

 An Art Festival Organized by Artists, for Artists!

As working artists who participate in art festivals ourselves, we understand what makes a great show! Our goal is to provide a welcoming, well-organized event with the amenities, support, and promotion artists need for a successful festival.

Awards & Artist Recognition

• $1,550 in Cash Awards!
  • Dick Schneider Best of Show Award – $500
  • Brenda Gingles 3-D Award – $300
  • John Morser 2-D Award – $300
  • Three Awards of Excellence – $150 each
• Award winners are invited to return the following year with their jury/application fee waived.
• Participating artists are featured in an online artist gallery on our website, including links to their websites.

Artist Hospitality & Support

• Convenient Saturday afternoon and evening setup.
• Designated artist storage area near the booths.
• Friendly volunteers and booth sitters throughout the festival.
• Complimentary coffee from The Mission Coffee House.
• Complimentary donuts and fresh fruit provided by FoA.
• Breakfast and lunch available for purchase at Artist & Fare.

Festival Marketing & Promotion

Extensive event promotion through social media advertising, digital postcards, printed posters, rack cards, newspapers, community signage, and regional partnerships.

Convenient Location & Parking

Free artist parking, with nearby hotels, restaurants, and shopping, including Menards and Metro Market.

Jury Process

The Stevens Point Festival of the Arts uses three independent guest jurors who change annually to ensure a fair and impartial selection process. Festival board and council members do not participate in the jurying or scoring of artist applications.

Required Images

Applicants must submit four images of current artwork and one booth display image through ZAPPlication.

Blind Jury Requirements

The festival uses a blind jury process to ensure fair evaluation of all applicants. Artist names, studio names, or other identifying information must not be visible in any submitted images, including the booth photograph.

If an artist's signature is clearly legible, it must be digitally concealed before submitting the image. Signatures that cannot be read are acceptable.

Applications containing identifiable artist information will be disqualified from jury review. The $35 application fee will not be refunded.

Booth Presentation

The quality and presentation of your booth are important parts of the jury process. Your booth image should clearly demonstrate how your artwork will be professionally displayed at the festival. The jury considers both the quality of the artwork and the overall booth presentation.

Friday, November 6, 2026 – Artist applications open through ZAPPlication.

Sunday, January 31, 2027 – Application deadline at 11:59 PM CST.

February 3–7, 2027 – Jury review process.

Monday, February 15, 2027 – Jury results emailed to all applicants. Accepted artists receive an invitation to exhibit.

Monday, March 1, 2027 – Deadline to accept and confirm the ZAPP invitation, pay booth fees, and complete the required online Google Form, including Wisconsin sales tax information (Form S-240). All requirements must be completed before booth assignments are made.

Monday, March 1, 2027 – Cancellation deadline for a booth fee refund, minus a $25 processing fee. No refunds after this date.

Sunday, March 7, 2027 – Booth assignments and festival information emailed to participating artists.

Saturday, April 3, 2027 – Artist check-in and setup:

• Atrium & Barrel Room: 3:00–8:00 PM
• Taproom: 4:00–8:00 PM

Sunday, April 4, 2027 – Artist check-in and setup: 6:30–9:30 AM.

Sunday, April 4, 2027 – 53rd Stevens Point Area Festival of the Arts, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM.

Eligibility

All artwork must be original and created by the exhibiting artist or collaborating artists. The Stevens Point Festival of the Arts maintains high standards of quality, originality, craftsmanship, and artistic expression in fine art and fine crafts.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

All exhibited artwork must be original and primarily created by the artist. AI may be used as a supporting tool in the creative process, but AI-generated artwork is not permitted. The festival reserves the right to reject work that does not meet these standards.

Multiple Applications

Artists may submit up to two applications, with a separate application and jury fee required for each medium. Artists may only exhibit work in the media categories for which they have been accepted. Only artists accepted in the Jewelry category may exhibit jewelry.

Shared Booths / Multiple Artists

Two artists exhibiting separate bodies of work in different media may apply to share one booth through a single joint application. Both artists and their respective media must be accepted through the jury process. If either is not accepted, the artists cannot exhibit together in a shared booth.

This policy is separate from artists who collaborate to create a single body of work, which is considered one artistic entry.

Jury/Application Fee: $35 per Application

A non-refundable $35 jury fee is required for each application and must be paid through ZAPPlication by credit card or PayPal. Checks are not accepted. Booth fees are not due at the time of application.

Artist Statement

Applicants must provide a brief artist statement of 500 words or fewer describing their creative process, materials, and techniques.

Accepted Media Categories

2-D Mixed Media, 3-D Mixed Media, Ceramics, Digital Art, Drawing/Pastels, Fiber & Wearable Art, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metal, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Stone, and Wood.

The Stevens Point Festival of the Arts is dedicated to presenting high-quality, original fine art and fine crafts. All exhibited artwork must be consistent with the images and media approved through the jury process.

The FoA Council reserves the right to remove artwork that does not meet festival standards or accurately represent the work submitted for jury review.

Artwork Restrictions

• Jewelry: Jewelry made primarily from commercially manufactured, strung beads is not considered original handmade jewelry and will not be accepted.
• Production Work: Commercially mass-produced artwork or work manufactured by others is prohibited. Handmade editions, limited production runs, and functional art created by the exhibiting artist are permitted.
• Resale: Purchased items resold as original artwork are not permitted.
• Reproductions: Reproduction prints may comprise no more than 25% of an artist's booth display. The FoA strongly prefers that reproductions be placed in clearly labeled bins rather than displayed alongside original artwork.

Artist Statement Display

Artists are required to display an artist statement in their booth describing their creative process, materials, and techniques.

Artist Image Usage & AI Disclaimer

By applying, artists grant the Stevens Point Festival of the Arts permission to use their submitted images solely for festival-related promotion, including the FoA website, social media, and marketing materials.

FoA recognizes artists' concerns regarding image theft and the use of artwork by third-party artificial intelligence platforms. We will take reasonable precautions, including watermarking promotional images, to help protect artists' work. However, FoA cannot control how third-party platforms, including social media companies, collect, store, or use publicly shared images and is not responsible for unauthorized use by third parties.

Booth Fee, Acceptance & Required Forms

All accepted artists must complete the following by Monday, March 1, 2027:

• Accept and confirm their invitation through ZAPPlication.
• Pay the $150 booth fee and any applicable electricity fee through ZAPPlication using a credit card or PayPal.
• Complete the required online Google Form, including Wisconsin Temporary Event seller information (Form S-240), electricity requests, booth sitter needs, art raffle participation, and optional lunch delivery.

Booth assignments will not be made until all required information has been submitted and fees have been paid.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Artists who cancel on or before March 1, 2027, will receive a refund of their booth fee minus a $25 processing fee. No booth fee refunds will be issued after March 1, 2027. The $35 jury/application fee is non-refundable.

Booth Sizes: 51 Available Spaces

The festival offers three booth configurations:

• 24 booths: 10' × 10'
• 17 booths: 6' × 15'
• 10 booths: 8' × 12'

Booth assignments are determined by the festival board. Artists must be flexible with booth configurations.

10' × 10' Booth Requirements

If your display system specifically requires a 10' × 10' space and cannot accommodate other booth dimensions, you must indicate this on your application. Space is limited, and specific booth sizes cannot be guaranteed.

Corner Booths

A limited number of corner booths are available. Artists who can accommodate a corner booth, with displays along both walls, should indicate this on their application. Corner booths are assigned by the festival board to highly scored artists. Requests for corner booths are not accepted.

Double Booths

Double booth requests are not accepted.

Electricity: Additional $40

Electricity is highly recommended due to low lighting throughout the indoor venue. Electricity must be requested through the required Google Form and paid for through ZAPPlication by March 1, 2027.

Artist Attendance

Exhibiting artists must be present throughout the festival and personally staff their booths. Representatives or substitutes are not permitted.

Floor Protection

Artists using heavy display systems, carts, or loading equipment must take appropriate precautions to protect the floors at Artist & Fare and O'so Brewing Company.

Booth Appearance & Storage

Artists are expected to maintain a clean, professional booth throughout the festival. Packaging materials, bins, and extra inventory must be neatly stored.

A designated artist storage area will be available near the booths for additional packaging, bins, and backup artwork. Storage is not permitted behind individual booths due to space limitations.

Security & Insurance

Artwork and personal property left overnight on Saturday are at the artist's own risk. Artists are responsible for obtaining their own insurance against theft, loss, or damage. FoA is not responsible for loss, theft, or damage to artwork, displays, or personal property.

Artist Check-In & Load-In

• Artist check-in is located in the Atrium near the main entrance of Artist & Fare.
• Multiple garage-door entrances are available for artist load-in. A detailed load-in map will be provided before the festival.
• Vehicles are not permitted inside the venue.
• Artists must provide their own carts or equipment for transporting artwork and displays.

Parking

Free parking is available at Artist & Fare. On festival day, artists and volunteers are asked to park farther from the building to reserve convenient spaces for visitors and patrons.

Indoor Display Requirements

Tent tops and canopies are not permitted inside the venue.

Agreement to Festival Policies

By submitting an application to the Stevens Point Area Festival of the Arts (FoA), I acknowledge that I have reviewed, understand, and agree to comply with all application requirements, jury procedures, rules and regulations, exhibition policies, and booth requirements established by the Festival of the Arts Council.

The FoA reserves the right to determine whether an artist has violated festival policies or requirements. Artists may be required to correct a violation or, at the discretion of the FoA Council, be removed from the festival without a refund of fees.

Liability & Insurance

I acknowledge that participation in the festival, including the transportation, setup, display, storage, and sale of artwork, is at my own risk.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, I release the Stevens Point Area Festival of the Arts, its Council, volunteers, sponsoring organizations, Artist & Fare, O’so Brewing Company, and their respective staff and representatives from claims for personal injury, theft, loss, or damage arising from my participation in the festival, except to the extent caused by conduct that cannot legally be released.

I understand that the FoA does not provide insurance coverage for my artwork, merchandise, equipment, or other personal property. I am responsible for obtaining any insurance coverage I consider necessary for my participation.

Permission to Use Artist Images

By accepting an invitation to exhibit, I grant the FoA permission to use my submitted jury images and photographs taken during the festival for festival-related promotional purposes, including its website, social media, advertising, and printed materials.

This permission does not transfer ownership or copyright of my artwork to the FoA.

Festival Date: Sunday, April 4, 2027

Festival Hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location: O'so Brewing Company at Artist & Fare

1800 Plover Road, Plover, WI 54467

Artist Presence: Required throughout the festival.

Festival Director: Jessie Fritsch

Phone: 715-252-4125

Email: artfestival@stevenspointfoa.com

 Jury Notifications and Accepted Artists will be emailed contracts by Monday, February 15, 2027

 Artists will need to specify electricity needs and indicate participation in art raffle donation on jury application. 

 $150 booth fees are due Monday, March 1, 2027. No cancellations or refunds after this date. 

2026 Award Winners are invited back to exhibit at the Stevens Point Area Festival of the Arts. $35 Jury Fee will be waived. A coupon code will be emailed to invited artists. 

This is our 6th year at O'so Brewing Company and Artist & Fare. This new place to gather is an exciting space for an art festival and the building is expanding each year. 

Due to the short timeline from invited artist contract deadline to event date there will be no refund for cancellations after Monday, March 1, 2027

 Joy Pinkerton joins us from Orlando, Florida, where she recently retired after a long career in the legal field. She and her husband John are longtime seasonal residents of Waupaca, spending time at their lake cottage every year for decades.
Avid art collectors and supporters of the arts, Joy and John travel widely and enjoy discovering creative work wherever they go. We are pleased to welcome Joy as a juror for the Stevens Point Festival of the Arts.

Megan Woodard Johnson is a mixed media artist living and creating in West Bend, Wisconsin. Johnson received a formal education in Graphic Design and Fine Art Printmaking from Shepherd University in West Virginia, earning her BFA in 1996. 20 years ago she shifted to mixed media painting and has never looked back. Johnson spent her formative years moving around the country, before relocating to Wisconsin and gradually putting down roots. She leads a rich, if ordinary, life focused on noticing moments and making connections, filtering all of these gathered experiences into the layers that build up her paintings.

Johnson has shown steadily in group and solo exhibitions and completed multiple artist residencies. Her work hangs in private and corporate collections across and beyond the United States and has been represented in multiple US galleries. Johnson has juried and curated

shows and exhibitions, and built connections with artists around the globe by offering courses, coaching and small group mentorships.

Josie Osborne is a visual artist and Senior Lecturer in Art and Design at UW-Milwaukee, Peck School of the Arts. She also curates and co-curates exhibitions including Quiet at

Walkers Point Center for the Arts, Marks and Conversions: The Graphic Work of Judy Pfaff and Squeak Carnwath, at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design recently co-curated Miller and Shellabarger: Hiding in the Light and Inova Gallery and more recently at Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts. She is engaged in the Milwaukee Arts Community,

serving on boards and advisory committees for Arts non-profits including 12 years on the City of Milwaukee Arts Board.

In recent years her art activism has increased as well. She is a member of the activist artist group Art Build Workers, using art to partner with and support social justice-oriented organizations and causes.