Gasparilla Festival of the Arts 2027 57th Annual
Submit four images (three of artwork completed since February 1, 2024, and one booth photo) and pay a $50 application fee to be considered for selection to exhibit at this outdoor fine art festival.
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Get matched →- Deadline
- 10 days left
- Entry fee
- $50
- Award
- $92,000
- Location
- Tampa, Florida
- Exhibition window
- Mar 6, 2027 → Mar 7, 2027
- Applicants notified
- Sep 30, 2026
About
Overview
The 57th Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is an outdoor fine art festival held at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in downtown Tampa. Up to 235 artists are selected through a juried process. The Festival is free to the public and attracts approximately 30,000 visitors.
Key Dates
- September 7, 2026 (11:59 p.m.): Deadline for complete applications and application fee payment
- Late September 2026: Invitations sent to selected artists
- December 1, 2026: Deadline to accept invitation and pay exhibition (booth) fee
- March 4–5, 2027: Artist load-in and setup
- March 6–7, 2027: Festival open to public (Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.)
Eligibility
Open to all artists. Previous award recipients from the 2026 Festival and the 2026 Emerging Artists Program award winner are automatically accepted. Two-person teams or partnerships may qualify as a single exhibitor if collaborating on a single body of work.
What to Submit
- Three images of your artwork in the selected medium
- One booth photo showing your display space with representative samples of work at the scale it will be shown
Application Requirements
- Each artist must complete an individual application
- Artwork must be completed no earlier than February 1, 2024
- Applications without a booth display image will be marked incomplete
- Artists who received an award at the 2026 Festival must still submit an application and pay the application fee
- You may apply in multiple medium categories (each requires a separate application and fee)
- You cannot submit multiple applications in the same medium
- Both artists in a partnership must be present during the Festival's open hours
Fees
Application fee is $50, nonrefundable. You may submit up to four applications for this show.
Awards
At least $92,000 in total award money. The Festival Awards Juror will determine the Raymond James Best in Show award ($15,000) and ten Awards of Merit ($1,300 each). The four Selection Jurors will determine up to five additional Awards of Merit each. An awards ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 6, 2027. Award checks not claimed by 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 7, 2027, will be forfeited.
Wait List
A wait list will be developed based on juried selection results. Wait-listed artists who are selected as space becomes available will be notified by email.
Additional Requirements
The City of Tampa requires proof of auto insurance for all vehicles accessing the Festival site. By submitting your application, you confirm that your vehicle will have a valid auto insurance policy for the duration of the Festival, including during load-in, setup, and load-out.
- Award
- At least $92,000 in award money, including the $15,000 Raymond James Best of Show Award and 38 additional awards (ten Awards of Merit at $1,300 each from the Festival Awards Juror, and up to 30 Awards of Merit total from Selection Jurors).
- Entries per artist
- Up to 4
- Eligibility
- Open to all artists. Artists cannot submit multiple applications in the same medium. Previous award recipients from the 2026 Festival and the 2026 Emerging Artists Program award winner are automatically accepted.
- Audience
- Open to all artists.
- Also worth noting
- Waitlist maintained
- Waitlist
- The organizer keeps one.
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.