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Get matched →The 53rd Annual Boston Mills Artfest is a nationally recognized, juried celebration of Fine Art and Contemporary Craft, attracting talented artists, collectors, and art enthusiasts from across Northeast Ohio and beyond. Hosted at the beautiful Boston Mills Ski Resort, a Vail Resort in Peninsula, Ohio, the festival is set against the stunning backdrop of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, conveniently located between Cleveland, Akron, and Canton.
Artfest features two exceptional summer weekends , each showcasing up to 150 talented artists creating an outstanding opportunities to sell original work, connect with collectors, and reach new audiences. A $45.00 nonrefundable application fee is required
Boston Mills I (AKA "The June Show") opens with a special Friday Night Preview Party from 6:00–9:00 p.m., followed by a two-day weekend filled with art, music, wine, craft beer, and enthusiastic shoppers.
Boston Mills II (AKA "The July Show") kicks off the July 4th weekend with an exciting three-day show , beginning Friday from 1:00–8:00 p.m. The extended weekend gives artists an additional day of selling and exposure, while visitors enjoy a lively summer atmosphere with art, music, wine, and craft beer into the evening.
For more than five decades, Boston Mills Artfest has remained one of Northeast Ohio's premier summer art events, offering artists a distinctive opportunity to showcase their work and become part of the celebrated tradition.
All Boston Mills Artfest communication and correspondence will be by email from zapplication.org regarding acceptance and booth assignments. Booth fees cannot be paid until after you receive your acceptance and booth assignment. A $45.00 nonrefundable application fee is required
Two unique Artfest shows held on consecutive weekends.
The 2027 Boston Mills Artfest dates are as follows:
Boston Mills I (AKA "The June Show")
Preview Night Party: Friday, June 25 (6 - 9 pm)
Saturday, June 26, General Admission (10 am - 5 pm)
Sunday, June 27, General Admission (10 am - 5 pm) Move Out (5 - 8 pm)
Set-up Thursday June 24, & Friday June 25 (8 am - 5 pm)
Artists Hospitality Food Friday, June 25 (3:00 pm - 4:30 pm)
Boston Mills II (AKA "The July Show")
Friday, July 2, General Admission (1 pm - 8 pm)
Saturday, July 3, General Admission (10 am - 5 pm)
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.
Artfest 2027 Important Dates to Remember:
Applications Accepted 10/19/2026 A $45.00 nonrefundable application fee is required
Application Deadline 1/15/2027
Jury Start on 2/09/2027
Jury End on 2/10/2027
Jury Notification & Booth Assignment 3/22/2027
Booth Fee Purchase Deadline 4/23/2027
Full Booth Refund Until 5/07/2027
Partial Booth Refund Less $200 Processing Fee 5/21/2027
No Booth Refunds After 5/28/2027
Artist Liability Insurance Requirements
Artists / Vendors are required to supply their own Liability Insurance. Copies must be emailed to [email protected] prior to set-up.
Artists are responsible for proper insurance and protection of work and display. The Boston Mills Artfest will not be responsible for damage to work or display. Upon acceptance, exhibitors must provide Boston Mills Artfest with an appropriate Certificate of Insurance, naming the Boston Mills Artfest as an additional insured pursuant to a general liability insurance policy with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000 . Artists will not be permitted to set up without the required insurance valid for the dates they are participating at Artfest.
Grounds and Security:
Artists must bring their own dollies or carts for transporting artwork and display to your booth. The festival grounds have sidewalks and mostly hardpack crushed limestone which are wheelchair assessable.
Boston Mills will provide overnight security during the show. Pets are not permitted on the grounds. Upon request, contact Boston Mills Guest Services for local kennels. There is no driving and/or parking within the show grounds. All artists will need to dolly their display/artwork anywhere from 30ft to 200 ft depending on booth location and available unloading parking.
Show Awards:
All participating exhibitors are eligible for Artfest awards and will be asked to submit one original work from their display to the jury room for the Awards Judges to review. Judges will award $7500 each weekend: three Award of Excellence ($1000 each), and eighteen Best in Category awards ($250 each).
Award of Excellence and Best in Category winners are automatically accepted into the following year's show. Honorable Mentions are given at the judges' discretion and those recipients have 3 points added to next year's jury score. All award-winning pieces will be displayed in our Awards Gallery for the remainder of the show and must be for sale. If an award piece sells, artists must replace sold work with another of their choice immediately.
For Boston Mills Artfest applications, apply here; https://www.zapplication.org Application deadline is January 15, 2027
Application fees are nonrefundable.
Award Judges:
June Show:
Michael Gill - Executive Director of the Collective Arts Network, and Editor and Publisher of CAN Journal, Cleveland, Ohio
July Show:
Tom Balbo - Founder and Artistic Director, Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory & Educational Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio
Selection Judges:
The judges select not more than 150 artists for each weekend of the Boston Mills Artfest. Artists who are previous year award winners must apply, but our jewelry exempt. Standby exhibitors are selected during the jury process. The Director will add standby artists to the show by their medium to maintain balance when openings become available.
Jurors are changed annually and are chosen by the Director from past award-winning exhibitors, working artists, and art professionals.
Jurors are subject to change without notice for reasons beyond Artfest control. T he jury foreman is George Whitten, Artfest Director. The jury dates are February 9 & 10th, 2027.
Selection Judges:
Fine Art:
Chuck Wimmer/Computer Art
Tom Hale/Painting
Chris Coffey/Photography
Beth Nash/Painting
Cathy Welner/Watercolor
Fine Craft:
Peter Czuk/Furniture
Joseph Cyberski/Jewelry
Paul Fletcher/2D-MM
Gail Russell/Ceramics
Michael Mikula/Glass
Alternate Juror Michael Martel / Ceramics
Applications will be accepted in the following categories:
Acrylic Painting
Oil Painting
Watercolor Painting
Drawing
Photography
Computer Art
Glass
Ceramics
Metal
Wood
Furniture
Jewelry
Sculpture
2D Mix-Media
3D Mix-Media
Wearable Fiber
Fiber
Leather
Image requirements:
Six images are required for the Artfest applicationare. Images are projected left to right in two rows of three images each. The first image in the top row will be used in advertising. The booth shot is the last image in the second row.
Category Information:
Jewelry: All jewelry must be entered in the Jewelry category. If for an example a ceramic artist was showing functional pottery, and wanted to exhibit ceramic jewelry in the same booth the jewelry would have to be accepted in the Jewelry category and the pottery in the Ceramic category.
Drawing: Drawing includes pastel's and print making. Prints that are hand pulled by artists from traditional methods, including etching, engraving, silkscreen, stone, and plate lithography, linoleum block, or woodcut. Images must be produced in signed and numbered limited editions from an original image created by the artist.
Photography: Artwork generated with a camera .
Computer Art: Artwork generated with a computer.
Applications are only accepted through Zapplication. No slides, CDs of images, or other envelopes, packages or boxes will be reviewed or returned. No late applications will be accepted.
Exempt artists will need to contact Boston Mil