Denver Arts Festival 2027

Overview

The Denver Arts Festival, now in its 28th year, is a competitive fine art exhibition featuring approximately 145–150 visual artists with over 45,000 expected attendees. The festival emphasizes high-caliber art, supportive community, strong sales opportunities, and artist amenities. It ranks as one of the top festivals in the country.

Key Dates

• November 9, 2026: Applications open
• February 15, 2027: Application deadline
• February 22, 2027: Jurying
• February 27, 2027: Acceptance notification (emailed)
• March 16, 2027: Confirmation of acceptance deadline + booth fees due
• Mid-April 2027: Booth location notification
• Friday, May 28, 2027 (7am): Show set-up
• Saturday, May 29, 2027: 10am–6pm
• Sunday, May 30, 2027: 10am–5pm

Eligibility

All artists are invited to apply. The festival especially welcomes and showcases Colorado artists as well as top national artists.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit five color digital images via the ZAPP application: four images of individual pieces representative of current work, and one image of your booth display showing the full range of work. Do not submit images with multiple pieces unless they are part of a set sold as such. The booth display image should reveal no names and have no people in it; an outdoor booth shot is preferred but not required. Artist statements are required.

Jurying & Waitlist

Highly qualified jurors will view the five images on calibrated monitors and have access to artist statements. All participants are chosen by jury, except up to 10% of exhibitors who may be named by the Festival Director to maintain balanced media categories. A waitlist will be developed based on jury scores, with artists notified of acceptance via email.

Booth Sizes & Fees

• Single booth (10' × 10'): $575
• Double booth (10' × 20', limited availability): $1,150
• Booth sharing: +$150
• Electricity: +$50 (limited number of spots)
• Corner booth: +$195 (limited availability)
• Liability insurance required (~$50 for the weekend, or full-year policy available at reasonable rate)

Application Fee

DAF Application Fee: $45 (non-refundable).

Additional Information

• All exhibitor tents must be white in color; rental canopies available.
• Overnight security provided Friday and Saturday nights.
• Collaborating artists may submit jointly but must register partners before jurying; booth-sharing partners pay +$150.
• Set-up begins Friday, May 28 at 7am.