Application for Juried Art Show
Welcome!
The Saco Main Street Sidewalk Arts Festival Committee invites you to participate in the 54th Annual Sidewalk Arts Festival, taking place on Saturday, June 21, 2025 and located in the heart of beautiful historic downtown Saco. Thousands of people attend this annual event where artists and craftspeople display a rich variety of artwork, photography, and sculpture.
The Sidewalk Arts Festival is an annual event organized and managed by Saco Main Street, a non-profit organization committed to making Saco a better place to live and work by enhancing the vitality of our downtown. The Saco Sidewalk Arts Festival Committee is dedicated to promoting art and culture in our community. Proceeds from the Sidewalk Arts Festival are reinvested into the community.
We welcome all participating artists to consider donating a piece to our Penny Raffle held at the Saco Main Street booth, so that we can share your incredible talents with our community and help to raise money for Saco Main Street.
Members of the Committee and all of our hard-working volunteers look forward to seeing you this year, and thank you for your participation.
Event policies and regulations:
Application Instructions
Applications will be accepted until April 21st, 2025. The information in your application enables the Arts Festival Committee to better serve all applicants and ensure a safe and enjoyable event for the artists and the community. Applications will be juried by the Arts Festival Committee and all selected artists will be notified on Friday, May 2, 2025.
- This year, there are tiered fees depending on submission time. Fees will be billed when you are notified that your application has been accepted.
- Applications received between Feb. 12 – Feb. 28, 2025 will receive the Early-Bird rate of $175
- Applications received between Mar. 1 – April 21, 2025 will have a fee of $200
- There is a $5 processing fee associated with paper applications. If you require a paper application, please email programs@sacomainstreet.org
- You will receive an email confirmation once your application has been received. If selected, you will be notified via email on Friday, May 2, 2025.
- All exhibitors must include photos of, or a link to, photos of their work to undergo fair evaluation by a jury.
- Participants from previous years do not have an assured place in this year’s show. Every submission will undergo fair evaluation by a jury.
- All participants will be featured in an event brochure.
- Types of Work Accepted: the Arts Festival Committee reserves the right to limit pottery and jewelry to a limited percentage of the total exhibition field.
Booth & Event Policies:
Display spaces will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Spaces are 10′ x 10′ and Saco Main Street does not provide any tents, tables, or other display apparatus.
- All traffic safety issues and respect for property will be strictly observed and maintained. By submitting your application, you agree to follow all Saco Main Street set-up and break-down guidelines, and to respect the instruction you may receive on the day of the event by Saco Main Street staff or volunteers.
- Tents must be weighted on all corners of the apparatus with at least 30 pounds each.
- Please remember that anything you bring into the event space must also be taken out by you. Saco Main Street reserves the right to not invite back artists who leave trash or packing materials behind.
- Exhibitors may not dismantle booths prior to 3:00PM without prior written consent of the Arts Festival Committee. Except in the case of adverse weather conditions, as notified by a Saco Main Street representative during the event.
- Exhibitors are responsible for all State of Maine revenue requirements.
- An informational email including your booth assignment and a map will be emailed no later than Monday, June 9.
- There will be no electricity provided to booths unless absolutely necessary, and a $35 electrification fee will apply. Access to electricity is limited and Saco Main Street reserves the right to deny any electrical request.
- Cancellation Policy: In the event of rain or force majeure, Saco Main Street will notify participants of postponement on or before June 19th, or as reasonably possible. All show fees are refundable through May 30th, 2025. After this point, it is forfeited due to advertising and printing costs.
- Rain Date: if the event needs to be moved due to adverse weather, the scheduled rain date is Saturday, June 28, 2025.
Awards and Prizes
Categories are subject to change before the festival at the discretion of the planning committee, as well as the number of booths allowed in any particular category. Fine art/craft originals only. Reproductions will not qualify for an award. Winners will be notified by 11 AM on the day of the event.
AWARDS:
- Judges’ Choice Overall – $200
- Honorable Mention – $100
- Best Watercolor – $75
- Best Oil/Acrylic – $75
- Best Other Medium – $75
- Best Photography – $75
- Best Mixed Media – $75
- Best Fine Craft – $75
- Merit Awards – $50 (three available)
- Best Booth Presentation – $50
By submitting your application, you agree that you have reviewed the event policies and agree to abide by regulations applicable to the Saco Sidewalk Arts Festival.
