Event Summary

Located in downtown Louisville, KY on the Big Four Bridge Lawn, 4 acres of tree-lined walks overlooking the Ohio River. Better than 2 million people visit Waterfront Park annually for special events. Ample parking and trolley service are provided for our patrons. Located within walking distance to downtown Louisville’s accommodations, restaurants, Nulu, 4th St. Live, and Whiskey Row. The quality juried artists will be presented in a location that was built to showcase festivals and special events. This event took three years of planning to make this a pleasant and profitable experience for all involved. Community inclusion and support for the arts has spawned a loyal and highly engaged audience that will attend and support our festival. We invite you to join us!

“Louisville Loves the Arts”

This is a ticketed event for patrons. This event is held on the weekend AFTER Labor Day. There will be a light breakfast for the artist Saturday & Sunday is from 8 AM till 9:30 AM. The Friday before the festival will be E-Z in & out setup 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. and there will be a public event (optional for artists) on Saturday evening from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Artist Benefits

APPLICATIONS

Artist Applications Open: Jan 1 – May 1

Emerging/Demonstration Artists Application Deadline: March 30, each year.

Big Four Arts Festival wants you to know that there is a NON-REFUNDABLE $25 application fee due at submission of THIS application. Big 4 Arts Festival only accepts 5 Emerging artists and 3 Demonstration Artists. We do judge the images that you send in with your application. We will notify you before the second week of May of your acceptance. If you are accepted, we will personally meet with you before the Festival. Emerging and Demonstration Artists do not pay full booth fees. There are also opportunities for full and partial scholarships.

• May 20th – Notification
• $25 Application Fee
• $395 10×10 Artist Booth Fee
• $650 10×20 Artist Double Booth Fee
• $212.50 Emerging/Demonstration Artist Booth Fee*
• Booth fees due by June 20
  
  *We will work with any emerging artist to help with booth fees – Sponsorship packages and financial assistance available for emerging artists

*Applications submitted after May 20th will be submitted to a rolling jury for remaining spots until all spots are filled

Emerging Artist & Demonstration Program

Apply for the Emerging Artists Program beginning January 1st!

Apply online with our on-site application >> Link to the application is in the menu under Emerging Artist Apply

In addition to our artist application, which is open to national and international exhibitors, the Big Four Bridge Arts Festival offers a separate application to local artists who are new to exhibiting at art fairs through the Emerging Artists program.

The Emerging Artist program is designed specifically for artists who have extremely limited or no experience exhibiting and selling their artwork at art festivals. Artists who apply in this category must be residents of Kentucky or Indiana.

This program has been designed to help promote local artists who are new to presenting their work at festivals. Artists will be selected by the Festival jurors. In addition to a lower booth fee, Emerging Artists also receive assistance from Festival staff on how to best present their work to the public.

Local artists who wish to be considered for the Big Four Bridge Arts Festival’s Emerging Artist program should apply through our website by submitting four digital images of their work and one image of their booth display. A jury panel, selected by the Big Four Bridge Arts Festival staff, conducts a blind jury process, where jurors review the artists’ images and technical statements without any biographical information about the artists. The top scores, allowing for a balanced show across mediums, are invited to participate in the Festival.

For detailed information on the application process for Visual/Emerging Artists, download a complete Prospectus. For more information about the Emerging Artist and Demonstration program, contact Festival Coordinator Amy by email or by phone at (502) 435-7602.

The procedure is the same for demonstration artists.