Mainsail Art Festival 2027

The volunteer-run nonprofit Mainsail Art Festival presents its 52nd annual juried fine-art and fine-craft festival at Vinoy Park on Saint Petersburg's waterfront. More than 250 artists exhibit, with annual attendance upwards of 100,000 festivalgoers. The event offers $60,000 in prize money, including a $10,000 Best of Mainsail Gold Award. The event schedule lists April 3–4, 2027; some general-information and fee sections retain conflicting dates from earlier years.

Apply through ZAPP with four images, including a required booth shot. Emerging-artist applications are not accepted. Up to two applications are permitted, with a maximum of two categories and one entry per category. Work in two categories must be substantially different in medium and technique; artists accepted in both must display both in separate adjacent spaces without combining the categories. Applications are due December 1, 2026; the current important-dates section specifies midnight PST, while older fee text contains a conflicting 2024 deadline and EST reference.

The nonrefundable jury/application fee is $35. Accepted artists pay $425 for a single booth or $950 for a double booth, subject to availability. Payment is by credit card through ZAPP; checks and money orders are not accepted. The current schedule lists February 1, 2027 as the purchase deadline, and the refund-policy section lists February 1, 2027 as the last day for 2027 juried artists to withdraw and receive a refund of a previously paid booth fee. Other sections retain conflicting 2025 and 2026 payment, cancellation and refund dates; applicants should confirm those terms with the organizer.

Only accepted artists and fine craftsmen exhibiting their own original work may participate. No proxy exhibitors or associate check-in are allowed; artists and co-artists must present photo identification. All work must have been created since January 1, 2024 and must be for sale. Artists must remain for the entire two-day event and exhibit throughout show hours to qualify for awards. One co-artist is permitted only when collaborating to produce a single product; both must check in together and remain present throughout the festival, and only their collaborative work may be shown. The co-artist attendance paragraph retains a 2025 event reference. Exhibitors must prominently display an artist statement explaining techniques, materials and processes; co-artists must describe their collaboration.

Mechanical reproductions, including artist-enhanced reproductions, must be matted, individually labeled 'Reproductions,' signed in editions of no more than 750, and displayed in a labeled browse bin inside the booth. They may not be sold as framed art or hung alongside originals. Photographic prints must originate from the artist's negatives or digital files, be processed by the artist or under their supervision, and be signed and numbered in reasonably sized editions. Digital art must be original computer-created artwork and signed; limited-edition digital prints must also be numbered. Ceramic, wood, glass and metal work must be handmade, not machine-made or mass-produced; repeated designs must each be signed. Original work should be appropriately framed or mounted; unframed watercolors, drawings, graphics and photographs must be displayed in a portfolio or browse bin. Dealers and commercial buy-and-sell work are not permitted. Work inconsistent with submitted images or festival rules may be removed, including an entire exhibit without fee refund.

Prohibited work includes work made before January 1, 2024; crocheting, knitting, millinery, picture frames, velvet paintings, kites, dolls, wind chimes, manufactured or kit jewelry, t-shirts, decoupage, candles, soap, manufactured beads, novelty shell craft, hanging glass ornaments, manufactured toys, bonsai and stuffed animals. Artist postcards, note cards, books, posters, placemats, mugs, mousepads, t-shirts and other articles bearing artist images applied by another vendor are prohibited, as are CDs or other musical recordings, buy-and-sell items and active solicitation of the public.

Booths are approximately 12 by 12 feet on grass and cannot be shared. Artists must supply a substantial outdoor display and contain work within their assigned space unless an additional space has been purchased. No generators are permitted and electricity is unavailable. Specific booth-location requests must be made through application Question 6, not by email or phone. Friday check-in/load-in is 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday morning setup is 6:30–8:30 a.m. Sunday departure follows police and fire clearance after patrons leave, approximately 5:30 p.m. Artists are responsible for collecting and remitting the stated 7% Florida sales tax.

The stated $60,000 prize program comprises one $10,000 Gold Award, one $5,000 Silver Award, two $2,500 Bronze Awards, ten $1,500 Awards of Excellence, fifteen $1,000 Awards of Distinction, twenty $500 Awards of Merit and ten $200 Purchase Awards. Except for Purchase Awards, judging is based on the overall quality of the exhibited body of work, not individual pieces.