The 2027 Application is Open!
CherryArts invites you to apply to be one of 260 exhibitors at the 2027 event. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to exhibit and sell your art at the 36th annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival, July 2nd to 4th, 2027!
Photo by Sarah Watson
CherryArts invites you to apply to be one of 260 exhibitors at the 2027 event. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to exhibit and sell your art at the 36th annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival, July 2nd to 4th, 2027!
Join one of the nation’s most highly regarded art shows! CherryArts invites you to apply for the 2027 Cherry Creek Arts Festival and be among 260 exceptional exhibitors featured at this world-class celebration of art.
Each year, the festival welcomes more than 145,000 visitors and offers artists an unparalleled experience, including:
With a loyal, art-savvy audience that includes many collectors, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival is a proven place to exhibit and sell your work. Don’t miss your chance to be part of one of the country’s top shows!
CherryArts is a Denver-based nonprofit that believes access to art is for everyone and that artists are essential. Through year-round outreach programs and this iconic festival, we support artists and arts education. With an estimated $4.5 million in annual art sales, the festival remains a vital platform for artists’ success.
October 1, 2026
2027 Application Launch
December 1, 2026
Application Deadline
January 2027
Hired jury of five artists and art professionals convene over three days to select 260 exhibiting artists
February 3, 2027
Artist notification by email and website www.CherryArts.org
February 26, 2027
Deadline to confirm participation, signed contract and remit booth fee
March 26, 2027
Last day to cancel participation and receive 90% refund
July 2–4, 2027
Cherry Creek Arts Festival
Subject to change
Location: Denver’s Cherry Creek North Neighborhood
Email: hello@cherryarts.org
Web Address: www.CherryArts.org
Mailing Address: 2 Steele Street, B-100, Denver, CO 80206
Average Sales: Estimated at $17,916 per artist via 2026 Artist Survey
Sales: Artists retain all revenue from the sale of their work and are responsible for state and local sales tax
Images: 4 images of work + 1 booth image
Jurors: 5 paid art professionals including 2 exempt invited artists
Jury Format: Round one is silent and remote, images are viewed via monitor, jurors score each applicant 1-7; subsequent rounds are simultaneously projected 1-5 from left to right horizontally, artists viewed in order of the date their application is submitted and jurors view by media. Jurors do a preview of each category and then score. Subsequent rounds are all projection with juror discussion and are scored by consensus, they require a majority vote for an artist to move forward. The process, materials and dimensions for each image, as well as artist statements are all accessible for the jury.
Multiple Applications: If an artist has work in different media categories or distinctly separate bodies of work within one category they may apply with multiple applications.
Application Fee: $45 early application fee apply by November 24th, $55 regular fee November 25th – December 1st
Booth Fee: 10’ x 10’ space $900 for a Row; $1,100 for a Corner; $350 for Emerging Artist Program, limited number of Double Booths available for $2,300. Payment Plans are available.
Liability Insurance: CherryArts requires proof of insurance for all Artists. All Certificates of Insurance must name CherryArts as additional insured and state minimum of $2,000,000 in general liability. Short-term event policies will be made available for those without existing policies.
Purchase Awards: Over $30,000
Number of Invited Artists for 2027: 24, including 2026 award winners, poster artist, bidders’ choice award, emerging artists and artist advisory committee.
Electricity: A limited amount of electricity is provided in designated areas for purchase on Steele, St. Paul and Detroit Street.
Security: 24 Hour
Load-In: Day prior to the show with assigned load in times
Attendance: 150,000+
Equity Commitment: CherryArts is committed to the inclusion of people of all races, ethnicities, abilities, gender identities, and sexual orientation. CherryArts believes that art should be accessible to everyone and representative of all. We reject racial injustice of any form. We believe that this is an active process that requires continuous commitment to recognizing inequities and working to mitigate them.
CherryArts provides equitable access to the arts to nurture future generations of artists, learners and supporters through meaningful and authentic connections with art and artists. CherryArts ignites creative and critical thinking for over 40,000 students annually.
$5,000 Grant opportunity for the Emerging Artist Program
The Emerging Artist Program is for artists at the beginning of their careers. Applicants should have little to no experience exhibiting or selling their work in galleries or at art festivals, generally fewer than 5 years.
What you receive if accepted:
In addition, CherryArts also awards $5,000 unrestricted grants to selected Emerging Artists to expand and strengthen their creative practice. Funds may be used for any aspect of your artistic career. When you sign the grant contract, 90% of the funds are disbursed right away. The remaining 10% is released after you submit a report and complete an exit interview by (September).
Emerging Artists apply through the same application system as all other artists and are reviewed by the same jury panel through the same multi-round process as the general show. Instead of submitting a booth image, Emerging Artist applicants are asked to include a fifth image of their artwork. Artists who advance to Round 3 will be asked to submit a bio/CV and respond to a few additional questions for further review by the jury and the Artist Advisory Committee.
Artists may only apply to either the Emerging Artist Program or for the general show, but not both. CherryArts reserves the right to screen emerging artists to make sure they are a fit for this category, to ensure that they do not have extensive experience exhibiting and selling their work. *Emerging Artists are asked to apply with a 5th image of their work instead of an image of their booth. When uploading your images, you will upload the 5th image of your work by selecting ‘YES’ this is your booth shot, even though it is not. Then select ‘Emerging Artist’ as your medium category and you will be ready to complete the application.
Approximately 260 artists will exhibit at the 2027 event, 240 jury selected spots will be available for applicants this year. Images are reviewed by the panel in a blind jury process with multiple rounds. The identities of artists are not disclosed to jurors. All work must be original and created by the applying artist, it should be well-conceived and expertly executed. Artwork is considered solely on the merit of the work viewed. The better the image presented, the better your opportunity for this highly competitive jury process.
The jury is comprised of two invited, jury exempt, artists and three art professionals. Round one: in this silent and remote round, jurors review and score images via monitor. Round two and subsequent rounds: jurors gather at CherryArts and view each artist’s set of five images projected simultaneously in a horizontal grouping, arranged by the date the artist’s application was submitted. The process, materials, and dimensions for each image as well as artist information statements will be made available to the jury. A well-balanced show of artistic excellence, quality, creativity, and overall impression of work are the criteria for the selection of exhibitors, CherryArts does not have any quotas. The top 240 receive invitations; the balance of artists in the final round are retained to comprise a waiting list of alternates. Decisions of the jury panel are final.
The following guidance is given to the jurors:
Media categories are used by the CherryArts as a tool for organizing artists’ images into related groups for the jury’s review. While a balanced show that equitably showcases both works of fine art and fine craft, as well as diversity among media, is a principal objective, CherryArts establishes no quota or entitlement by media category.
All original clay and porcelain work other than jewelry is accepted in this category. No machine-made or mass-produced work is permitted. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed each piece must be signed.
This category includes any original work for which the original image, or the manipulation of other source material, was executed by the artist using a computer. Artwork must be in signed and numbered limited editions, on archival quality materials. Traditional photographs taken through digital media should apply in the photography category. Work generated by or with assistance of Artificial Intelligence is prohibited.
Works created using dry media including chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax crayon, etc. or from the fluid medium of inks and washes applied by pen or brush are to be entered in this category.
All work crafted from fibers including basketry, embroidery, weaving, leatherwork, tapestry and papermaking. This can be wearable or non-wearable. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns or other forms of mass production are permitted. No factory-produced wearable items, regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist, may be exhibited.
No forms of mass production are permitted.
All jewelry whether the work is produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic or other materials must be entered in this category. No commercial casts, molds or production studio work is allowed.
Includes all non-sculptural, non-jewelry works crafted from metals. No production studio work is allowed.
This category includes works, both 2 and 3-dimensional, that incorporate more than one type of physical material to produce. Includes non-sculptural work as determined by the artist.
Works created in oils, acrylics, watercolor, etc. are in this category.
Photographic prints made from the artist’s original image, which have been processed by that artist, or under his or her direct supervision, are included in this category. Artwork must be in signed and numbered limited editions, on archival quality materials. Photographers are required to disclose both their creative and printing processes.
Printed works for which the artist’s hand manipulated the plates, stones or screens and which have been properly signed and numbered as a limited edition may be entered in this category. All photogravure, photocopy and/or offset reproductions, will be rejected. Printmakers are required to disclose both their creative and printmaking processes.
Three-dimensional original work done in any medium.
Original works in wood that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved are accepted in the wood category.