After 2020 cancellation due to COVID, the festival will return Sept. 25 and 26, 2021

After a year off due to the pandemic, the annual Carmel International Arts Festival will return in 2021. The admission-free event, which attracts 30,000 festival goers in Carmel, Ind., will take place on Sept. 25 and 26. The festival has opened the applications for artists who wish to have a booth at the event and to have their artwork entered in the juried competition. As in year's past, there is a total of $7,000 in prize money for the winners and additional scholarship monies are awarded to local high school students.

CIAF Executive Director Rachel Ferry said she's excited to have the event return after going all-virtual for 2020. "The Executive Board is already deep into the planning stages for the 2021 festival," Ferry said. "All of the artists who were supposed to be here for the 2020 fest will automatically be invited back for next year - and we also have spots open for artists to still apply! We cannot wait to see the community come and support art in our city, in-person, next September."

On average, 400 applications are received for CIAF's juried exhibition with 150 selected to compete. Applications can be submitted online at www.carmelartsfestival.org/artist-application and will be accepted up until Sunday, Feb. 28 at 11:59 p.m. Artists who have been accepted through the jury process, will be notified by April 11 and they will have until May 2 to accept the invitation and submit payment for booth fees. For artists looking to apply, there is a $30 non-refundable application fee and upon acceptance of invitation, a booth fee applies with a premium for a limited number of corner booths. Artists must rent or supply their own 10-foot by 10-foot tent with weights as well as any tables or chairs needed for their display. All artwork submitted must be original pieces.

As a part of the application process, all artists will be required to submit four digital images to be juried. Three of these images must be of the work the artist plans to exhibit at the show, and the final image should be of their booth setup. Artists can only exhibit art at the show that is the same style as the juried images.

The 2021 festival will be held from 10am to 7pm on Saturday Sept. 25, and 11am to 5pm on Sunday. The artist judging begins at 10:30am on Saturday and awards will be announced as soon as the judging is complete. All award monies will be mailed to the winners within two weeks of the conclusion of the festival. Saturday evening the Festival Board is still planning to have the Art Rocks concert at the main event stage on Main Street.

Awards
Best of Show: $1,500
1st Place: $1,000
2nd Place: $750
3rd Place: $500
Best of Media (10 awards): $150 each
Honorable Mentions (10 awards): $100 each
Mayor's Award: $250