Policies Regarding Space Assignments

Space assignments are based on many variables including the total number of accepted artists per category, the number of returning artists per category, the distribution of categories throughout the show, special setup requirements and the date of your confirmed acceptance.

Because many artists make similar space location requests, we cannot guarantee your first choice. The Festival takes place in Central Park, a living, changing space. For a number of reasons, spaces at the time of the Festival may not be in the exact location as they appear on the map, and the layout is subject to change without notice. 

The City of Winter Park Department of Parks and Recreation now uses compacted playground chips on required pathways, resulting in significant dust abatement.  If a base material is not spread over the Park grass, any rain would turn the paths and surrounding areas into mud runs.

 

About Your Display

Each space measures 10’ by 12’. 

The artist’s display, including booth and viewing bins, must be contained within this space.

• An artist may have only one (1) space, except in cases of dual-category acceptance.
• The work of only one (1) exhibitor may be displayed in each assigned space.
• A minimum of six (6) pieces must be displayed.
• The Festival retains the right to regulate various aspects of the booth display including, but not limited to, number of pieces of artwork, size and number of bins, and overall placement within the allotted space.
• The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is a family-oriented event, and exhibits must be in keeping with this atmosphere.

 

Booth Set-up Information

Before you set up your booth, artists (and collaborators, if any) must sign in with photo IDs at Headquarters and check with the Space Assignment Committee. If your booth is set up incorrectly or in the wrong location and we cannot contact you, we will make the necessary changes to correct the situation.

 

Artists' Check-In Hours

Thursday March 14, 2024   Friday March 15, 2024
Headquarters opens at 7am on Thursday and 5am on Friday.  Headquarters close at 6pm both days.

 

If your space is IN CENTRAL PARK, you may set up on THURSDAY, March 14, 2024, after signing in at Headquarters. An unloading sign-up schedule will be made available to artists located in the Park by mid-February.

If your space is ON PARK AVENUE, you may set up on FRIDAY, March 15, 2024, after signing in at Headquarters. Vehicles must be removed from Park Avenue by 8:30 a.m.

 

About the Jurors and Jurying

The jurist panel consists of three (3) independent judges, selected from across the country for their in-depth knowledge and experience in multiple art media. In October, they review the digital images of all applicants to select the Festival artists and the Wait List artists. In March the same jurist panel will review the work of the exhibitors to determine those artists they consider eligible for awards. Judging of the awards is based upon the overall quality of the artwork exhibited. After a booth is selected by a judge, the artist is responsible for selecting one piece for Saturday's awards processing that best represents their entire body of work. The Best of Show, Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation Award and the Morse Museum Award are presented for individual works. Awards are presented solely at the discretion of the judges. Previous WPSAF award-winning artwork is not eligible for an award.

 

Click Here to Meet The Judges...

 

The Jurying Process

Categories are arranged by alternating between 2D and 3D classifications. Judges are shown a brief look at all entries in each category to give them an overview of that category. The category is restarted and slides are shown at a pace which is slow enough to allow scoring of each set of images by the judges. The show is established first by total score (maximum of 30; up to 10 points per judge), then balanced so that no one medium becomes dominant. Our general goal is to achieve as close to a 50/50 split between 2D and 3D exhibits as possible. Applicants for our three Emerging Artist positions are also screened by our judges during the jurying process.

 

Awards

Sixty-three awards totaling $76,500 will be presented. Awards are given regardless of category.

• $12,000 Best of Show WPSAF Purchase Award
• $5,000 Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation Art of Philanthropy Purchase Award
• $2,500 Morse Museum Award for a Distinguished Work of Art
• $2,000 Monte Livermore Celebration of Nature Award
• 10 Awards of Excellence at $2000 each
• 20 Award of Distinction at $1000 each
• 30 Awards of Merit at $500 each

In addition to the awards, the Patrons Program commitment is anticipated to top $90,000. That's a total of $164,500.00!

The total number of applicants for the 2023 Festival was 1047 and they came from 36 states throughout the country. Four outstanding emerging artists are also selected by our judges and will join 32 returning top award winners from our 2022 show.

Please note that past WPSAF award-winning work is not eligible to receive an award.

 

Breakdown by Category (Coming Soon)

Categories are used for jurying only, not for Festival awards which are given regardless of category.

To view the 2025 Festival Map, click below.