Indoor Artist Application

The Creative Arts Guild is Georgia’s oldest multi-disciplinary community arts organization. We celebrate our 60th anniversary in 2023. Creative Arts Guild is located in Dalton, Georgia, approximately 20 miles south of Chattanooga, TN and 70 miles north of Atlanta, GA.  The Creative Arts Guild’s 60th Annual Festival of Arts and Crafts Outdoor Artist Market will be Friday, September 15 - Sunday, September 17 on the Guild’s campus at 520 West Waugh Street, Dalton, GA 30720.   FESTIVAL 2023 Indoor Exhibit will open Friday, September 15 at our annual Preview Party and Taste of Dalton and continue through Friday, October 27.  FESTIVAL weekend kicks off with our Friday evening FESTIVAL Preview Party and Taste of Dalton which serves as the opening reception of Indoor Exhibit. Our patrons enjoy making art purchases and sampling tasty treats from Dalton’s favorite restaurants.  Saturday and Sunday also include our Outdoor Artist market, multicultural children’s activities, live performances, and self-guided tours of the Robert T. Webb Sculpture Garden. Admission is free. 

The Creative Arts Guild is Georgia’s oldest multi-disciplinary community arts center. We celebrate our organizational 60th anniversary in 2023 as well as our 60th FESTIVAL.  The Creative Arts Guild is located in northwest Georgia, approximately 20 miles south of Chattanooga TN and 70 miles north of Atlanta.  In addition to the Outdoor Artist Market, FESTIVAL also includes an indoor juried patron exhibit which hangs in the Guild galleries from September 15 - October 27, children's multi-cultural activities, live music and performances, food vendors, and self-guided tours of the Robert T. Webb Sculpture Garden. Admission is free. FESTIVAL weekend kicks off with our signature ticketed Friday night event, the FESTIVAL Preview Party and Taste of Dalton. Our patrons enjoy making early purchases from both the Outdoor Artist Market and the Indoor FESTIVAL Exhibit, all while sampling tasty treats from some of Dalton's favorite restaurants.

Awards: Best of Show - $1000 Best 2D - $200 Best 3D - $200 Patron's Choice Award - $100   Judging takes place prior to the opening Preview Party.  Awards will be acknowledged following the Preview Party/Taste of Dalton Reception, Friday September 15.   Judge:  TBA   Eligibility:   • Open to all artists 18 years and older. • All works must have been completed within the last two years and not previously exhibited at the Creative Arts Guild.   • All work must be the original work of the applicant and must be for sale. • Works on stretched canvas or panel may be unframed if there are painted/finished edges.   • All work must have appropriate hanging hardware and be exhibition ready. Work without appropriate hanging hardware or not exhibition ready will not accepted.   • Any work not meeting the criteria will not be accepted.   Entrance Fee and Commission: $35 entry fee covers submission of six pieces for consideration by our panel of jurors, 0 - 6 pieces per artist may be selected. The Guild will receive 35% commission on all works sold.   Selection: A panel of jurors chosen for their curatorial expertise will review the submissions and select work based on originality, skill, technique, concept, and appropriateness.   Sales: Art patrons are invited to preview the exhibit at the annual Preview Party and Taste of Dalton on Friday, September 15. The exhibit will remain open for sales during FESTIVAL weekend thru October 27.   Preview Party: Artists exhibiting in the Indoor Exhibit will receive one complimentary ticket to the Preview Party and may purchase one discounted ticket for $25, additional tickets are at the regular price of $55.     Delivery: Accepted work should be delivered or shipped to arrive between Thursday, August 31, and Friday, September 8. Artist assumes all responsibility for works shipped. CODs will not be accepted.    Pick-up: Unsold work may be picked up Tuesday, October 31, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm or Wednesday, November 1, 11:00 am -  3:00 pm. Return shipping is at artist’s expense and artist is responsible for making all shipping arrangements and payments at time of check-in. Artist must make arrangements for unsold art to be return-shipped at the close of the exhibit. Work not claimed within 30 days following the end of the exhibit becomes the property of the Creative Arts Guild.       The Creative Arts Guild strives to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you have a physical or service  accessibility need, please notify the Creative Arts Guild staff so that we may reasonably accommodate your need. The  Creative Arts Guild is a nonprofit organization supported in part by private and corporate donations and grants from the City of Dalton.