Art
Life's short, buy more art.
Two art shows and interactive art experiences are for all ages. Activities are fully accessible.
Art Shows Friday 5 - 8 pm; Saturday 10 am - 6 pm; Sunday 11 am - 5 pm
Youth Arts Saturday and Sunday 11 am - 5 pm
Teen Arts Professional Chalk Artist, Student Murals, and awards. Saturday 10 am - 2 pm.
Together, we’re investing in the future of art with student scholarships, youth and professional art awards, and multi-sensory art opportunities.
Celebrate the arts with us!
The Black Swamp Arts Festival is an all-volunteer-run celebration of the arts created to connect and promote art and the community.
Art Shows
So much talent in one place, at one time. Be sure to bring your gift list. You can’t get this art at a box store. There are two art shows, the Juried Art Show and the Wood County Invitational.
The Festival's small, quality-focused, fine arts and fine craft Juried Art Show comprises 108 booths. Layout is typically in quads of corner booths. Amenities include $8,000 in Artist Awards, an indoor Artist Hospitality Suite, drive up loading/unloading access, volunteer assistance, and 24-hour security.
The 2025 Black Swamp Arts Festival will take place September 5 through 7, 2025. The Juried Art Show hours are Friday from 5pm-8pm, Saturday from 10am-6pm, and Sunday from 11am-5pm. The Wood County Invitational Art Show hours take place on Saturday from 10am-6pm and Sunday from 11am-5pm.
The application process for the 2025 Black Swamp Arts Festival Juried Art Show open on February 1st and runs until April 1st, 2025. More details and the applications can be found here.
The application process for artists for the 2025 Wood County Invitational Art Show opens April 15th and closes on June 1, 2025. More details and applications are available here.
Important Dates - Juried Art Show
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Application Opens: February 1, 2025
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Notification Date: May 16, 2025
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Acceptance and Booth Fee Due: May 31, 2025
Important Dates - Wood County Invitational Art Show
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Application Opens: April 15, 2025
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Application Deadline: June 1, 2025
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Notification Date: June 16, 2025
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Acceptance and Booth Fee Due: June 30, 2025
Questions? Email [email protected]
Juried Art Show: Friday 5:00 - 8:00 pm; Saturday 10 am - 6 pm; Sunday 11 am - 5 pm
The Juried Art Show, held on Main Street, brings amazing artists from all over the country.
Categories: Ceramics, Fiber & Leather, Glass, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography & Digital Art, Printmaking & Drawing, Sculpture, and Wood.
Artists present documentation their process in creating their own art. Meet the artists and marvel at their many talents.
Wood County Invitational Art Show: Saturday 10 am - 6 pm; Sunday 11 am - 5 pm
The Wood County Invitational Art Show is in the parking lot at the corner of Clough and Main Streets.
Talent from Wood County, Ohio is highlighted at this quality art show. The best artists around in one place, at one time.
Juried Art Awards
Best of Show: $2,000
Best 2D: $1,500
Best 3D: $1,500
Judge's Award: $1,000 (selection based on creativity and jury interest, not necessarily technical expertise)
Sustainability Award: $500 (awarded to an artist that uses eco-friendly processes and/or materials)
Emerging Artist Award: $500 (awarded to an early career artist with promise)
Honorable Mention (3 awards) $350 each
The Black Swamp Arts Festival Juried Art Show is a small, focused, fine arts and fine craft show comprising 112 booths. The Festival typically receives 250-300 applications. If all past award winners return, 100 artists will be selected for this year's festival. A jury of arts professionals will be selecting artists for this year's Festival.
Setting-Up
All 10x10-foot booths in the juried show are arranged in quads of four (some twos), meaning every booth is a corner booth. This arrangement allows for drive-up loading and unloading adjacent to the booth as well as exposes the artwork to the main flow of guest foot-traffic.
In order to hold to our permit, we need to reopen Main Street by 7:30 pm. This is why art sales must end on Sunday at 5:00 pm for prompt pack-away and tear-down. Thank you for understanding!
Artist Hospitality
Take a minute to yourself in the Artist Hospitality Lounge. Ask about our volunteer booth attendants who will watch your art while you reset. Also, volunteers bring refreshments to you so you can interact with guests and maximize your art sales. Please let us know if you need help with set-up and tear-down.
We are all volunteers, but we want to make your art booth experience valuable and enjoyable.
BUY ART
When you buy art, you make a difference.
"When you buy something from an artist,
you are buying more than an object.
You are buying hundreds of hours
of errors and experimentation.
You are buying years of
frustration and moments of pure joy.
You are not just buying one thing,
you are buying a piece of a heart,
a piece of a soul...
a piece of someone else's life."
- Thaddeus Howze
Thank you for supporting the arts!
Kiwanis Youth Arts Village
Saturday and Sunday 11 am - 5 pm
Develop your inner artist. Experiential art experiences are free at the Youth Arts Village.
2024 Youth Arts Lineup
- Paper Hats and Hat Decoration
- Come make a famous BSAF paper hat and decorate it using colored paper, ribbons, flowers, and more!
- Tie Dye
- Create one of the festival favorite tie dye t-shirts. Cost is $5 to create a tie dye masterpiece.
- Cardboard Creations
- Make an original sculpture using recycled cardboard, glue, and paint!
- Monster Books
- Create your very own unique monster book featuring your monster on the cover and their story inside!
- Sidewalk Chalk
TEEN ARTS
Young Adults have their own space at the Black Swamp Arts Festival to try new techniques and mediums, be inspired, create, and inspire others.
Art experiences are free. Create and find your voice.
BG Rotary Chalk Walk
Chalk Walk is located in the Teen Arts area.
Chalk murals created by young artists create a vibrant streetscape designed to represent each year’s theme.
Be sure to see this temporary art while it lasts! Also in the Teen Arts area is Beats on the Street.
2024 Theme: Expressions of Emotion
Location: Teen Arts area on North Main Street near the Family Stage.
Chalk Walk Hours
Chalk Artist 'Chalk Goblin': Saturday 9 am - 11 am
Student Murals: Saturday 10 am - 2 pm
Awards: Saturday, after the creations are made.
Monetary prizes are awarded to High School Art Departments are based on multiple art and cooperative considerations.
Thank you Rotary BG for your support of youth arts and development! Together, we're supporting the arts and building community.
