AUTUMN ARTS FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 18 -19

With concern for the safety of our Durango Autumn Arts Festival attendees, the following adjustments have been made to the event:

• To avoid clustered gatherings, there will be no indoor live entertainment, food court, or artist dinner.
• Patrons are encouraged to enjoy food from downtown restaurants.
• Social distancing measures will be maintained outside, and the art booths will be set up normally for the enjoyment and safe shopping experience of our patrons.

Thank you.

Celebrating 27 years of presenting fine art and fine craft by makers from around the country, this festival takes place amidst the fall colors on quaint Second Avenue in historic downtown Durango, Colorado. The wide avenue, lined with restaurants and a variety of shops, is one block from Main Avenue, a gathering place for shoppers and the thousands of visitors that fill the town each fall.

Organized as a benefit event by and for the Durango Arts Center, the region’s premiere non-profit arts organization serving Durango and the Four Corners, the festival is a well-loved and attended community event attracting a large audience throughout the weekend.  In 2019, the Festival welcomed an estimated 7,000 visitors and nearly as many in 2020 during the pandemic.  Artists and craftspeople report the show is well organized and offers great hospitality and friendly, steady crowds.

Nestled in the foothills of the San Juan Mountains in La Plata County, the area is home to a population of nearly 54,000 permanent and part-time residents.  Durango, located only 40 miles from Mesa Verde National Park, a United Nations World Heritage Site, is a destination for arts and culture enthusiasts with a rich history in Native American, Hispanic, and Western pioneering cultures. Historic Durango draws visitors from around the world to ride its famous narrow-gauge train, raft the wild Animas River that runs through it, and hike and bike its pristine mountain trails.

ELIGIBILITY:

Participation is limited to 90 exhibitors. One artist/craftsperson per booth, unless more than one artist/craftsperson is collaborating on work. All work submitted must be original fine art or fine craft in concept and design and executed by the exhibitor present at the festival. Work displayed at the festival must be of the same type, quality, and materials as depicted in the images submitted for jury. All reproductions must be signed and numbered, except for note cards.  See Rules/Regulations for additional details.

APPLICATION FEE:

A non-refundable application fee of $45 is due for each category entered; i.e., fiber is $45 and jewelry is $45, totaling a $90 application fee.

No application will be considered without application fee payment.

JURORS:

Jurors are selected based on a high level of involvement in their field, knowledge of fine art and fine craft, and their professional reputations.

• Application Deadline:  June 30, 2021

• Jury Process: July 1 – July 9, 2021

• Artists Invitations Sent: July 13, 2021

• Artists Accept/Decline Invitation: July 27, 2021

• Artists’ Booth Fees Due By: July 31, 2021

• Cancellation Deadline to Receive Refund: August 10, 2021