Since 1952, Sausalito, the San Francisco Area's "Jewel by The Bay", has hosted one of the finest outdoor Fine Art shows in the country. Held over Labor Day weekend on Sausalito's waterfront, the Festival attracts more than 35,000 Art Collectors to celebrate the virtuoso talents of the finest local, national, and international Artists. The Sausalito Art Festival presents over 20,000 original works of art and features over 285 extraordinary Artists.

Highlights

• Rated Best in the West by the Harris List
• Rated America's #2 Outdoor Fine Art Festival by Art Fair SourceBook 2008
• Rated America's #1 Outdoor Fine Art Festival by Art Fair SourceBook for five years
• Rated America's #1 Fine Art Festival by Sunshine Artist in 1998 - Named to "Top 10" for a decade and rated #4 in 2008
• The Festival attracts Art Collectors from around the world
• Cash prizes recognizing outstanding achievement
• Highly praised Artist & VIP Hospitality facilities including complimentary continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks
• Artist Relations, "Concierge" Services and Booth Sitters
• Gourmet food, fine wines and premium beers
• Top Name Musical Entertainment on three stages.
• Children's Theatre and hands-on Art Activities
• National and Regional advertising, promotion and public relations
• Direct Ferry service to the Festival Pier
• Flat Booth Fee, NO Commissions
• Free glossy Festival Program highlighting the Artists
• Festival website promotes exhibiting Artists throughout the year
• Complimentary Ticket to the Festival's Gala Preview Party
• Free Festival shuttle system and free parking
• Beautiful waterfront setting.
• 24-hour security from set-up through load-out.

Awards

Up to $15,000 in prize money will be awarded where excellence is determined by the Judges, including $1,000 "Best of Show" Award. All award winners will receive an invitation to exhibit the following year in the Sausalito Art Festival.

Application Deadline & Notification

All applications must be completed no later than March 1st. Late applications must be complete by March 15, 2009. Notification of results will be made approximately April 15th via email. All application fees are non-refundable. Telephone notification will not be provided under any circumstances.

Jury & Selection Process

A panel of Artists (nominated by the Artists exhibiting from the previous year) select participants for the Show. Exhibitor selections are based on quality of workmanship, originality, and artistic conception. All applications are assigned a number and are viewed anonymously. Artists are scored on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high), with no 3 used, and given a score of the combined points from each Juror. Description information from the Artist is made available to the Jurors. The number of Artists accepted into each category is based on the number of applicants for the category. The top scoring Artists are invited to participate in the Show. Selections by the Jury are final. Sausalito Artists will receive one bonus screening point in the selection process. Award Winners from previous years, Jurors, and exceptional local and national Artists, are brought to the show by invitation. However, everyone must complete the application process.
A Wait List is selected from the Jury's scores in each medium, and Wait Listed Artists are invited as cancellations occur in that particular medium.
The competition for the Show is very keen. There are usually over 1,200 applicants for the approximately 230 spaces, and unless images clearly illustrate the quality of the work, chances of acceptance will be reduced. Digital images are the only basis on which the Jury Panel can make a decision. The works for intended exhibit(s) must be represented by the images submitted.

Categories

You may apply in more than one category, but you must submit a separate application and separate images for each medium. If you apply in more than one category, only the Booth slide may be repeated. PLEASE NOTE: If you are accepted, you may exhibit only in that category for which you have been juried in.

• 2-D MIXED MEDIA - Includes collage and handmade paper, incorporates more than one type of material, and has a relief depth of less than 1/8 inch.
• 3-D MIXED MEDIA - Works with more than 1/8 inch of relief depth - This category is for objects which are "decorative" rather than "useful" - See FUNCTIONAL ART Category.
• CERAMICS - Original Clay Work - No machine made or mass produced work is accepted.
• DRAWING - Pencil, charcoal, chalk, pastels, etc.
• FIBER - No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns or other forms of mass production accepted - This category is intended for handcrafted fiber, straw, leather, or other similar materials. No studio production work will be accepted.
• FUNCTIONAL ART - 3-D creations which serve a purpose such as implements, furniture, doll houses, wind chimes, kaleidoscopes, etc.
• GLASS - No molds or other forms of mass production allowed.
• JEWELRY - No commercial casts, molds, or production studio work.
• PAINTING - Oil, acrylics, etc.
• PHOTOGRAPHY - Prints made from Artist's original - Must be processed by the Artist or under Artist's supervision, properly signed and numbered, in editions of not more than 450.
• PRINTMAKING - Artist created prints, serigraphs, digital art, etc., properly signed and numbered, in editions of not more than 450 - Images of Giclées may not be submitted to the Jury (but may be sold if they are less than 50% of your exhibit and signed/numbered). Lithographs are not acceptable.
• SCULPTURE - 3-Dimensional original work done in any medium will be considered.
• WATERCOLOR - Layered and pigmented water-based media including; acrylic, gouache, tempera and transparent watercolors applied to archival acid-free stock or handmade papers.
• WOODWORK - Original hand-tooled, machine worked or carved work. If painted or inlaid with a different material, applicants should choose 3-D Mixed Media or Functional Art.

Images

Five (5) images are to be submitted for each individual category entered. Four images must be representative of the body of work which will be exhibited. The fifth image must be representative of your booth set-up. Neither the Artist nor their name should be visible. If you do not have an image of your actual booth set-up, please photograph a "mock booth" against plain walls, showing a grouping of your work and interaction (in order to reflect scale). Digital images must be 1400 pixels at the longest dimension at 300 DPI in jpeg format..

Exhibitor Information

The Festival is held in an outdoor park, along Sausalito's beautiful waterfront. NOTE: Wind can be problematic! There will be no rain/contingency plan.

• Artists are provided with a standard booth set-up: a 10' x 10' space with a tented roof and no walls. Equipment, Pegboard Walls, and white Vinyl Wall panels are available for rent from the Festival's supplier if the Artist does not have an existing display. The basic booth fee is $1,150.00.
• Booth assignments are made at the discretion of the Festival. A limited number of double booths and corner booths are available for an extra charge.
• All Artists must be registered and set-up by 3pm on the Friday preceding the Labor Day weekend, or their booth will be forfeited.
• Photo ID is required in order to check-in.
• Exhibitors are responsible for establishing their own merchant accounts with Visa/MasterCard, American Express, etc.
• Load-in commences at 7:00am on the Thursday preceding the Show. Every Artist will have a specific appointment.
• Pre-registration (but not load-in) is available on Wednesday by appointment 12-3pm.
• Artist Exhibition Hours:
  a) Friday, September 4th from 6pm to 9pm
  b) Saturday, September 5th from 9am to 6pm
  c) Sunday, September 6th from 9am to 6pm
  d) Monday, Labor Day, September 7th from 9am to 5pm

Artist Relations Services

Artists are honored guests at the black tie Gala Premiere Party which will be held Friday evening, September 4th and are required to exhibit from 6pm to 9pm. An Artist Hospitality Tent is provided and serves complimentary continental breakfast, snacks, lunch, beverages and live entertainment. Artists and Co-Artists will receive Hospitality Tent passes and one pass for a Booth Assistant. Parking permits, laminated booth signs, promotional postcards, exhibitor identification badges, booth sitters, and hotel referrals are provided. 24-hour roving security is provided during the Festival weekend.

Festival Eligibility & Rules

• The Festival is open to all applying Artists.
• Exhibition in previous Festivals does not guarantee acceptance.
• No work by apprentices or employees will be accepted. Commercial agents, dealers, or manufacturers are not eligible to enter. No kits, molds, tumbled stones, embellished objects, or edible art may be submitted. NOTE: All Artists must be present on site during the entire Festival.
• Exhibitors are required to display an Artist Statement in a prominent place within their booth. Materials and processes used must be disclosed in this statement.
• Only limited edition, signed, and numbered reproductions of artworks are allowed. Artists must define "limited edition" through their Artist Statement and must disclose their process to the buyer. Editions may not exceed 450. Original art must occupy more than 50% of the applicant's booth space. In the case of photographers and printmakers, this means gallery quality framed work. No postcards, books, note cards, posters, or any offset reproductions are permitted.
• Artists must comply with all safety requirements, and vehicles must be parked only in designated areas. Artists are forbidden to park in public parking operated by local charities. Noncompliance will result in elimination from consideration for any future Festivals.
• Artists are required by the City of Sausalito to purchase a Sausalito Business License and comply with all City regulations.
• No commission on sales is collected by the Sausalito Art Festival.
• Participating Artists will be responsible for collecting and paying current California sales tax on all sales made during the Show. Appropriate records of transactions will be requested by California State tax authorities and must be furnished upon request. Information on how to acquire a California Board of Equalization Permit will be provided.
• Due to our contract with the City of Sausalito, Artists are required to report their sales totals to the Festival by December 31, 2009. If the Festival has not received your California State Seller's Permit by July 1, 2009, the invitation to exhibit will be rescinded; link to the form will be provided on our website. Artists who do not comply will not be issued a Sausalito Business License for future shows.

Application Fees

There are two Application Fee classifications:

1.) Standard - $50 per category
Completed by March 1, 2009

2.) Late - $100 per category
If completed NO later than March 15, 2009

The non-refundable application fee must be submitted by March 1st for each category application submitted. No applications will be accepted after the March 15th deadline.

Exhibition Fees and Forms

Upon notification of acceptance, Artists will be notified via email to go to the Sausalito Art Festival website to download the necessary forms in order to participate in the Show. In order to secure a space, all forms, including the signed contract, booth fee, $65.00 Sausalito Business License fee, and photocopy of your ID (valid driver license or passport), must be received by the Sausalito Art Festival office no later than Monday, May 18th, 2009 at 5pm.

Festival 2009 Booth Fees

Booth Type & Fee:
Single: $1,150
Single Aisle to Aisle on Tennis Courts: $1,500
Single Corner: $1,850
Double with 10' Opening: $2,300
Double Aisle to Aisle: $2,500
Double Side to Side: $2,700
Double Aisle to Aisle on Tennis Courts: $2,900
Double Corner: $2,900

Festival 2009 Artist Timeline

- December 8th 2008: Applications Accepted
- March 1st: Regular Application Deadline - $50 Fee
- March 15th : Late Application Deadline - $100 Fee
- March 28th & March 29th: Jury Panel Meeting
- April 15th: Artists Notifications
- May 18th: All Forms and Fees Due at the Sausalito Art Festival Office by 5pm
- July 1st: Final Withdrawal Date Without Forfeiture of Booth Fee
- July 15th: Set-Up Time Confirmations Issued
- September 2nd: Pre-Registration by Appointment Only
- September 3rd & September 4th: Artists Check-In and Set-up/Load-In by Appointment Only
- September 4th: Gala Preview Party 6pm-Midnight
- September 5th: Sausalito Art Festival 9am-6pm
- September 6th: Sausalito Art Festival 9am-6pm
- September 7th: Sausalito Art Festival 9am-5pm

Updated 17 November 2008 - Subject to revision

Festival Exhibitors

Virtual Gallery

Advice for Artists new to Digital Application

"Call For Artists" Online Application