2022 Downtown Art Festival – Artist Expo Rules and Regulations

Infractions of any rule and/or regulation will be cause to suspend artist’s selling privileges. The Event Coordinator has full authority to deny selling privileges.

Operating Hours, Dates, and Location:

• The Downtown Art Festival will be October 7, 8, and 9, 2022
• On Friday, the festival will kick off with First Friday at 5pm. The street will NOT be closed and expo artists will not have booths on display.
• On Saturday, the festival will run from 11:00am to 5:00pm. The street WILL be closed and expo artists will have booths on display.
• On Sunday, the Grand Junction Film Festival will take place at the Avalon Theatre located at 645 Main St, Grand Junction, CO 81501. The street will NOT be closed and festival expo artists will not have booths on display
• The festival will be located on Main Street from 3^rd to 7^th
• Artists will not set up earlier than 9:30am on Saturday for the expo.

Artist Qualifications:

• The Downtown Grand Junction Art Festival is a juried event.
• All work must be original and be produced directly by the artist.
• Please advise the content of the submitted works, as this event is family friendly.
• Please plan to do some sort of activation at your booth (live painting, drawing, kids activities, sculpture). Activation increases your likelihood of being accepted into Art Festival.
• The Downtown Grand Junction Event Management Team and the Creative District Committee make the final selection of participating artists.

Artwork Submissions:

• Artist applications open on Monday, June 6, 2022.
• Application can be found on our website at downtowngj.org.

Booth Spaces and Assigned Selling Areas:

• If accepted into the festival, artists will receive a confirmation email.
• All artists will be assigned one selling area with application acceptances. The booth space is approximately 10’x10’. Additional 10’x10’ spaces are available per request.
• Artists may request a maximum of four spaces. Once applications are in and the festival has additional space, more than four spaces may be allowed.
• Although artists are assigned a selling area, the Event Coordinator reserves the right to move or relocate vendors as necessary to accommodate the festival’s needs.
• Attention will be given during space assignments to maintain an even distribution of artists and products.
• All parts of display must be within the limits of the assigned area.
• Electricity may be provided to those that request it, but there are limited booth spaces with access to electricity. Any and all cords must be covered or taped down.
• All booths are required to have a tent and artists will be required to provide their own equipment.
• 30 lbs of weight are required on each tent pole. Tents without weights will not be allowed to set up.
• Because the Downtown Art Festival is held outside, suitable protection from the sun, wind, and rain is encouraged.
• Artists are required to remove their own trash.
• The Downtown Art Festival is a rain-or-shine event and no refunds will be issued to any artist for weather circumstances.

Sales Tax:

Colorado state law requires participating artists to register with the CO State Department of Taxation, and also requires artists to account for and report sales tax collected. Artists must have both a Colorado State and City of Grand Junction Sales Tax License. For more information, please contact the State Sales Tax Office at (303)238-7378 and the City of Grand Junction Sales Tax Office at (970)244-1536.

Licenses and Permits:

• All artists are responsible for the necessary licenses and permits for their booth and to display them at the festival.
• The Downtown Art Festival requires proof of proper licensing and permits for artist products, if applicable. The Downtown Art Festival reserves the right to refuse vendors sales if documents are not obtained. Please contact Kyra at (970)255-4923 or [email protected] for further information.

Cancellation/No Show/Attendance Policy and Fees:

• All artist cancellations must be received by phone call (970)255-4923 or email to [email protected] the Monday, September 26 by 5pm.
• If an artist leaves the festival early, they will not be invited back to future festivals.
• If an artist shows up at 10:40am or later, the artist will be considered a no show and will not be allowed to participate.
• In case the Downtown Grand Junction Art Festival must cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, artists will be contacted by phone, email, text alerts, and Facebook as soon as possible.
• An artist that is penalized or revoked from the event may file a written appeal with the Business Improvement District Board.

Arrival, Departure, and Selling Time:

Artists shall not begin set up earlier than 9:30am on the day of the festival. Artists can use their vehicles to load their equipment in, but must IMMEDIATELY move their vehicles once they have unloaded them. No exceptions. One lane MUST be open for other artists to get in and out, as well as emergency vehicles. All vehicles must be removed from Main Street by 10:30am. Artists arriving after 10:40am will not be allowed to set up. Artists must remain open until the festival ends at 5:00pm. Vehicles are not allowed back on Main Street until 5:15pm. Artists who break down early run the risk of not being able to participate in future festivals (please see “Cancellation/No Show/Attendance Policy and Fees”). Cooperation in taking direction from Art Festival staff is required. Those who choose not to follow directions from the staff will not be allowed to return.

• In order to allow customers to park close to the Downtown Art Festival, please park artist vehicles in the parking garage on the upper levels or in further lots.
• Parking for the Downtown Art Festival artists is free in the parking garage on Rood Avenue between 4^th and 5^th
• Artists are prohibited from driving in the festival area from 10:30am to 5:15pm.
• Artists are able to drive on Main Street to load their vehicles at 5:15pm.

Artist Fees:

All booth spaces are FREE for artists and performance groups.

Trash Clean Up:

• Artists are responsible for their booth space and its surrounding perimeter. Before leaving, artists must make sure their assigned area is clean and trash-free. Artists must remove their own trash.
• Please check with the Event Coordinator or other staff as to where receptacles are located in the event area, as well as where recyclable waste may be placed.

Insurance Waiver:

The Downtown Development Authority is not liable for any damage or loss of art work; it is recommended that artists seek advice from an insurance consultant to discuss coverage for the event. Downtown Development Authority reserves the right to request proof of insurance, if deemed necessary.

 Signage and Vendor Set-Up:

• Artists must furnish their own signage, packaging, chairs, drop cloths, tents, canopies, tables, and displays. All must fit within the assigned 10’x10’ space. The use of drop cloths is suggested for all artists selling work that can potentially cause damage to, or stain, street and sidewalk surfaces.
• Artists are responsible for all purchase transactions, and there will not be any cash available to them for change.
• No signage shall impede or hide other spaces.

General Rules:

• NO PETS ALLOWED AT ANY TIME due to health and safety reasons.
• No smoking is allowed at the festival or within the perimeters of the event.
• Volume level at an artist booth must not interfere with other artist booth business or the general public. Any artist failing to comply will be asked to leave the festival immediately without a refund and will not be allowed at future festivals.
• All products must be clean and sanitary, including vehicles, tables, chairs, and containers. Artwork will not be sold off the ground or pavement. If you are using a blanket underneath your products, please make sure it is clean and stays clear from customer traffic.
• All artists, clubs, groups, or persons participating in the festival must comply with all rules. Non-compliance may result in immediate expulsion from the festival and future festivals.
• Applying for the festival does not guarantee placement in the festival. All applicants will be notified of acceptance into the festival after committee review.
• The Downtown GJ information booth is located at 4^th and Main in front of Hart Music.
• The number of spaces allotted to artists and other participants is determined by the event management staff, who reserves the right to limit the number of artists selling similar work.
• Downtown Art Festival staff members reserve the right to take pictures and/or videos for promotional use.

Standards of Conduct:

• Be knowledgeable about your artwork and willing to discuss the work with customers.
• Unreasonable, outrageous, or disruptive activities and behavior are prohibited.
• Be courteous, professional, and presentable at all times. Drinking alcohol, smoking, yelling, hawking, throwing of objects, swearing, name-calling, slanderous remarks about others, or negative comments about other people and/or artwork will not be tolerated.
• Artists experiencing difficulty with customers are encouraged to refer the matter to the Event Coordinator.
• Complaints about other artists or the Festival Rules and Regulations must be made in writing to the Event Coordinator.
• Distribution of printed materials (other than pre-approved vendor brochures), petitions, or political or religious advertisements is disallowed.
• Committing a criminal act will cause immediate expulsion from the festival and is subject to appropriate legal action.
• Loitering or solicitation is strictly prohibited.

Discipline or Removal of an Artist from the festival:

• Artists who do not comply with the festival rules and regulations shall forfeit selling privileges at the festival and may be subject to fines, penalties, and in some cases, immediate action.
• Any artist who experiences disciplinary action has the right to be heard by the Downtown Development Authority and Business Improvement District Board. Downtown Grand Junction Art Festival will provide adequate written warning prior to taking disciplinary action during the festival.
• An artist may be removed or suspended from the festival or have selling privileges in the festival limited by the Downtown Grand Junction Art Festival for any of the following reasons:
  • Failure to obey and conform to State, local government, or Downtown Grand Junction Art Festival rules and regulations.
  • Causing or maintaining unsafe or unsanitary conditions in accordance with Mesa County Health Department.
  • Behavior that obstructs any other artist’s commerce or ability to transact business.
• If Downtown Grand Junction Art Festival receives a written complaint pertaining to questionable quality, conduct, or business practices about an artist, the following actions will be taken:
  • The written complaint will be given to the artist, including the date, time, and nature of the complaint.
  • A second complaint may result in permanent removal from the festival and future festivals.
  • Artists are required to satisfy any complaint in any circumstance.

By completing the application, the applicant acknowledges that he/she understands all terms and conditions above and agrees to abide by all above.