Poster design competition opens for North Charleston Arts Fest
Posterized… but in a good way
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Tuesday, December 15, 2026
The City of North Charleston is calling upon South Carolina visual artists to participate in the 44th Annual North Charleston Arts Fest Poster Design Competition.
The winning piece will become the official poster design of the 2027 North Charleston Arts Fest, taking place April 28-May 2, and will be featured on all promotional materials and merchandise, including posters, billboards, print and digital advertisements, television commercials, program booklets, apparel, online, and more. The purchase award for the winning artist has increased to $2000 for this year’s competition. The winner will also be awarded a solo exhibition at Park Circle Gallery during May 2027. Additionally, the winning piece will become part of the City of North Charleston’s Public Art Collection, which is displayed throughout City Hall. The deadline to submit works for the competition is Tuesday, December 15, 2026.
There is NO entry fee to participate in the North Charleston Arts Fest Poster Design Competition. The competition is open to South Carolina residents ages 18 and older. Categories of work accepted include acrylic, oil, drawing, pastel, watercolor, fiber, printmaking, and 2-D mixed media. Entries must be submitted online by the Dec. 15 deadline. Artists may enter a maximum of three pieces into the competition.
The North Charleston Arts Fest is organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department.
The annual five-day celebration of arts and culture highlights regional and local artists and performers in the areas of dance, music, theatre, visual art, media art, and literature.For more than 43 years the festival has made quality arts programming affordable and accessible to the widest spectrum of the public, attracting thousands of residents and visitors from throughout the Southeast and beyond to experience free and modestly priced performances, workshops, exhibitions, and activities in a variety of venues, including libraries, community centers, schools, businesses, and parks. The event has matured into one of the most comprehensive arts festivals in the state of South Carolina.
Previous Arts Fest Design Competition winners include Mary Glenn Keadle of Charleston (2026), Amy Stewart of North Charleston (2025), Jirah Perkins of Charleston (2024), Christopher Dotson of Charleston (2023), Deborah Kinard of Kiawah Island (2022), Christine Bush Roman of Johns Island (2020/2021), Joseph Kameen of Graniteville (2019), Hamed Mahmoodi of Greenville (2018), Judy McSween of Charleston (2017), and Lisa Shimko of Charleston (2016).
For more information about the 2027 North Charleston Arts Fest and other participation opportunities visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com, or contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department office at 843.740.5854 or culturalarts@northcharleston.org. Artists in need of assistance with any part of the submission process may contact the Cultural Arts Department to schedule a meeting, which can be conducted over the phone or in person.