A small town in South Carolina may not be the first place that comes to mind when considering the vibrant hubs of the American Southern art scene, but each spring, Lake City proves preconceived notions entirely wrong. For nearly three weeks, local storefronts, community restaurants, historic buildings, and independent galleries transform into a sprawling, town-wide exhibition space during the ArtFields Festival, which is scheduled to return from April 15 to May 1, 2027.
Now celebrating its milestone 15th year, ArtFields has officially opened its call for entries, inviting emerging and established creative practitioners from across the Southeast to submit their work for consideration. Artists living and working in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia are eligible to apply. Submissions are open now through November 1, 2026, giving creators ample time to present their best 2D or 3D pieces to the festival’s signature juried competition.
Since its inception in 2013, ArtFields has grown far beyond a local experiment, evolving from a bold regional idea into a respected year-round arts organization that champions artists living and working in the South. Over its history, the organization has awarded more than $1 million in prize money, fundamentally shifting the cultural and economic landscape of Lake City. What began as an ambitious strategy to revitalize a rural southern town through creative placemaking has matured into one of the most anticipated annual art events in the region, drawing thousands of visitors, collectors, art enthusiasts, and critics to Florence County each spring.
During the festival, approximately 400 works of art are selected by a panel of arts professionals to be displayed in unexpected venues throughout the commercial and cultural districts of Lake City. Instead of traditional white-cube gallery walls, visitors encounter exceptional paintings, sculptures, mixed-media installations, photographs, and ceramic works integrated directly into the daily life of the community. A porcelain sculpture titled "Dissonance" by artist Risa Hricovsky, for instance, captured a prestigious Merit Award during a recent iteration of the event, demonstrating the high caliber of craftsmanship and conceptual depth consistently represented in the exhibition. Other notable works, such as Nathan Grimes’s intricate "Holm, Home, Homme" and Kate Burke’s mesmerizing detailed installation "Staring Into the Eyes of the New Ophanim," highlight the diverse range of mediums and aesthetic perspectives that define the festival’s footprint.
Artists participating in the signature juried competition compete for a substantial pool of cash prizes totaling more than $100,000. Among these awards is the coveted $50,000 Grand Prize, one of the most generous individual artist awards offered in the region, which provides significant career-boosting support for the winning creator. The entry fee for the juried exhibition is set at $25, ensuring accessibility for a wide array of applicants at various stages of their professional careers.
In an exciting development for its 15th anniversary edition, ArtFields is expanding its scope by accepting public art proposals for the very first time during the same application window. This new initiative is specifically tailored for artists who harbor concepts for outdoor, large-scale, and site-specific installations—ambitious projects that demand considerably more space, structural consideration, and open-air engagement than a traditional indoor gallery wall can afford. Creators with visions for transforming the streets, parks, plazas, and public spaces of Lake City can submit their proposals through the official ArtFields portal by the November 1, 2026 deadline. Notably, there is no application fee required to submit a public art proposal, lowering barriers to entry for monumental and experimental outdoor works.
Beyond the core juried exhibition and the newly introduced public art installations, the multi-week festival offers a rich array of programming designed to engage both artists and the public. These additional events include a high-energy live portrait contest where artists race against the clock to capture their subjects, plein air painting sessions that capture the natural and architectural beauty of the South Carolina landscape, and various educational workshops and artist talks.
Artists interested in participating in the 2027 ArtFields Festival can find detailed guidelines, eligibility requirements, and submission portals by visiting the official ArtFields website at artfieldssc.org.
