2026 Design Contest

Artist Brief & Submission Guidelines

The Takoma Park Folk Festival is seeking an original, human-created design for our 2026 t-shirt, poster and program cover — and we want your vision!

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This is your chance to have your work featured in one of the region’s most beloved community events, with thousands of attendees and broad local exposure.

 

Creative Direction

We’re looking for a design that captures the vibrancy, diversity, and community spirit of the festival. It should be bold, joyful, and reflect Takoma Park’s creative, multicultural vibe.

 

Let these theme words help guide your inspiration:

diverse, music, community, free, family, local, crafts, multicultural, fun, friends, performers, food, artists, unique, exciting, international, hang-out, interesting, kids, artisans, festive

You can also explore our website for more festival history, photos, and personality: tpff.org

 

Design Requirements

We are seeking original artwork created by the artist’s own hand or digital design work. AI-generated imagery is not eligible, as the contest is intended to showcase human-created art. 

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Your design must include:

• The name of the festival: Takoma Park Folk Festival

• The date: "September 27, 2026" or simply "2026"

 

Your design may include this year’s theme: Raise Our Voices, Celebrate Our Community
 

Your design must meet these guidelines:

• Max 6 colors – and designs with fewer colors are welcome. Keep in mind that the design will be printed on a non-white t-shirt, color to be selected based on the final design.

• Must be adaptable to one-color/black & white if needed

• Design must work for:

  • Program cover: 8.5 x 11 inches (portrait)

  • T-shirt front: up to 10 x 14 inches

 

We will also feature the design in 11x17-inch posters promoting the festival, and may use simplified/modified versions in social media and other online promotion.

 

If your art is selected, we may suggest edits and will work with you to ensure the design looks its best across various formats.

 

File Format & Submission Details

Submit your final design as a high-resolution digital file:

• Formats: PDF, JPG, PNG, AI, or PSD

• Resolution: 300dpi or higher

• Keep all text editable or outlined (vector preferred for logos or illustrations)

 

Contest Structure & Timeline

We’re running this contest in two rounds:

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Round One – Artist Portfolio Review

 

🗓 Deadline: May 20 at midnight

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Submit your contact info, a brief artist statement, and 3–5 samples of your work or a link to your portfolio using this form:

 

👉 https://e.tpff.org/designapp  (note: link will be active soon)

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Optional: Artists may also choose to submit a preliminary festival design in place of work samples. Submitting a preliminary design is optional and will not affect how submissions are evaluated.

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Round Two – Preliminary Designs

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🗓 June 11 – We will invite 3 artists to submit a preliminary festival design by July 3.

 

Final Selection

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🗓 July 25 – We will notify the winning artist, who will refine and submit the final design by August 15.

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Winner Receives:

- $300 honorarium

- A festival t-shirt featuring your design

- High visibility through thousands of programs, shirts, posters, and online promotion

 

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us through publicity@tpff.org. We can’t wait to see your creativity!

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Fine Print

The contest will be judged by the Takoma Park Folk Festival Board of Directors and Planning Committee.

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By submitting an entry, the artist affirms that the design is their original work and that they hold all necessary rights and permissions for any elements used in the design. AI-generated images are not permitted. By submitting, the artist affirms that the work is their original creation and complies with the contest rules.

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All submitted designs become the property of Takoma Park Folk Festival, Inc.

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The winning artist grants Takoma Park Folk Festival, Inc. the exclusive rights to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, and distribute the design in any format and for any purpose related to the festival, including (but not limited to) promotional, marketing, and merchandise materials.

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The contest team reserves the right to make adjustments or alterations to the winning design as needed.

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The artist agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Takoma Park Folk Festival, Inc., its affiliates, officers, and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or in connection with the use, reproduction, or distribution of the submitted design, including any claims related to intellectual property infringement or violation of third-party rights.

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Only the winning design will be used in official festival materials. Non-winning entries will not be used without permission from the artist.

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Submitted materials will not be returned.

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The Festival may credit the winning artist by name in promotional materials, but is not required to do so.​