APPLICATION REVIEW CONTINUES
Artists and food vendors, thank you so much for your patience with our small but mighty ArtsGoggle production team. Application review is still underway. We had hoped to share all applications approvals (and the very rare decline, if necessary) by July 14 - however, other critical deadlines related to ArtsGoggle grants and our community development work have taken precedent. We are sorry for the delay in sending your acceptances. We are continuing to review applications and thank you for your patience. Please know, you are a priority to us and all efforts are focused on putting together an incredible event for you this year. Artists and food vendors who are still awaiting their application review, please continue to wait patiently. We know you are eager to hear from us and we assure you we are working as quickly as we can.
Please don't email us to ask about the status of your application.
Your patience helps us stay on task in application review.
You can find the status of your application by logging into your user account at portal.nearsouthsidefw.org
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WHAT DOES MY APPLICATION STATUS MEAN?
TYPICAL STATUSES
IN PROGRESS - This status means that you have purchased an application and started working on it but very importantly you have not completed the application and submitted it for our review. If your application remains in the status, it will not be approved for ArtsGoggle. Please log back into the user portal. You'll want to reopen your existing application (do not purchase a new one please), review, complete and "Save and Submit" this application for our review. If you haven't done this already, please do it urgently.
PENDING REVIEW - This is good news! Pending review means you have completed your application and are awaiting our review. Please note, most ArtsGoggle applications currently have this status. We are working to review your application as quickly as we can. No action is needed from you at this time. Most applications will be accepted to ArtsGoggle. The only reason we reject an application is if the artwork submitted does not meet our criteria for acceptance to the festival (meaning what you submitted isn't art). There is a really good chance that you will be approved.
APPROVED - This is the best news. You have been approved for this year's ArtsGoggle. We are now working to review other artist applications. Please make your plans to join us on ArtsGoggle day! We are working to review all applications, so we ask that you please wait patiently for the next step which will be your block selection. We cannot yet guarantee your block assignment, so please promote your participation but don't share a location yet. No other action is needed from you at this time.
Find information about all other status classifications and all the information needed to prepare to show with us this year at https://artsgoggle.org/artist-info
As a reminder, this IS NOT a juried show. Therefore, all artists who apply and submit a successful application, and are able to show high quality photos demonstrating artwork that is made directly by the artist are approved to participate. It is incredibly rare for us to issue a decline. Typically the only applicants declined for participation are those who are not artists, are selling MLM or mass-produced commercial items, or those who simply have not submitted adequate work samples that allow us to view the quality of your artwork.
So, in simple terms, you are highly likely to be approved...if you are an artist.
If you are a food vendor, there is undoubtedly more competition as ArtsGoggle has a limited number of food vendor spaces at the festival. We ask that if you have another booking request that you are responding to for this year's ArtsGoggle date, and need early review of your application for a general response about your likelihood of acceptance, please email megan@nearsouthsidefw.org to discuss.
Thank you! More information coming soon, we promise!
BE AWARE OF SCAM ALERT
Artists and partners, we have been made aware of an email-based scam where someone emails you (no idea how this scammer is getting artist emails) and tells you that you need to pay to reserve your booth space.
THIS IS A SCAM AND IS NOT HOW ARTSGOGGLE WORKS
PLEASE NEVER PAY ANYONE VIA EMAIL FOR ARTSGOGGLE PARTICIPATION
The only fee that you will ever pay for ArtsGoggle will be the $150 artist fee when you purchase your application at portal.nearsouthsidefw.org. We will never email you to request payment. If you are not sure if a communication you have received is from the official ArtsGoggle team, please email megan@nearsouthsidefw.org to discuss.
SAVE THE DATE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2026
DEADLINES:
ArtsGoggle 2026 presented by Frost artist, food vendor and venue applications opened on Friday, February 20 at noon
Applications for artists and food vendors closed on May 20, 2026 at midnight.
Applications for venues and their indoor artists close October 1, 2026 at midnight.
ARTIST & FOOD APPLICATIONS HAVE CLOSED
A word from Megan and Natalie: Applications for artists and food vendors have now closed and our team will begin the long review process. During this time we ask for your patience. Our goal is to have all review and approvals complete by July 15, 2026.
If you are not sure of the status of your application:
Log in at portal.nearsouthsidefw.org
The dashboard will display your application status:
If your application status says "Pending Review", you're all set and no action is needed from you at this time.
If your application status says "In Progress", you have NOT completely and submitted your application for our review. Technically, you did not submit in advance of the deadline but for any artist who started an application prior to the deadline we are currently willing to accept your late submission. Please finalize and submit your application urgently.
For other application statuses, please see https://artsgoggle.org/artist-info for those explanations.
If you're are having a technical problem, email BOTH of us at megan@nearsouthsidefw.org and natalie@nearsouthsidefw.org and we'll do our best to respond in a timely manner.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERS
The 2025 ArtsGoggle was TOTALLY FREE to attend, thanks to these incredibly generous and community-minded companies.
Learn about previous events.
ABOUT ARTSGOGGLE
ArtsGoggle presented by Frost is Fort Worth's premier festival of local arts. This free-to-the-public, family-friendly event annually hosts more than 1,000 visual artists, 50 musical performances, artistic displays of every kind, food, drink, and fun for everyone. Unlike any event in Fort Worth, the festival exclusively focuses on highlighting the work of local artists, musicians, and performers of all media and experience levels. ArtsGoggle attracts a crowd of 80,000+ patrons that are as diverse as the event's Near Southside neighborhood. Visitors are invited to park their cars and rediscover this revitalized urban district by Trinity Metro transit, by foot, or by bicycle, including Trinity Metro Bikes.
ArtsGoggle started 23 years ago as the Near Southside's own indoor gallery night, designed to showcase the district’s revitalization efforts underway via newly established businesses hosting one-day open houses in partnership with local artists. The event remained almost exclusively indoors for the first decade before spilling out onto the street. Today, visitors are invited to stroll artists' booths on Magnolia Avenue stretching more than a mile in length, and adjacent businesses, new and old, tout ArtsGoggle as their best day of sales each year.
ArtsGoggle prides itself in providing a casual, approachable, and vibrant environment for appreciating art and learning about the talents of our own community. For almost two decades, this non-juried art festival has been the launch pad for many artists showing their work for the first time. ArtsGoggle provides a supportive setting for both aspiring and professional artists with new collections to display, sell and discuss their artwork.
Accompanying the visual artists, the entertainment at ArtsGoggle heavily features local musicians and offers performances from a variety of genres. In addition, the event partners with arts organizations across Fort Worth to draw attention to their programs. In years past, ArtsGoggle has hosted the Fort Worth Opera for pop-up concerts; showcased Ballet Folklorico de Azteca for a colorful dance performance; and presented a stellar headliner performances from indie musicians Sarah Jaffe, Ben Kweller, and Sir Woman.
ATTENDANCE
An estimated attendance of 80,000+ attendees during the 10-hour event.
DATE
Saturday, October 24, 2026
TIME
Noon to 10:00 p.m.
LOCATION
ArtsGoggle's footprint is primarily outdoors, centered along Magnolia Avenue from 8th Avenue to S. Main Street, 21 blocks, one mile stretch. A feast of art!
ArtsGoggle also hosts artists indoors at participating Near Southside venues such as restaurants, bars, offices, and retailers who are hosting artists, live music, and other entertainment in celebration of ArtsGoggle!
FREE TO ATTEND
Free to the public to attend
APPLICATIONS
Applications will open on February 20, 2026 at noon.
ARTISTS - Application fee for 2026 artists will be $150. There are no addition feels for artists who are approved to participate. Indoor artist and student artists may receive a 50% discount.
FOOD VENDORS - Free application. Food vendors pay a $250 fee to participate if approved. We do not take any percentage of sales or require you to report sales.
VENUES - Free application. If approved, Near Southside member venues pay no fee. Non-member venues pay $100 to participate.
MUSICIANS - Free booking application.
VOLUNTEERS - Listen, we'll pay you... in hugs. Please help us. We need you!
EVENT PRODUCER
ArtsGoggle is produced by Near Southside Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, in partnership with sister non-profit organization Near Southside, Inc.
Near Southside, Inc. is a private, member-funded, non-profit 501(c)(4) development company dedicated to the revitalization of Fort Worth’s Near Southside. NSI began as a small coalition of Near Southside businesses and community leaders and has grown dramatically over the last two decades. We invite you to join us as we promote the redevelopment of Fort Worth’s Near Southside as a vibrant, urban, mixed-use neighborhood.
QUESTIONS?
HIT US UP
Megan Henderson
Cultural Director
Director of Events + Communications
Near Southside, Inc.
Near Southside Arts
1606 Mistletoe Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76104
megan@nearsouthsidefw.org
Natalie Atkinson
Events + Projects Manager
Near Southside, Inc.
Near Southside Arts
1606 Mistletoe Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76104