INFO FOR PROSPECTIVE ARTISTS

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT OPEN AT THIS TIME

Hello ArtsGoggle Friend!

Thanks for stopping by the ArtsGoggle website to check in. Our team is hard at work on other Near Southside community events, but we ask that you please save the date for the 2025 ArtsGoggle on Saturday, October 11, 2025 from noon to 10:00pm.

Behind the scenes, our Near Southside staff is working to build the tools, partnerships, and plans needed for this year's festival. In fact, we're making some important improvements to the ArtsGoggle registration process for prospective artists, musicians, food vendors, and venues. This is a labor and time intensive process that requires quite a bit of testing, so we want to share that while we have a goal for when registration will open...we cannot be certain.

Registration is tentatively planned to open on Monday, March 3, 2025.
Please watch for updates on this website. If we must delay the registration open date, we will share that update here.

We're looking forward to your partnership for this year's event.


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JOINING OUR EMAIL LIST HELPS YOU GET THE INFORMATION FIRST.

ARTIST INFORMATION

PARTICIPATING AS AN ARTIST


EVENT DATE: Saturday, October 11, 2025


HOURS: Noon to 10pm


SET UP: Artist set up begins as early as 8:00am, depending on your assigned block.


APPLICATIONS OPEN: Monday, March 3, 2025 (tentatively, we'll confirm online as we near this date)


DEADLINE TO APPLY: Friday, June 6 at 11:59pm

Your application must be fully completed and submitted for ArtsGoggle management review at this time to be considered for ArtsGoggle. Applications will be reviewed based on the order they are received, so submitting earlier expedites your approval.



TO QUALIFY FOR ARTSGOGGLE:

Artists are defined as visual artists working in studio arts. Painters, photographers, woodworkers, weavers, printmakers, sculptors, potters, jewelers, illustrators, and artists of all media may register online.

  • Your artwork must be deemed appropriate for a festival environment.
  • You must be in attendance the day of the event.
  • All artists must apply individually even if you are planning to share a booth space. (see explanation below)
  • You must be an artist selling or showcasing artwork that you have made. No MLM or corporate mass production work will be accepted. You are welcome to sell reproductions of your own artworks. To be accepted, all artwork should be the product of an artist’s unique artistic expression and skill. All acceptances are at the discretion of festival organizers. Please do not apply if you are selling factory-made or mass produced items. No direct sales or multi-level marketing companies allowed. Applications such as these will be rejected without refund. ArtsGoggle only allows for the sale of artwork made by the artist presenting it at the festival. Reproductions of your own artwork, such as prints or giclées, are accepted.
  • There is no minimum or maximum for the number of works shown. Please use good judgement in providing enough artwork to have a strong presence but not so much that it overwhelms your booth, venue or the patrons.
  • Pre-fabricated items that are modified will only be accepted if the modifications are significantly artistic in nature. For example, tumblers with font-based decals applied to them will not qualify as art.
  • Un-modified vintage items will not be accepted to ArtsGoggle - but there is still good news. Instead, vintage sellers are encouraged to apply to the Rock 'n Roll Rummage Sale, a regularly occurring Near Southside vintage event.
  • You need to be aware of the supplies that you are required to bring to the festival. These are listed below.

In simple terms, art that is clearly not the work of the artist, that is imported or purchased from a wholesaler, or artwork that is deemed inappropriate (eg: discriminatory or offensive) by Management will not be considered, and if it is identified during the festival the artist/booth attendant will be asked to leave without refund.

FEES

ARTIST APPLICATION FEE: $100

$100 PER ARTIST non-refundable application fee. This is the only fee to participate in ArtsGoggle. Each year as ArtsGoggle grows, so do the operating costs of the event. The event has grown from 62 artists in 2013 to hosting more than 1,100 artists across more than 21 blocks and two miles of street closed to traffic in 2024. The 2024 ArtsGoggle attracted more than 80,000 patrons and we anticipate an equally large crowd this year. Your $100 helps us make this possible. Help us, help you have a great show.

CREDIT CARD STATEMENT Please note, your ArtsGoggle application payment will show up on your statement as HISTORIC SOUTHSIDE, INC. (the original name of our company before we began using the dba Near Southside Arts)


DISCOUNTS

50% STUDENT DISCOUNT Students and children may request a discounted application fee of $50. To qualify for this discounted rate, please email natalie@nearsouthsidefw.org with details about the age, schooling, and professional experience of the artist. If we are able to verify that the artist is a student or child, a promo code will be offered via email to discount your application rate to only $50.

50% INDOOR ARTIST DISCOUNT If you have made private arrangements with an indoor venue for ArtsGoggle, then we are happy to extend a discounted artist registration fee of only $50 since we will not need to provide electricity or other infrastructure to you at the festival. Private venues can be located in either Magnolia Village or South Main Village, but artists must make arrangements with the venue prior to applying for ArtsGoggle.

TO RECEIVE YOUR DISCOUNT YOU MUST GET A DISCOUNT CODE
PRIOR TO PURCHASING YOUR APPLICATION. Please email megan@nearsouthsidefw.org to receive the Indoor Artist Discount Code by sharing the name of your indoor venue. Once you have the discount code, you can proceed to purchasing your ArtsGoggle application, and when completing your application you'll select "INSIDE A PRIVATE VENUE" when asked about your location preference.


SCHOOLS OR NON-PROFIT ARTIST COLLECTIVES SHOWING TOGETHER

If you are representing a school or a non-profit artist collective and would like to host a booth at ArtsGoggle please contact megan@nearsouthsidefw.org to discuss the best way to apply. We regularly extended discounts to FWISD and Tarrant County schools wishing to host booths at ArtsGoggle to display the artwork of their students. For artist collectives or "group shows", we are open to discussing a discounted registration fee for each participating artist if all artists are showing in a single tent together. Please contact megan@nearsouthsidefw.org to discuss these special arrangements.

LOCATIONS

OUTDOORS ON MAGNOLIA

THIS IS THE PRIMARY ARTSGOGGLE LOCATION

99% of all artists participate outdoors on Magnolia Avenue.

We strongly encourage you to participate outdoors on Magnolia Avenue.

  • ArtsGoggle closes Magnolia Avenue to car traffic from 8th Avenue to S. Main Street each year., nearly a mile in length, and opens the street to host more than 1,000 art booths. This creates an exciting atmosphere that completely transforms the street into a vibrant public space and also provides a premium experience for artists participating outdoors. The ArtsGoggle site plan aligns all of the artists booths in the center of Magnolia Ave., with artist tents placed side-by-side and back-to-back. You may request either a 10' x 10' booth space or an expanded booth space of 10' x 20' for no additional charge. WE DO NOT PROVIDE THE TENT FOR THE ARTIST. Outdoor artists will be given street space and power for lighting, but all other supplies are the responsibility of the artist. Artists will be assigned to a specific block and will be given an exact arrival time. This year's ArtsGoggle footprint has not yet been confirmed as we await construction updates from a few key property owners along Magnolia Avenue whose construction may impact several blocks of the 2025 ArtsGoggle. Please watch for updates for the formal ArtsGoggle site map as we near the event.


INDOORS AT A PRIVATE VENUE

LET'S TALK FIRST! We strongly encourage all artists to participate outdoors on Magnolia Avenue, as this is the primary event site at ArtsGoggle. Artists participating at private venues are responsible for all communications between the artist and the venue, making arrangements directly with the venue before applying.

Venues must also register with ArtsGoggle using the "venue application" in order to host an artist and be listed in the ArtsGoggle program. Registering as an ArtsGoggle Venue is free for Near Southside, Inc. Members and is $100 for non-member venues. Please make sure your venue is aware of this when discussing participation with them. Please make sure your venue is also registered for the festival prior to June 6, 2025 when registration closes. You must enter their contact details below to let us know who you are working with.

  • INDOORS ON MAGNOLIA AT A PRIVATE VENUE - Private venues that are located along Magnolia Avenue often have great for traffic nearby.

All artists must establish partnership with a venue to host them on ArtsGoggle day before registering.

We DO NOT do the matchmaking of pairing artists to venues.

INDOOR ARTISTS RECEIVE A 50% DISCOUNT WHEN APPLYING, making their application fee only $50, but must contact megan@nearsouthsidefw.org or natalie@nearsouthsidefw.org before purchasing their application. If you check out without that promo code, you will not receive the discount after the fact and we will not issue a refund.


ARTIST APPLICATION ARE NOT OPEN AT THIS TIME

HOW TO APPLY


STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS: ARTIST APPLICATION...for when registration opens.

STEP 1

Starting at the the Near Southside User Portal.

  • For new users, create a login and password for our Near Southside portal. You will receive an email to activate your account. You can then return to the User Portal to get started.
  • For previous-year returning artists, please use the same email and password you have used in previous years.
  • If you are not sure if you have an account, try submitting your email and password. If your username isn't found, you have not registered with our system. If it is found but your password is incorrect, you may need to reset your password and can do so following the instructions provided. Or if your username is recognized and your password entered is correct, you'll automatically be logged in and taken to the User Portal Dashboard.


STEP 2

Purchase the ArtsGoggle Artist Application using our safe online payment system. Please note, your ArtsGoggle application payment will show up on your statement as HISTORIC SOUTHSIDE, INC. (the original name of our company before we began using the dba Near Southside Arts).

  • You'll be asked to give very brief contact information details prior to checking out that will ensure your purchased application is connected to your user account.
  • Reminder, if you are using a student discount code or indoor artist discount code you'll want to enter it and update your cart before checking out. Please make sure the price is correct before completing your transaction.
  • Reminder, this is a non-refundable application fee and is the only fee to participate in ArtsGoggle if approved unless you are requesting a space larger than 20' x 10'.


STEP 3

Complete your ArtsGoggle Artist Application before June 6, 2025 at 11:59pm. The earlier, the better.

Now that you have purchased the application, it will always be accessible to you from your user portal. You'll be able to return to your ArtsGoggle Artist Application at your convenience to finalize the details of your ArtsGoggle participation so long as you submit it prior to the deadline.

Using the application, we'll ask you for:

  • Your contact information for administrative use
  • Your information to be published in the official ArtsGoggle digital program
  • A well written but BRIEF artist statement that helps the public understand and gain interest in your work
  • A headshot
  • Work sample images in .jpeg format, minimum of 6 and a maximum of 11

Using the application, you'll be able to:

  • Let us know if you are being hosted by an indoor venue
  • Request a 10' x 10' or 20' x 10' space reservation
  • Let us know if you are planning to share a booth with another artist
  • Request to be located near another participating artist
Artists who do not complete their application prior to the deadline will forfeit their position at ArtsGoggle with no refund.


STEP 4

Wait for approval.

ArtsGoggle management will begin approving applications as soon as we receive them. This is a long a tedious process, so we ask for your patience awaiting your approval. If all appears correct, we will approve your application and let you know you have been accepted for the 2025 ArtsGoggle. You can then start making plans to be with us for ArtsGoggle day.



COLLABORATING VS. SHARING


ALL ARTISTS MUST REGISTER, regardless if you are sharing a booth.

We do not charge "booth fees" but instead only charge "application fees" that are required for each participating artist regardless of how much space they take up at the festival. The application fee is the only fee to participate in ArtsGoggle. There is no additional "booth fee" to participate if accepted. We are representing artists, not space.


SHARING A 10' x 10' BOOTH? APPLY SEPARATELY AND SHOW TOGETHER

We welcome artists to share a booth/tent space if you wish. When filling out your application you will be able to indicate that you would like to share a booth and you can also tell us which artist you are planning on sharing with. Then, during the Block Selection Process, both artists will work to reserve their single booth space on the same block. To make this possible, it is critical that both artists should indicate the same “sharing” plans on their individual applications. We require that both participating artists, regardless of sharing, register for the event.


COLLABORATING ARTISTS CAN APPLY TOGETHER USING ONE APPLICATION WITH BOTH NAMES LISTED

If the artwork shown is the EQUAL collaborative effort of two artists, you may apply only once using both names so long as each of the artists are not representing artworks made independent of the other artist. For example, if your artwork is knives and one artist makes the metal blade and the other artists makes the wooden handle, you are considered collaborators and can use a single application. Basically, do you both contribute to each individual piece of work shown? If so, register using one application with both names. If not, both artists must register separately. If you are artists who show together regularly (such as studio partners or couples often do) but you each make separate work then you must register separately even if you are planning to share a booth.


    THE FINE PRINT


    ELECTRICITY: ArtsGoggle provides generators throughout the Magnolia Avenue OUTDOOR festival site for and will coordinate a power connection for each artist during set up. We are able to provide a sufficient amount of power for each artist to have LED booth lights (we strongly recommend using LED lights if possible) and to charge ONE small electronic device. Our power supply is not sufficient for items with motors, fans or for booths needing a substantial amount of lighting. If you would like to discuss additional power accommodations, please make sure to detail this request on your application. Artists participating at ArtsGoggle at an indoor venue should discuss power arrangements directly with the venue.


    ARTISTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING TENT AND ALL DISPLAY ITEMS NEEDED. This includes tents, tables, chairs, lights, hanging surfaces, etc. We do not provide tents, tables or chairs to artists. You will be responsible for bringing your own lighting, power strips and extension cords as well.


    GENERAL SUPPLY LIST THAT ARTISTS SHOULD PLAN FOR:

    • Tent (10’x10’ or 10’x20’ based on your space request, any color is fine) We highly recommend Ez Up Tents, as they are sturdy, lightweight (in comparison to others) and have the necessary additions such as shelter walls, tent weights, and lighting systems that you may need. https://www.ezup.com
    • Tent weights - You must bring at least four tent weights to secure the legs of your tent. We cannot use stakes, as we will be set up on the street, so heavy tent weights are important for everyone’s security. October is often windy. Be prepared.
    • LED lights for your booth - we highly recommend LED because our power supply is limited and LED’s help make the most efficient use of our generators.
    • An outdoor extension cord
    • An outdoor power strip
    • Display items for your artwork
    • A chair - this really makes the day so much more enjoyable
    • Comfortable shoes. Really, this is an important suggestion.
    • A trash bag. You'll inevitably have your own trash to manage at the event. Please come prepared and don't rely solely on our festival trash cans that are designed for public use and may not be avaialble to you when you set up or breakdown at ArtsGoggle.
    • Battery backups for your phone and/or electronic device. The power is not on the minute ArtsGoggle begins so it’s important to bring a battery backup device to keep your phone/ipad charged to make sales and stay aware of festival alerts. Email will be our primary means of community during the event so you’ll want to make sure to have your mail accessible on your phone please.
    • A helper for set up - if possible, we highly recommend they arrive in your car with you. After you unload onto the street, and before you set up your tent, you’ll need them to go park the car for you. Cars cannot stay on the street while you set up your booth.
    • A support person to help you throughout the day. ArtsGoggle is a 14+ hour endurance test, make sure you have some backup!
    • A small cooler with drinks (non-alcoholic) for you and your team. This must remain hidden from the public in order to comply with our food vendor policy.
    • Signs! Your booth with be among nearly one thousand others so make sure to plan for how you will stand out among the crowd. Booths with strong branding, such as signs that can easily be seen from a distance, memorable color choices, and inviting entry spaces are always more successful at public festivals. Make sure to consider the wind when printing signs. We recommend "blow through vinyl mesh" for any large-scale printed pieces.



    CULINARY ARTIST OR FOOD VENDOR? If participating as a "culinary artist" and applying using the artist application, all food items must be packaged for consumption AFTER the event.

    CULINARY ARTISTS = PACKAGED FOODS, not to be consumed at the event
    For example, homemade jam, packaged spice rubs, beef jerkey or bottled sauces are allowed to register as Culinary Artists. Homemade cookies, toffee, or popcorns are NOT allowed to register as Culinary Artist because they can be easily eaten on site and should instead register as Food Vendors using a different application.

    FOOD VENDORS = READY-TO-EAT FOODS, for consumption at the event
    Food sales for consumption at the event are the exclusive right of the ArtsGoggle food vendors who pay $250 to participate. If you would like to participate as an ArtsGoggle food vendor, please apply using the ArtsGoggle Food Vendor application.




    NO SUBSTITUTIONS
    Artist positions cannot be transferred, sublet, franchised or sold to any other person, nor can they be shared with another independent artist without written approval.


    APPLICATION APPROVAL
    Acceptance and non-acceptance of applications will be at the sole discretion of ArtsGoggle Management and will be based on the information given by the applicant on their application, meeting with approval the expectation for quality, diversity and artistic merit.


    CANCELLATIONS Notification of non-attendance is required. If no notification is given the artist will be prohibited from participating in all future events. Your $100 application fee will not be refunded, as this is not a participation fee but instead an application fee, so even with notice of cancellation we cannot provide refunds.


    WEATHER POLICY Management is not responsible for adverse weather conditions so there are NO REFUNDS FOR THIS REASON. The event will operate in varying weather conditions and artist must be prepared for adverse weather. Depending on the severity of the weather forecast, ArtsGoggle Management reserves the right to delay the event opening, close early, cancel the event, or postpone to another date for the safety of all involved. If ArtsGoggle is delayed, cancelled, or postponed due to weather all artists will be notified via email with as much advanced notice as possible. We understand the amount of time, effort and money that is required to participate in an event such as ArtsGoggle and greatly appreciate your commitment. All decisions will be made keeping in mind the substantial investments that are made by participating artist, food vendors, sponsors, entertainers, venues and volunteers. PLEASE, we cannot stress this enough, please keep your phone or other devices charged and handy so that you are able to monitor your email beginning 72 hours prior to ArtsGoggle and during the event. Artists who have work that is especially vulnerable to weather must use their best judgment about the risks of participating in an outdoor event. If an artist should choose not to participate due to adverse weather conditions, we request that the artist notify management via email. Management will not be held responsible for any loss, damage or injury whatsoever resulting from adverse weather conditions.


    Questions?

    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

    natalie@nearsouthsidefw.org

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