A small town in South Carolina might not be top of mind when considering the South’s art scene, but each year for nine days, hundreds of the region’s leading, emerging, and established artists participate in a city-wide transformation into an art gallery. The occasion is ArtFields’s annual competition and festival, a celebration of art and community that draws thousands to rally around the power of art.
From now through November 1, Southeastern artists working in any media living in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia are invited to apply for the competition, held in Lake City, South Carolina, from April 25 to May 3, 2025. The application fee is $25.
Heading into its lucky thirteenth year in 2025, the competition will offer selected artists exposure to art lovers, collectors, and curators who come to see Lake City to see what one artist said is “art at its best” — as well as the opportunity to compete for over $100,000 in prizes.
ArtFields started in 2013 with the simple goal of celebrating Southeastern artists. To date, ArtFields has awarded over $1 million in prize money, helped launch the careers of countless artists, and is now an entire organization with robust year-round programming that continues to honor and support visual artists in the South and beyond.
Submissions Timeline
- Application Deadline: November 1, 2024
- Selected Artists Notified: December 12, 2024
- 2025 Competition & Festival: April 25–May 3, 2025
Prizes
- Grand Prize: $50,000
- Second Place: $25,000
- People’s Choice 2D: $12,500
- People’s Choice 3D: $12,500
- Merit Awards: $2,000 (Five awards)
- Southeastern Partner Awards: Exhibitions and Opportunities
For more information, visit artfieldssc.org.