North Charleston Launches Poster Design Competition

The City of North Charleston is calling upon South Carolina visual artists to participate in the 44th Annual North Charleston Arts Fest Poster Design Competition. 

The winning piece will become the official poster design of the 2027 North Charleston Arts Fest, taking place April 28-May 2, and will be featured on all promotional materials and merchandise, including posters, billboards, print and digital advertisements, television commercials, program booklets, apparel, online, and more. The purchase award for the winning artist has increased to $2,000 for this year’s competition.

The winner will also be awarded a solo exhibition at Park Circle Gallery during May 2027. Additionally, the winning piece will become part of the City of North Charleston’s Public Art Collection, which is displayed throughout City Hall. The deadline to submit works for the competition is Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2026.

There is no entry fee to participate in the North Charleston Arts Fest Poster Design Competition. The competition is open to South Carolina residents ages 18 and older. Categories of work accepted include acrylic, oil, drawing, pastel, watercolor, fiber, printmaking, and 2-D mixed media. Entries must be submitted online at http://NorthCharlestonCulturalArtsDepartment.Slideroom.com by the Dec. 15 deadline.  Artists may enter a maximum of three pieces into the competition.

The North Charleston Arts Fest is organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department.  The annual five-day celebration of arts and culture highlights regional and local artists and performers in the areas of dance, music, theater, visual art, media art, and literature.

Previous Arts Fest Design Competition winners include Mary Glenn Keadle of Charleston (2026), Amy Stewart of North Charleston (2025), and Jirah Perkins of Charleston(2024).

For more information about the 2027 North Charleston Arts Fest and other participation opportunities visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com or contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department office at 843-740-5854 or culturalarts@northcharleston.org