Frequently Asked Questions

All artwork MUST be original and handmade by you. No crafts, no jewelry. No mass produced versions of your art will be accepted (this rule holds for photography as well). No prints, giclees, or reproductions. No notecards of any kind.

New artists will be accepted based on available locations and availability in their medium and subject matter.

The number of photographers will be limited, and accepted based on the date application is received, type of photography, type of process and subject matter. This applies to returning photographers as well as new applicants, and this number will include mixed-media artists who manipulate photographs, whether digitally or manually. Photographers must describe their process.

We accept a limited number of ceramics and glass. It must be decorative, not functional. We want one of a kind pieces.

Any visual artist in the Greater Boston Area who makes artwork by hand can apply–professionals, students, hobbyists.

All artwork must be handmade by you, and you must be present at the show yourself..

Fill out the application form online, which includes info about you and how you create your work.

You will need to upload photos of your art for the jury committee.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If accepted you will receive an invoice to pay online for the booth fee you requested. Pay within 30 days to hold your space.

The Beacon Hill Art Walk was founded for local painters. The show is still mostly paintings.

Originals only–no prints or giclees are allowed. Some photography is accepted; we prefer photographs that are handmade and not mass produced.

Some pottery and glass is accepted; decorative, not functional.

All applicants are juried.

No prints, no giclees, no T-shirts, no greeting cards, no jewelry, no mass produced items, no canvas tote bags, no clothes or similar items.

Garden spaces have no requirements.

Some artists have Pro Panels, or wire grids. You can hang Flourish mesh walls over fences. You can get pegboard or a piece of trellis from Home Depot. You can put small paintings on a table. You can lean large paintings along a building. Use your imagination and be flexible– all of the spaces are different sizes and shapes. This is a very unique show!

We have a limited number of spaces that can accommodate a tent. If you request to bring a tent then you must have 40 lbs weight for each tent leg. (The tent product label should say “rain” on it. If it doesn’t then it is meant for backyard parties and not waterproof or meant to withstand winds.)

Yes. The application form has several places where you can request specific spots. You may also request to be placed near a fellow artist who is also applying.

We will try to accommodate your requests, but make no guarantees on space assignments.

No. Artists will need to bring their own white, straight-legged 10x10 tents, plus 160 lbs of weights- 40 pound weights attached to each tent leg.

We do not supply any display furniture, either. You must bring your own tables, easels, chairs, etc.

Mesh panel walls are allowed and encouraged. You may rent them from us for $10 each, if requested ahead of time.

The booth fee for a garden space is $95.

The booth fee to bring a tent is $125. (Tents require additional permits.)

There is no longer a jury fee.

Mesh panel rental is $10.

Once accepted, payment must be submitted within 30 days to reserve your space.

No refunds once accepted and paid.

The Jury Committee will review all COMPLETE applications on a rolling basis.

Artists will be juried and accepted based on availability in their medium. All media categories will be limited to ensure a balanced event.

Artists will be accepted until all space is filled. 

Accepted artists will receive a Square invoice to pay online. Pay within 30 days to guarantee your spot is reserved.

Note: There are no refunds once your application is accepted and you have paid.

If you do need to cancel for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible.

We will use the photos and biographical information you submitted with your application to promote your participation in this year’s Art Walk on our website.

The Participating Artist list will remain up all year long – customers often email us later looking for a particular artist.

Artists will be added to the website in the order they were accepted.

Yes. If you are returning and have a request for a new location, write it on your application form. If you do not have a specific request, then tell us what you didn’t like about your old space and we will try to change it.

If you participated years ago and have a space request, write it on your form. If it is available, we will try to give it to you.

If you are applying for the first time, and have a location request, write it on your form and we will try to accommodate you..

The Art Walk will take place rain or shine.

If heavy rain predicted all day, the artists without tents will be inside the Advent School on West Cedar Street.

We will post location assignments on our website during the week before the show. 
We will post a map of your location that you can download and print, which will show you your exact space and the spaces of the other artists in your garden. 
We will also post a map of the whole Art Walk, with the streets of the neighborhood, so you can see where your spot is.

Arrive between 9 am and 10:30 am.

While the event officially begins at noon, we recommend you be ready by 11 am.

This event takes place in a residential neighborhood and this should be kept in mind when setting up.  Do not arrive earlier and please be respectful and keep the noise level down to a minimum.

No.

To retain the integrity of the event and respect your fellow artists, you may NOT break down your tent before 6PM. Artists who pack early will be banned from future events.

Veteran artists of the Art Walk know that they see many visitors browse the entire show but then sales are common at the very end of the day.

There are public restrooms outside the Marriott, to the right of the hotel entrance. (To the left of Tia's.)

No.

There is no smoking on private property. Several owners will ony let us use their gardens if the artists do not smoke, partly because of the smell and partly because past artists have left cigarette butts behind.

We need to get permission from all the residents abutting all of the locations before we start assigning any spaces. And we need to wait until right before the event to finalize assignments in order to accommodate last minute changes such as residents moving, construction, utility work etc.  You don’t want to arrive and find your garden dug up or flooded.

There will be location maps on the website. Drive as close to your spot as you can safely stop, unload, and move your car immediately. Bringing a friend or helper is important, so someone can help you unload or move your car (or watch your belongings while you move the car). Unfortunately there are not enough Art Walk volunteers to watch your gear during unloading.

Be respectful of neighbors and other artists, and don’t block streets. You MUST move your car before you begin to set up.

Meters are free on Sunday, so you can park on the street. There are several public garages in the area. The Boston Common Garage is on Charles Street in between Boylston and Beacon, and costs $18 all day Sunday (Check their website for rates).

http://boston.centralparking.com/Boston-Boston-Common-Garage-Zero-Charles-Street-Parking.html

The Mass Eye and Ear parking lot is closest, it isolated in between the Storrow inbound and outbound lanes. It is $14 flat fee on weekends.

We don’t have any discount deals with any garages.

Even if your assigned Art Walk location is in the Advent parking lot, you may not leave your car there– people own those spaces and are moving their cars for us to display there. Our agreement allows the space to be used for the Art Walk Artists, but explicitly prevents us from using it for vehicles.

NO, Absolutely not. The residents are kind enough to allow us to use their property to display our artwork. You may not nail into or in any way damage buildings, fences, gardens, plantings, etc.

Do not move their property or leave any garbage. If you cause damage or leave garbage we will not be allowed back in that garden in the future!

Some spaces have fences; if you bring wire, rope, hooks, etc. you can hang your paintings. You are held responsible for your area; please leave it as you found it. Please be courteous and remove any litter customers may have left behind.

YES!! We ask neighbors, spouses, and friends to be at the start tables for 2-hour blocks of time on the day of the event. You will be greeting visitors and handing them maps.
We also need help ahead of time organizing and publicizing the show. If you can give us a couple of hours, pop us an email and we’ll give you a task!