Registration & Fee

Artists interested in participating must each individually sign-up via the online form shared at the Augusta University Booth in the Family Area at Arts in the Heart.

All participating artists must have their own festival badge to participate. The purchase of a badge helps to cover the cost of the indoor space being utilized for this competition within the festival and clean-up afterward. Artists 10 and under must also have a badge.

After registering, artists must pay the participation fee. After which, they will receive their artist ribbon, chalk and location information.

The $10 CASH registration fee includes:

• A supply of professional chalk for competition use.
• Contribution to the competition prize pool.

After chalk expenses are covered, the remaining registration fees will be added to the award pool distributed to the juried winners, with funds also provided by Augusta University.

Competition Schedule

Friday, September 18

• Registration opens at the beginning of the festival, 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• Sign-up and check-in take place at the Augusta University Booth in the Family Area.
• Limited space available. Sign-up is first-come-first-served.

Saturday, September 19

• 11:00 a.m. – Artists begin creating their chalk artwork.
• 5:00 p.m. – Competition concludes; all artists must stop working.
• 5:00–6:00 p.m. – Jury deliberation.
• 6:30 p.m. – Award winners announced on the Family Stage.

Competition Guidelines

• Each artist or team will be assigned one 4′ × 4′ drawing space.
• Only the chalk provided or approved by the competition organizers may be used.
• Artwork must remain within the boundaries of the assigned space.
• Designs must be original and created on-site during the competition hours.
• All artwork must be suitable for a family audience. Images or language containing explicit, discriminatory, violent, or otherwise inappropriate content are prohibited.
• Artists must complete their work by 5:00 p.m. to be eligible for judging. Anyone working ahead of 11:00 a.m. or beyond 5:00p.m. on Saturday, September 19th will be disqualified.
• The competition takes place indoors.
• Participants are encouraged to bring water, light snacks, small tabletop/handheld battery powered fans, and to wear comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for working outdoors for several hours. Artists are responsible for their own comfort and hydration throughout the competition.

Cleanup Requirements

At the conclusion of the competition, participants are responsible for removing all personal belongings, including chalk containers, tape, trash, water bottles, snacks, umbrellas, canopy tents, chairs, and any other equipment brought to the event. Artists must leave their assigned space clean and free of debris.

Because chalk art is a temporary medium, the artwork itself will remain in place for public viewing through Festival Sunday and will be removed by festival staff during the official cleanup at the close of the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival. Participants should not attempt to wash away or otherwise remove their artwork unless directed by festival organizers.

Failure to clean up personal materials may affect eligibility to participate in future Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival competitions and programs.

Weather Policy

The Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival Chalk Art Competition is intended to take place indoors and will proceed whenever conditions allow. Participants acknowledge that chalk art is a temporary artform and that weather conditions, including wind, heat, or humidity, may affect the appearance and longevity of their artwork.

In the event of severe weather or other conditions deemed unsafe by festival organizers, the Greater Augusta Arts Council and Augusta University reserve the right to postpone, modify, relocate, suspend, or cancel the competition at their sole discretion. Any schedule changes will be communicated to registered participants as promptly as possible.

Please follow Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival on Facebook or Instagram to receive weather related updates.

Registration fees are used to secure competition materials and support prize awards. Once materials have been distributed or competition expenses have been incurred, registration fees are non-refundable, even if the competition is modified or canceled due to weather or other circumstances beyond the organizers’ control.

Completed chalk artwork will remain on display throughout Festival Sunday, allowing visitors to enjoy the temporary indoor installation for the duration of the festival. As chalk art is inherently ephemeral, all artwork will be removed during festival cleanup at the close of the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival.

Judging

Artwork will be evaluated by a jury composed of Augusta University faculty members and Arts in the Heart Festival staff.

Judging criteria may include:

• Creativity and originality
• Artistic skill and technique
• Effective use of color and composition
• Overall visual impact
• Completion within the allotted time

Awards

Awards will be funded through Augusta University and the participant registration fees after competition materials have been purchased. Prize categories and award amounts will be determined based on the number of participants and available funds.

Possible award categories include:

• Youth (up to 18 years of age)
  • First, second and third place
• Adult (18 and up)
  • First, second and third place

Photography & Media Release

By registering for and participating in the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival Chalk Art Competition, participants grant the Greater Augusta Arts Council, Augusta University Department of Art & Design, and their partners and sponsors permission to photograph, film, and record their artwork and likeness during the event. Participants further grant permission for these images and recordings to be used, without compensation, for promotional, educational, archival, and marketing purposes in print, broadcast, and digital media, including websites, social media platforms, publications, and future festival materials.

Artists retain the copyright to their original artwork; however, the Greater Augusta Arts Council and Augusta University are granted a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free license to reproduce images of the artwork for the purposes described above.

Assumption of Risk & Release of Liability

Participation in the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival Chalk ArtCompetition is voluntary. By participating, each artist (or the parent/legal guardian of a participating minor) acknowledges and assumes all risks associated with participation in the competition and attendance at the festival.

Participants agree to release, indemnify, and hold harmless the Greater Augusta Arts Council, Augusta University, Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival, the City of Augusta, festival sponsors, volunteers, staff, and their respective officers, employees, agents, and representatives from any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, injuries, or expenses arising out of or related to participation in the competition, except to the extent caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Participants are responsible for their own personal property, equipment, shade structures, and belongings during the event. Neither the Greater Augusta Arts Council nor Augusta University shall be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property.

Parents or legal guardians must register on behalf of participants under the age of 18 and acknowledge acceptance of these terms as part of the registration process.

Event Benefits

The Chalk Art Competition creates a dynamic destination within the Family Area by allowing festival visitors to observe artists at work throughout the day. The event encourages interaction between artists and the public, highlights the educational mission of Augusta University, and reinforces the Greater Augusta Arts Council’s commitment to making the visual arts accessible to the community.

By inviting artists of all ages to participate, the competition fosters creativity, community engagement, and artistic excellence while adding a colorful, memorable experience to the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival.