The 7th Annual Omaha Chalk Art Festival is now accepting applications from artists and artist teams for its festival to be held at Midtown Crossing on Saturday & Sunday, August 16 & 17, 2025.
Chosen artists/artist teams agree to participate free of charge and, in return, will enjoy creative control of their chalk art masterpiece and receive significant visibility and exposure throughout the weekend festival. Additionally, prizes will be awarded to the artists/artist teams who receive the following awards:
- Best of Show (determined by judge panel): $500
- Best Use of Color (determined by judge panel): $200 gift card bundle courtesy of Midtown Crossing retailers
- Peoples Choice Award (voted on by attendees): $200 gift card bundle courtesy of Midtown Crossing retailers
Application Deadline: Sunday, July 6, 2025
About the Omaha Chalk Art Festival
Saturday, August 16 – Festival Hours, 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday, August 17 – Festival Hours, 10 am to 6 pm
Back by popular demand, the Omaha Chalk Art Festival, an eye-popping addition to the city’s arts and culture landscape, returns to Midtown Crossing on August 16 & 17, 2025. Local and regional artists will transform the sidewalk along Farnam Street in Midtown Crossing into a gallery of pastel chalk masterpieces. Visitors are invited to observe and admire as they stroll the festival, enjoy each artistic drawing, food, drinks and browsing. Now in its seventh year in Omaha, the Chalk Art Festival concept is tremendously popular around the world – from Curtatone, Italy, to Denver, Colorado.
Requirements
- Artists are required to submit a rough sketch and brief description of their proposed chalk drawing. The application will not be considered without it. Please submit one (1) image of the art you wish to create and three (3) images of your past artwork in any medium.
- Artwork for the festival must be appropriate for public viewing. No words, symbols or logos intended as advertising may appear within the chalk drawing image. Additionally, the image should be appropriate for viewing by people of all ages, so no profanity, political commentary, nudity or adult content is allowed. Inclusion of any of these items will result in immediate removal of your art.
- Artists who plan to reproduce another living artist’s work MUST provide written permission in the form of an email or letter from that artist or his/her representative.
- Artists are not allowed to sub-advertise their square/space in any way. Squares are designated for official sponsors and approved artists only.
- Chalk will be provided; however, if artist is using a predominant color in their design they may want to purchase that color before the festival. Only non-oil-based soft chalk/pastels in a solid form may be used for the street painting. Acrylic paints, spray can pastels/chalk, spray field chalk, oil-based pastels, hard pastels, etc. are not acceptable.
- All squares are 6′ x 6′. If your artwork is not square, it must be 6’ in one direction.
- Chalk artists at the festival are not paid.
- Midtown Crossing provides:
- One set of 24 soft pastels
- Access to an indoor station, stocked with water and light refreshments throughout the weekend.
- Lunch voucher each day
- Access to online pre-recorded workshop hosted by nationally known, professional chalk artist
- Significant visibility and exposure, including artist listing on Midtown Crossing website and more.
- $500 awarded to the “Best of Show” winner
- $200 gift card bundle courtesy of Midtown Crossing retailers, awarded to the “Best Use of Color” winner
- $200 gift card bundle courtesy of Midtown Crossing retailers, awarded to the “People’s Choice” winner
- Artists are asked to work on their chalk drawings both Saturday and Sunday to accentuate the live art experience.
- Artists must be at least 19 years of age.
- Enter as soon as possible.
- Artists must apply online (click here) or email their entry to: contact@midtowncrossing.com.
Entry Check List
- Artist’s contact information, including artist’s name, name of assistant (if applicable), mailing address, email address and phone number.
- One (1) image of what artist will create.
- An artist statement about the work they want to create. If artist is re-creating another artist’s work, artist must give title and name of original artist.
- Three (3) images of past work in any medium.
