LAKE CITY — The arrival of spring means the return of an annual art festival and competition to this small Pee Dee town. Here’s a look at what to expect from ArtFields 2026 during this year’s 17-day celebration.
The festival takes place April 10-May 2, during which almost 50 downtown venues will showcase the work of artists chosen to participate in this year’s event by a selection panel.
During ArtFields, visitors can vote for the artists they believe should win the People’s Choice 2D and 3D Awards. The People’s Choice recipients, each honored with $12,500, will be recognized alongside the Grand Prize and Second Place winners on May 2, who are selected by a panel of art professionals and receive $50,000 and $25,000 respectively.
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Beyond the competition, ArtFields and its community partners will host a variety of special events, such as:
Festival Kick-Off and Dandelion Stroll: April 10 will kick off with confetti cannons and bullhorns at 10 a.m. At 5:30 p.m., make sure you are on Main Street for a procession with Dennis McNett’s giant puppets, the Benedict College Marching Band, community participants and more.
Makers Market: On April 11 and May 2, shop the Makers Market, filled with handmade goods, art and crafts from regional makers and artists.
The ArtFields Festival Portrait Contest, hosted this year on April 25, is a three-round showdown during which artists paint live models.
“Opening weekend is very exciting because of how our year-round programs will connect with the annual festival,” said Jamison Mady Kerr, ArtFields program director.
In 2013, ArtFields was founded with a mission to honor the artists living and working in the Southeast. Beyond the art festival and competition, ArtFields commissions public art pieces every year, contributes to youth art education by hosting educational art walks, monthly classes and more. To learn about ArtFields and the 2026 festival, visit artfieldssc.org.
