Wooden Boat Festival Artwork

Become a Poster Artist

Each year, the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival works with an artist to develop the iconic poster art for Festival. Those interested in applying to be a future Festival artist can fill out the form below to be considered. 

The chosen artwork will become the icon of Wooden Boat Festival and will be showcased across all elements of Festival, getting reproduced on thousands of posters, postcards, potentially t-shirts and other visual elements of the Festival. Wooden Boat Festival posters and t-shirts have historically provided participants and community members with beloved mementos of their participation, and have become collectors’ items over the festival’s history. 

The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival and Northwest Maritime are committed to being an anti-racist, inclusive organization striving to showcase historically marginalized talent. Artists who live near or have a close connection to the Puget Sound and/or the Salish Sea will be given special consideration. Recent Wooden Boat Festival artists have included Claire Accord, Nikki McClure, Victor Melendez, Neil Rabinowitz, Hanna VIano, Jesse Watson, and Chris Witkowski.

NOTE: Poster selections happen in November for the following Festival year. 

See Past Festival Artwork

The Selected Artist Will Receive

  • The option to sign conference posters at Wooden Boat Festival for self-promotion;
  • An artist bio in the Festival program; (40,000) distribution
  • Promotion through Wooden Boat Festival and NWM websites, including bio and link to artist’s portfolio
  • Display and recognition opportunities in the Northwest Maritime Welcome Center
  • Copies of the Festival poster
  • Merch potentially featuring Festival artwork
  • Commission (artwork becomes the property of Northwest Maritime)

Please submit:

  • Contact info and a brief bio
  • Portfolio with examples of two to three works that reflect the content or style you propose for the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival (WBF).
  • One to two concept sketches of how you envision the poster/t-shirt art. The proposed artwork must be designed specifically to promote the WBF and may not come from an existing portfolio. Submitted concepts need not be fully completed work, but should effectively illustrate your vision of the final piece.
  • An artist statement or letter of interest explaining your interest in representing WBF with your work or your connection to the water
  • Submit your entry to art@woodenboat.org