BECOME THE POSTER ARTIST FOR THE 50th ANNUAL WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL!
What does it mean to be the featured poster artist for Wooden Boat Festival?
The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival is the premier gathering of wooden boat enthusiasts and celebration of maritime heritage. This three-day festival features over 300 boats on land and water, dozens of exhibitors, live music all day, every day—plus local food, beer, and wine.
Since 1977, original artwork has helped define the spirit of the festival—appearing on posters, merchandise, and festival marketing seen by thousands each year.
If you feel called to create an original piece of maritime-themed art for the 50th Annual Wooden Boat Festival poster, we'd love to see your vision. Check out the details below and then complete the application form. Past poster artists are welcome to apply.
The deadline to apply is June 30, 2026.
Once all artwork is submitted, we’ll make a juried selection of three final designs that will be presented to the public for voting.
Qualifications
- Be a professional artist. This means a person who is critically recognized as an artist, who possesses skills, training and/or experience in an artistic discipline, and who is active in and committed to their art practice.
- Be able to provide an initial (draft) concept for the poster art by June 30th, and have a portfolio of completed artwork that you can submit as a part of the application.
- Be able to commit to finalizing and submitting an original piece of art for the 50th Wooden Boat Festival poster by September 1, 2026.
Guidelines for Art
Please consider the art guidelines below before applying.
The artwork selected will be used across various formats, including but not limited to: posters, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, stickers, coasters, pub glasses, and other merchandise used to promote the Wooden Boat Festival.
Our intention with the Wooden Boat Festival poster design is always to best represent the original vision of the artist selected. Nonetheless, we do ask that the selected artist consider the following in their design:
- A maritime- or wooden boat-centric theme.
- A focal point that draws the eye, figures, movement, and all other elements that may add energy or interest to the piece.
- Colors and/or subject matter that is engaging and visually exciting or interesting.
- Two-dimensional art piece required.
- Ideal formats include mediums that can easily be translated into digital files to be utilized for festival merch creation.
- AI-generated artwork will not be accepted. If use of AI is suspected, we will request that the artist show proof of process.
What the Winning Artist Receives
- $3,000 compensation for the 50th Wooden Boat Festival poster design.
- Artwork exposure on posters and merchandise, before, during, and after the 2027 Wooden Boat Festival.
- Artist exposure through social media, blog/newsletter, press, and a signing event at the 2027 Wooden Boat Festival.
Additional Information
- While all submissions will be accepted and considered, preference will be given to artists who live or have roots in the Pacific Northwest, and ideally on or near the Olympic Peninsula.
- Digital art and other mediums that will translate well to printed merchandise will be accepted. Northwest Maritime will take care of file handling for poster and merch creation, but may also work with the artist on ensuring the best representation of the art on the designs.
Finalists will be contacted by July 11, 2026. Only finalists will be contacted by Northwest Maritime.
Please complete this application for consideration!
Submit Poster Art Form
2026 Submit a Poster Art Form
