Apply for the Salem Arts Festival Today - 2026
The 18th annual Salem Arts Festival is coming to downtown Salem on June 5–7, 2026, and this year is extra special. As part of Salem's "Salem 400+" celebration honoring four centuries of creative heritage, we're looking for performers, dancers, muralists, community groups, and gallery artists to help make this year's festival unforgettable.
Whether you're a musician, dancer, painter, poet, circus performer, or community organization, there's a place for you at Salem Arts Festival. Here's everything you need to know about this year's open applications.
General Performance Application
Deadline: March 25, 2026
Salem Arts Festival features dozens of live performance slots across multiple outdoor stages throughout the weekend. We welcome musicians, spoken word artists, circus and street performers, and more — both stationary and roving.
All performers are offered a stipend. This is a free community festival presenting dozens of performances, so stipend amounts are limited, but we're grateful to support as many artists as possible.
Note for dancers: Only apply through this form if you can perform on brick or grass surfaces. We have a separate application for the Tiny Dance Stage (see below).
Tiny Dance Stage Application
Deadline: March 25, 2026
Our Tiny Dance Stage is one of the festival's most beloved features — a 4'x4' outdoor platform built for intimate, creative performances of 5 minutes or less. We feature over 40 dance performances across multiple stages throughout the weekend, celebrating the incredible diversity and artistry of movement.
We welcome dancers from all locations and backgrounds. Please note that performers are responsible for their own transportation to and from the festival.
Unfortunately, for the safety of our dancers, we are unable to offer a larger indoor dance stage this year. However, dancers who can perform on bricks or grass are also encouraged to submit a general performance application for our outdoor venues.
SAF Mural Slam — 10th Anniversary!
Deadline: March 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM
It's the 10th anniversary of the SAF Mural Slam! This dynamic live painting event, presented by the City of Salem's Public Art Commission and Salem Arts Festival, takes place at Artists' Row — a historic marketplace and vibrant corridor of galleries and public art at the heart of downtown Salem.
Selected artists will paint alongside the skilled artisans of Artists' Row during the festival weekend of June 6–7, with exposure to Salem's million-plus annual visitors. Festival attendees vote for their favorite mural via QR code, and the People's Choice winner will have their mural displayed prominently in downtown Salem for up to one year.
Community Group Application
Deadline: April 24, 2026
We welcome community groups and non-profits to join Salem Arts Festival — free of charge! We ask that participating groups provide a free creative enrichment activity for festivalgoers and use the opportunity to spread the word about the work they do.
We eagerly anticipate the creative ways your group will contribute to this enriching experience at the festival!
Gallery — Intent to Apply
Now Accepting Interest
Over 10,000 people regularly attend Salem Arts Festival, and at the heart of it all is our multidisciplinary juried gallery at Old Town Hall. If you intend to submit work to the 2026 gallery, fill out our Intent to Apply form to be added to our contact list for information on how and where to submit.
Key dates:
On-site jury selection: May 29–31, 2026
Gallery open to the public: June 5–7, 2026
Jurors for 2026 are currently being finalized and will be announced soon.
Quick Reference: All Deadlines
🎤 General Performance — March 25, 2026
💃 Tiny Dance Stage — March 25, 2026
🎨 Mural Slam (10th Anniversary!) — March 31, 2026
🤝 Community Groups — April 24, 2026
🖼️ Gallery Intent to Apply — Open now
About Salem Arts Festival 2026
Salem Arts Festival is a free, family-friendly celebration transforming downtown Salem into an immersive artistic experience every June. The 2026 festival marks the 18th annual event and is a special "Salem 400+" edition, celebrating four centuries of Salem's creative heritage. The festival features a juried gallery, live performances across multiple stages, artisan marketplace, Mural Slam live painting, community art projects, and more.
Salem Arts Festival is produced by Salem Main Streets and Creative Collective MA.
Questions? Reach out to us at info@creativecollectivema.com or kylie@salemmainstreets.org.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: All official Salem Arts Festival communications come exclusively from @creativecollectivema.com or @salemmainstreets.org email addresses. We ONLY send invoices through QuickBooks.
Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors
The Salem Arts Festival is only possible because of the incredible local businesses and organizations that invest in our creative community. We’re grateful to every sponsor helping make this year’s special Salem 400+ edition a reality.
Festival Partners
Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry | Peabody Essex Museum
Creative Directors
Salem Witch Museum | Witch City Walking Tours | Salem Night Tours / Pride Tour
Storytellers
Shetland Park / Prime Storage | Nocturne | Goldberg Properties
Directors
DeIulis Brothers Construction | Salem State University Center for Creative and Performing Arts
Mural Slam Sponsors
Moons | The Hive / AC Hotel
Venue Producers
Koto | Finz Seafood & Grill
Marketplace Shoppers
House of the Seven Gables | Circle of Stitches | Witch City Wicks | The Cabot
Community Art Makers
Phoenix School | The Witchery
Interested in sponsoring the Salem Arts Festival? Contact us at john@creativecollectivema.com
