Destination Downtown Lancaster partners with the Lancaster Festival to host the ArtWalk each year as part of the Lancaster Festival's ten-day celebration of the arts. The 2026 festival is July 18th - July 25th, 2026. Our goal is to provide visual artists with a platform to share their talents and gifts to enrich the lives of the community members. ArtWalk is the biggest night in downtown where the crowds reach thousands and local businesses are paired with artists for this annual opportunity.
If you are hosting an artist, or multiple artists/group at your business for ArtWalk, you must submit an ArtWalk Host application.
Benefits for being a host location:
- Fantastic marketing opportunities
- Your business is featured on the ArtWalk webpage and maps, which are distributed to over 20,000+ people.
- Your business is also listed on the ArtWalk page in the Lancaster Festival Program.
- Opportunity to increase your customer base with thousands of people through your business on opening night as well as the week of the Lancaster Festival.
- An official ArtWalk flag and standard to use the night of ArtWalk and the following week (the remainder of the Festival).
Host responsibilities:
- The host will provide adequate exhibition space for their paired artist(s) from July 18 - July 25, 2026.
- Ensure that the space is properly lit and accessible.
- Ensure that business can fully operate with the exhibition in place for the duration of the Lancaster Festival.
- The host must be open the hours they listed on their application. Hosts must be open Monday through Friday 10:00am-4:00pm. (We publish these hours so the public knows when they can visit your space during the entire Lancaster Festival, not just the night of ArtWalk)
- Promote your participation and artist through your own marketing efforts.
- Submit your application and fee ($75 DDL Members or $100 for Non-Members) by February 18th, 2026.
- Art can begin to be installed and displayed no sooner than Monday, July 13th, 2026 and must be set up by Thursday, July 16th, 2026.
Artist Responsibilities
- Submit an artist application and fee ($30) by February 18th, 2026.
- The accepted artist will be assigned to a host location. It's their responsibility to reach out to the host and coordinate installing their work.
- Artists must be present at their host location during ArtWalk night on Friday, July 25th from 6 pm - 9 pm.
- The artist's artwork will remain on display through July 25th, 2026.
- Art can begin to be installed and displayed no sooner than Monday, July 13th, 2026 and must be set up by Thursday, July 16th, 2026.