Mix-MATCH Arts Festival 2027 Application Guidelines and Information
Introduction:
Thank you for your interest in the 2027 Mix-MATCH Arts Festival. These guidelines are designed to provide a framework for your application to the Festival, ensuring a vibrant and inclusive experience for all involved.
1. About the Festival:
The Mix-MATCH Arts Festival embraces an open and inclusive theme designed to encourage diverse interpretations and creative expression across a wide range of artistic disciplines. The Festival fosters an environment where experimental and traditional works can exist side by side, emphasizing collaboration and interdisciplinary exchange among artists from varied backgrounds. Originality is strongly encouraged, with special consideration given to new works and innovative reinterpretations. Above all, the Festival celebrates artistic diversity, striving to showcase a broad spectrum of styles, genres, cultural influences, and voices in its final lineup.
2. Submission Guidelines:
All submissions must be submitted by May 31, 2026. Application should be submitted via the online application found here.
Blind peer reviews will be due back by June 28, 2026.Groups that do not complete the peer review process, will not be included in the final selection process. (see details below)
The decision for final approval of Festival participants will be on or around July 27, 2026.
3. Selection Process:
Festival applicants must take part in a blind peer-review process, rating fellow applicants as Yes/Maybe/No question via an anonymous online form sent after the application closes. Final selections will be made by the Festival Director, who will curate the highest-rated applicants across disciplines to create a balanced experience for festival patrons.
8. Exhibition/Performance Spaces:
The Mix-MATCH Festival will utilize all 4 performance spaces, as well as the gallery.
Participants may request specific spaces, but the Festival Director will make final space assignments based on the overall schedule and needs of the individual participant groups.
9. Performance blocks:
Performance blocks will 60 minutes. Participants that have works shorter than 60 minutes will be grouped with another participating group (or groups) to create a full 60 minute performance block. Best efforts will be made to create cohesive and complementary performance blocks. Shorter works will need to be able to be easily transitioned in and out of to allow for combined performance blocks.
10. Gallery:
If a suitable number of visual artists submit applications, the gallery will be used for visual arts installations.
11. Financial Sponsorship & Future Support
Each approved participating group/artist will receive a $1000 stipend to help with costs associated with creating new works or remounting existing works. Selected participants will receive half of the stipend upon selection and signing of the festival agreement. The second half of the payment will be made within 10 days following the Festival.
Groups that want to continue to develop their project after the Festival will be allowed to petition MATCH for free use of an available theater space or the gallery for up to 2 days (Monday or Tuesday) up to one year after the festival. Participants will be responsible for whatever labor or miscellaneous costs (insurance, etc) are associated with the performance or installation, but the space will be complimentary as part of the benefit of participating in the Festival.
12. Total Participation
The final number of performance participants will be determined by the number of available time slots and how the various proposed projects fit together as a whole. The estimated number of participants is between 16 – 25. The total number of visual artists will be determined by the number of artists and the scope of the work they are planning to present. The estimated number of visual arts participants is between 4 – 7.
13. Tech and Performance Dates (Performance groups)
Tech for the Festival will take place Wednesday, Jan. 13 through Friday, January 15, 2027 between 12pm – 11pm. Participants must be available during those hours to allow flexibility of scheduling.Total tech time for each participant group will ultimately be determined by the total number of participants. Tech time will be at least 90 minutes but possibly as long as 2 hours. Tech needs will need to be realistically achievable within the time available.Please note, your designated tech time is intended to include whatever set up and tech is necessary for your performance and may not be enough for a full rehearsal depending on your tech needs.
The Festival itself will take place on Saturday, January 16, 2027. Festival participants must be available between 1pm – 10pm to allow flexibility of scheduling. The final tech rehearsal and performance schedule will be announced by December 2026.
14. Gallery Installation
Installation dates for the gallery will be determined closer to the festival, but may begin as early as January 4th.
15. Tech requirements
The Festival will make best efforts to accommodate tech requirements with approved participants, but the Festival Director will have final approval of any technical element. Please be sure to include any details about special technical requirements you may have in the Festival application. Approved projects will need to update the Festival Director throughout the creative process on any additional technical requirements that will need approval. Participants may be asked to attend a production meeting to discuss technical requirements prior to final approval of technical needs.
Mix-MATCH is a one-day festival featuring multiple performances in all 4 of the performance spaces, as well as an exhibition of artists in the Gallery. Because this is a festival, it is important that groups have realistic tech goals for their performance that can be achieved in a limited tech time and turnover between performances
For a PDF verision of these guidelines CLICK HERE.