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Wooden Boat Festival Artist’s Brief

About the Wooden Boat Festival
The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival is the largest festival of its kind in North America. Over the
course of three days, more than 30,000 people from across the country experience the richness of
maritime culture across the world, the beauty of wooden boats, and the magic of getting out on the
water. Wooden boat enthusiasts come to the festival each year to swap stories, sharing both traditional
approaches and the latest innovations in boatbuilding, equipment, skills, and adventure.
Beyond celebrating the beauty of wooden boats, the Wooden Boat Festival honors the men and women
who have dedicated their lives to craftsmanship and intention, as well the community of Port Townsend,
where the maritime trades are very much alive.

Wooden Boat Festival Artwork

WBF is now accepting submissions for the WBF 2024 graphic concept to be reproduced on thousands of
posters, postcards, potentially t-shirts and other visual elements of the Festival. Whether you are
world-famous, or an aspiring artist, this is an exciting opportunity to share your work with a community
dedicated to beauty, craftsmanship, and community. NWMC and WBF have worked closely with local,
regional, national, and international artists over the last 45 years to create compelling visual themes.
The chosen artwork will become the icon of WBF 2024 and will be showcased across all elements of
WBF. WBF 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.
WBF/NWMC is 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 WBF artists have included Claire Accord, Nikki
McClure, Victor Melendez, Neil Rabinowitz, Hanna VIano, Jesse Watson, and Chris Witkowski.

See past WBF artwork here: https://woodenboat.org/festival-archives/

Read our full antiracism/inclusion statement here :
https://nwmaritime.org/about/nwmc-antiracism-inclusion-statement/

431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368
nwmaritime.org | 360.385.3628
NORTHWEST MARITIME CENTER

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
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.
● A letter of interest including why you wish to have your artwork represent WBF and your
connection to the water.
Artists will be selected using the above criteria and will be evaluated by the Festival planning team.
Artwork will become the property of WBF/NWMC.
Submit your entry to art@woodenboat.org
Design Guidelines
Poster size 18” x 24”
Resolution 300dpi (print)
Media A variety of 2D media have been successful in the past
Style Over 45 years, those graphics that have been most successful have shared the
following attributes—we look forward to your take on WBF’s visual identity!
● Clear, compelling imagery evoking the feel of WBF
● The proposed artwork must be designed specifically to promote the WBF
and may not come from an existing portfolio
● Composition that will work well as both a poster and a t-shirt (some
modifications are to be expected for each).
● A strong central subject, area of focus or something similar that translates
effectively to apparel-large, detailed landscapes have been less successful
in the past
● High contrast to read well from a distance and translate effectively to
apparel
● Imagery/style to appeal to our community of faithful WBF patrons and new,
younger audiences alike
● Space for WBF text & info (our design team can help with this if text is not
integral to the artwork)
● Visual reference/specificity to Port Townsend/Puget Sound
● Representation of tools, traditions, craft of wooden boats, and/or sailing and
the sea
431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368
nwmaritime.org | 360.385.3628
NORTHWEST MARITIME CENTER

Timeline
Oct 1 Call for Artists
Dec 1 Submission Deadline
Dec 4 Selection & Contracting
Jan 15 Art due – begin work to convert to graphic
Feb-March Poster and merch design process in collaboration with artist
Sept 7 Poster signing event at Wooden Boat Festival 2024
Sept 6-8 Wooden Boat Festival 2024

The selected artist will receive
● The option to sign conference posters at WBF 2024 for self-promotion
● An artist bio in the Festival program; (40,000) distribution
● Promotion through WBF and NWMC websites, including bio and link to artist’s portfolio
● Display & recognition opportunities in the Wooden Boat Chandlery retail store
● Copies of the Festival poster
● Merch featuring Festival artwork
● $1800 commission (artwork becomes the property of NWMC)
Questions? Please contact art@woodenboat.org for more information.

https://woodenboat.org/poster-artist-entry/

Opportunity Website

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Calls & SubmissionsFree To ApplyPort Townsend