2024 Denver Chalk Art Festival

The Denver Chalk Art Festival is an award-winning event that transforms Denver's historical museum district into a colorful street museum. Over two days, 200 professional, amateur, and student artists create chalk drawings on pavement using soft pastels. The festival attracts 175,000 attendees who enjoy food and live music while watching chalk pieces come to life. The event is produced by Denver Chalk Art and CherryArts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting arts awareness and education in Denver.

The festival takes place June 1st & 2nd, 2024, with an Awards Ceremony at 5:00pm on Sunday. Two participation levels are available: Master level (for artists age 18 and up) and Youth Challenge (for high school aged students). Artists must submit four images: one of the proposed chalk drawing and three of past artwork in any medium. No artist will be considered without a sketch/image and brief description of their proposed work. Artists must produce the submitted artwork or obtain written approval to change their image. Artwork must be appropriate for public viewing with no words, symbols, or logos intended as advertising. Squares are 8'x8'; if artwork is not square, it must reach 8 feet in one direction. Limited 8'x12' vertical spaces are reserved for 3-D challenge entries. Mural teams (minimum 3-4 artists) can apply to create 8'x12' horizontal images. Only non-oil-based soft chalk/pastels in solid form are permitted; acrylic paints, spray can pastels, oil-based pastels, and hard pastels are not acceptable.

Chalk artists are not paid and there is no reimbursement for travel or lodging. The festival provides one set of 24 soft pastels, water, and breakfast and lunch throughout the weekend. All artists are invited to attend a VIP party. Artists are required to work on their chalk drawings both Saturday and Sunday. The deadline to enter is March 31st, 2024. Jury results will be announced by April 15th, 2024. Contact: Michael Rieger, Art Director, 720-331-6402, [email protected].