Submission Deadline: 

March 14, 2025 (received by 9:00PM EST via Submittable) 

Project Overview

ArtsFairfax is seeking professional chalk artists to produce live artwork on The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center for their “Blossom Bash,” an official National Cherry Blossom Festival event. In addition to live performances, retail booths, and food and drink specials, “Blossom Bash” will feature a live chalk drawing festival. Tysons Corner Center will be one of only five destination sites for DC’s official National Cherry Blossom Festival, offering visibility and a unique opportunity to create impactful public art that will celebrate the annual blooming of Washington D.C.’s famed cherry blossom trees.

Theme Chalk art should reflect cherry blossoms and the cultural significance of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC.

Prizes 

Chalk Art will be adjudicated in two categories: Professional Artists and Community participants. Winners will receive gift cards to retailers at Tysons Corner Center.

• Artist winner: $800
• Community winner: $200

Eligibility and Expectations

• Open to all professional artists; preference will be given to artists who live or work in Fairfax County and its surrounding region.
• Chalk artists at the event are not paid and there is no reimbursement for travel or lodging.
• Artists must be on-site for the outdoor chalk festival on March 30, 2025, from 10am to 3pm; judging will begin at 2pm (the event begins at 11am and Artists are invited to begin their work an hour early). Artwork should be completed during the duration of the event. 

Entry to the Plaza will begin on March 30th at 9:30am. Blossom Bash will be held rain or shine. In the event of rain, the artwork area will be tented. 

Each artwork area is 5’x5’ (25 square feet). Artists must produce the artwork submitted or get written approval to change their design. All produced artwork is for public viewing. All artwork must be family-friendly and in keeping with the cherry blossom theme. Copywritten characters, logos, political statements, or obscenity are not permitted.

Tysons Corner Center will provide (1) set of 48 soft pastels to selected artists. Any additional chalk and colors needed, particularly if the design has a predominant color, must be purchased by the artist(s) prior to the event. Only non-oil-based soft chalk/pastels in a solid form may be used. No acrylic paints, spray can pastels, oil-based pastels, hard pastels, etc. allowed.

Submission Requirements

Interested artists should submit:

• A sketch/image AND brief description of their proposed chalk drawing.
• 2-3 images of your prior artwork in any medium

Selection Process

• Artists will be accepted until all spots are filled.
• Applications are due by March 14; accepted artists will be notified by March 21.

Tysons Corner Center is Virginia’s premier shopping destination, featuring hundreds of stores, restaurants, and entertainment spaces. Selected chalk artists will sketch on a plot on the right side of the North Ellipse.

Read the complete Ticket & Participation Subsidy Grant Guidelines here.

Summary

Ticket & Participation Subsidy Grants are non-matching grants to Fairfax County, City of Fairfax, and City of Falls Church arts organizations to fund free and reduced-price tickets and transportation for performances, workshops, classes, and camps for people who may not have regular opportunities to experience the arts.

Award Amount

Applicants may request up to $5,000. No match is required. A Ticket & Participation Subsidy Grant is paid in full at the time of the award.

Eligible Expenses

a) Ticket Value (for free or reduced-priced tickets for performances)

b) Fees/Tuition for classes, workshops, and/or camps.

c) Transportation expenses.

Deadlines

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until available funds are expended through June 30, 2025.

Resources

• Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) – complete and email this form to NCS to be matched with one of the County’s many human service centers including early childhood, teen, community, and seniors. 
• Fairfax County Department of Transportation contact and programs
• List of human services organizations
• Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) arts division contacts

Arts organizations will complete this form once as part of the application process for grants that require an organization profile. This form collects key information about an organization—including mission, vision, values, and demographics. Applicants will upload a PDF of this form with certain FY26 ArtsFairfax Grant applications. Refer to the Grant Guidelines for review criteria.    

Instructions  

1. Complete the grant application eligibility quiz (i.e., Operating Support, Project Support) through ArtsFairfax’s online grant portal. 
2. Complete the Organization Profile form below.
3. After submitting, visit your account submissions page. Locate the Organization Profile in your list of submissions. 
4. Download your Organization Profile. 
5. Upload the PDF of your Organization Profile to your FY26 ArtsFairfax grant application where requested.

Returning Applicants may update and resubmit last year's profile OR may begin a new Organization Profile. 

To update and resubmit last year's profile, you MUST request it be opened for editing.  Applicants must review all questions and answers, and update the required information within the profile before they resubmit. 

Check the Organization Profile form for completeness and accuracy before uploading to your FY26 ArtsFairfax grant applications.

If you require accommodations or a translation in order to submit your application, please contact grants@artsfairfax.org at least two weeks prior your application's deadline.

Capital One Hall includes a state-of-the-art Main performance Hall, The Vault black box theatre, and Classrooms available for community use at specially negotiated rates for Fairfax County-based non-profit arts groups and arts-related programming by Fairfax County government agencies and Fairfax County Public schools. ArtsFairfax is accepting online applications for arts use of the spaces by eligible Fairfax County community arts organizations and agencies on behalf of the County. Applications will be screened for eligibility and provided to the County. Approved arts organizations and programs will be submitted to Capital One Hall's operator for integration into the Season VI schedule.

  Please visit https://artsfairfax.org/capitalonehall/ to view information on the Technical Specifications, Sample Contract, Costs, Seasonal List Development Calendar, and Application Process.
 

Each organization can submit one application for all of the events they wish to apply for. Each application contains questions about the unique performances you wish to apply for, and use of all available spaces (Main Hall, Vault, and Classrooms).

The sixth season starts September 1, 2026 and ends June 30, 2027.

  If you're interested in using only the atrium, other non-arts spaces, or dates outside the designated for community use in the Capital One Hall, please contact info@CapitalOneHall.com. These spaces/dates are not covered by the Capital One Hall Community Partnership application process.

  Applications must be submitted by May 1, 2025 at 7pm EST.








 

Applications are due by 7:00 PM on Friday, March 28, 2025. 

ArtsFairfax’s Operating Support Grant Program advances the arts in Fairfax County by supporting the goals and objectives of the county’s arts organizations, helping them maintain and develop their programs, services, and facilities. ArtsFairfax embraces the county’s One Fairfax racial and social equity policy. Artists and arts organizations receiving ArtsFairfax grants must intentionally examine their operations, programs, and services to ensure that equity, diversity, access, and inclusion are taken into consideration with decision-making, development, and deployment of policies, programs, and services. 

View the Grant Guidelines on our Website.

Complete the eligibility quiz below to begin your application.  The full text of the Eligibility Criteria for General Operating Support Grants can be reviewed within the Grant Guidelines linked above.

If you require accommodations or a translation in order to submit your application, please contact grants@artsfairfax.org at least two weeks prior your application's deadline.
 

This application references the Organization Profile, which can be found at this link: ArtsFairfax Submittable

Applications are due by 7:00 PM on Friday, March 28, 2025. 

ArtsFairfax’s Operating Support Grant Program advances the arts in Fairfax County by supporting the goals and objectives of the county’s arts organizations, helping them maintain and develop their programs, services, and facilities. ArtsFairfax embraces the county’s One Fairfax racial and social equity policy. Artists and arts organizations receiving ArtsFairfax grants must intentionally examine their operations, programs, and services to ensure that equity, diversity, access, and inclusion are taken into consideration with decision-making, development, and deployment of policies, programs, and services. 

View the Grant Guidelines on our Website.

Complete the eligibility quiz below to begin your application.  The full text of Eligibility Criteria for General Operating Support Grants can be reviewed within the Grant Guidelines linked above.

If you require accommodations or a translation in order to submit your application, please contact grants@artsfairfax.org at least two weeks prior your application's deadline.

This application references the Organization Profile, which can be found at this link: ArtsFairfax Submittable

The ArtsFairfax Awards recognize the visionary contributions that the arts bring to Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. The event brings together elected officials, business professionals, and arts and community leaders to celebrate artists, arts organizations, and the private sector.

Education Award
 The Education Award recognizes an artist or arts organization for providing exceptional arts education opportunities and experiences.

Impact Award
 The Impact Award recognizes an arts organization, program, or activity that has provided significant impact in the Fairfax community.

Philanthropy Award
 The Philanthropy Award acknowledges private sector support of the arts in Fairfax County and/or the Cities of Fairfax or Falls Church, by honoring an individual, corporation, or foundation that has provided leadership funding, long-term monetary support, or significant investment in the arts.


ArtsFairfax Awards Nomination Process

Eligibility:
 Nominated individuals, organizations, corporations, and foundations must reside in or conduct the predominant portion of their professional activity in Fairfax County or the Cities of Fairfax or Falls Church. Past winners are not eligible to win the same award, but may be nominated in a different category.

Submissions:
The deadline for nominations is 5:00pm on Friday, February 28, 2025. Notification to award winners will be made on or before March 31, 2025.  

 All applications must be submitted via this online portal. All application questions must be answered (maximum of 500 words per response).

 Submission of up to two (2) supplemental materials is optional, but encouraged. Supplemental materials may include, but are not limited to, program brochures, press reviews or articles, testimonials, letters of support, or other marketing materials.

 Nominations of multiple individuals or organizations by one nominator are allowed. Please complete a separate form for each nomination. Self-nominations are accepted. If you are aware that you and others would like to nominate the same individual or organization, we encourage you to collaborate and submit a single nomination, if possible. Submitting multiple nominations does not increase the chances of receiving an award.

Questions:
 Please contact Caroline Barnes at cbarnes@artsfairfax.org for additional information and assistance.

Recognition:
 ArtsFairfax will announce Awards winners to the public through our website, press releases, e-newsletters, and social media. ArtsFairfax will ask awardees to provide biographical information and photos. We will arrange to conduct a video interview with each awardee during the summer. We will present the video as part of the awards ceremony. The video interview will be the property of ArtsFairfax and used in future promotions.

ArtsFairfax Awards Event:
 The 2025 ArtsFairfax Awards will be held on Friday, October 24, 2025 from 11:30am-2:00pm at the Hyatt Regency Reston. We offer each awardee four (4) complimentary tickets to attend the ArtsFairfax Awards. Tables or additional seats may be purchased at special sponsorship or nonprofit rates.