Mississippi Earthtones Festival issues Call for Art reminder; deadline

By Managing Editor | June 23, 2026 |

The hosts of the Mississippi Earthtones Festival are searching for an artist to design entryway banners for the 20th Annual Mississippi Earthtones Festival on Sept. 19, 2026.

Hosts Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project, Alton Main Street, and the Jacoby Arts Center encourage interested artists to apply for this exciting opportunity.

The banners will greet thousands of festival-goers each year as they arrive at the Alton Riverfront. They will be the first thing people see as they walk through the main entrances and will set the tone for the MEF experience.

This is a paid opportunity, and the selected artist will receive a financial award for the right to use their artwork in the production of festival entryway banners.

This award and banner production is made possible by the generous support of American Rivers.

“We appreciate American Rivers’ sponsorship for the Mississippi Earthtones Festival branding endeavor,” said Christine Favilla, Three Rivers Project coordinator for the Sierra Club. “We fully believe in paying local artists for their original artwork and not using AI, as the data centers needed for AI include severe threats to the energy grid, water resources, and climate progress. The Riverbend Region has wonderful artists and we look forward to working with them while protecting our natural resources.”

Artwork should capture the spirit and mission of the Mississippi Earthtones Festival: A celebration of life on the Mississippi River through music, art, and conservation.

Submissions must reflect the following:

Theme – Designs should evoke the festival’s core mission: The Mississippi River, music, nature, and community. The festival name — Mississippi Earthtones Festival — should be legible and integrated naturally into the composition. Color palettes inspired by the river, earth, sky, and music are encouraged.
Scale and readability – This artwork will be printed large and viewed outdoors by people in motion. Designs must be bold and readable at a distance. Avoid fine detail that will be lost in print.
Single-sided print – The arch banner prints on one side only.
Originality – All submitted artwork must be original work created by the submitting artist. Do not incorporate stock imagery, unlicensed photography, or AI-generated elements.
Family-friendly – The festival is free and open to all ages. Designs must be appropriate for a general public audience.

Full guidelines and the submission form are available here.

Submissions are due by July 10, 2026.

Up to three submissions per artist will be accepted. Final selection will be made by the organizers of the Mississippi Earthtones Festival.

“This year, 2026, marks 20 years of MEF. Your artwork will help us welcome guests for the next 20 years,” said Rachel Lappin, executive director of Jacoby Arts Center.