Art Worth Festival names 2026 jury for Fort Worth show

By AI, Created 9:28 AM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Fort Worth’s Art Worth Festival has named five jurors who will score artist applications for the 2026 event at The Shops at Clearfork. Selections will be announced in mid-June ahead of the October festival, which aims to strengthen its place among top national art shows.

Why it matters: - The jury will decide which artists are invited to exhibit at the fifth-annual Art Worth Festival. - The festival is trying to move into the ranks of the nation’s top-level art shows. - The event also brings live art demonstrations and direct visitor interaction with artists to Fort Worth.

What happened: - ArtWorks Foundation announced the five-member jury for the 2026 Art Worth Festival in Fort Worth. - The festival will take place Oct. 23-25, 2026, on the lawn of The Shops at Clearfork. - The jury includes representatives from the Saint Louis Art Fair and Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show. - The jury also includes three Fort Worth-area figures known in the regional art scene.

The details: - Christopher Buonomo is a nationally known artist and managing director of the Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show. - Megan Zaranek is associate director of the Saint Louis Art Fair. - Amy Flynn is a retired artist and former exhibitor in art festivals. - Pamela Summers is a Fort Worth ceramic artist whose work has been shown throughout the Southwest. - Thomas Lake is a longtime volunteer with Fort Worth’s MainStreet Arts Festival and has supported Art Worth since its inception. - The jurors will review artists without knowing their identities. - Each application will be scored from 1 to 10, with 10 as the highest score. - Jurors will judge artistic excellence, including quality, design and overall impression of original hand-crafted work. - Festival organizers said the jury’s selections will be announced in mid-June. - The festival runs Friday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - The venue is The Shops at Clearfork, Edwards Ranch Road at Monahans Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76109. - Free parking will be available at the center. - Cafes and restaurants are adjacent to the festival grounds. - ArtWorks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on helping artists grow through exhibitions and education. - The foundation also awards scholarships for advanced study workshops at schools for fine craft. - ArtWorks Foundation is working to establish a regional center for the Decorative Arts in Fort Worth. - More information is available at artworthfest.org and artworks.foundation. - Festival social channels are listed at Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Between the lines: - The jury mix suggests Art Worth is leaning on outside festival expertise and local art-world credibility at the same time. - Keeping artist identities hidden is meant to support a merit-based selection process. - Emphasis on fine art, fine craft and live demonstrations positions the festival as both a market and an audience experience.

What’s next: - Jury scoring will continue ahead of the mid-June artist announcement. - Selected artists will be invited to exhibit at the October festival. - Organizers will use the 2026 show to build momentum for Art Worth’s longer-term growth as a nationally recognized festival.

The bottom line: - Fort Worth’s Art Worth Festival is pairing a high-profile jury with a blind review process as it prepares for its fifth year and a larger national profile.