Call Description

The 2026 Western Loudoun Art and Studio Tour (WLAST) is the 19th anniversary of the Tour. Our mission is to help promote Loudoun County as a scenic and cultural destination by producing a tour of our county’s visual artists, celebrating their work, and providing an educational experience for the public. The tour is produced as a joint project of Franklin Park Arts Center, Purcellville, Virginia, and Round Hill Arts Center, Round Hill, Virginia and operates under the 501(c)(3) status of Friends of Franklin Park Arts Center.

Eligibility:

Professional and emerging visual artists whose studios in Western Loudoun County meet specified criteria may apply as Studio Artists. Loudoun County artists who do not have a Western Loudoun studio suitable for visitors may apply as Guest Artists.

Media and Jury:

Two- and three-dimensional work will be considered, including but not limited to painting, drawing, fiber, wood, ceramics, photography, sculpture, and jewelry. All work is submitted to an independent group of jurors following the close of the application period at 1l:59 PM on January 31, 2026. There are no exceptions to the deadline. Applicants are notified of their acceptance/non-acceptance by mid-February, 2026.

Required Artist Information Meeting and Reception:

All participating artists are required to attend (or designate someone on their behalf to attend) the WLAST reception to hear about important changes, interact with other artists in their geographic clusters, enjoy work produced by all the artists on the Tour, and pick up their Tour signs and other supplies. New artists to the Tour will be able to interact with and benefit from the experiences of returning artists by attending this required event. The reception will be open to sponsors of the Tour and family and friends of the participating artists. 

The reception will be held at Franklin Park Performing and Visual Arts Center on Friday, May 8, 2026 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.  Mark your calendars!

Artists new to the Tour are required to attend a Zoom meeting that will be scheduled mid-April to ensure that artists receive all the information needed to ensure a successful Tour.

Tour Dates:

For the 19th anniversary Tour, WLAST will be advertised as a three-day tour: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June  5, 6, and 7, 2026. The selection of days open will be made in the application and advertised as such in all promotional material.

• Studios (either single artists or with guests) must be open on Saturday and Sunday, June 6 and 7, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day.
• Studios (either single artists or with guests) may add Friday, June 5, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM as an additional day and will be indicated in promotional material

Application Fees:

Application fees are based on status as a guest artist (no studio) or an artist in their own studio, with or without a guest.

• Artists in their own studio with or without a guest = $225
• Guest artist = $275

Fees are paid at the time of application either through PayPal in CaFE (credit card) or by mailing a check payable to:

• Friends of Franklin Park Arts Center/WLAST
• P. O. Box 653
• Round Hill, VA 20142

When paying by check, artists will be required to check out in CaFÉ by adding the check number for the payment to the application.

Artists who are not accepted into the Tour will be refunded all but $50 of their application fee.

Volunteers:

WLAST is supported by a volunteer planning committee and funded through a variety of means such as grants and donations. We ask that accepted artists assist where possible in promoting the Tour, volunteering for tasks, and participating in fundraising efforts to ensure that advertising reaches the widest audience possible.

Application Requirements

Applicants shall agree to and abide by the Rules and Terms to Apply. Applicants who are applying to the Tour as a new studio artist must submit at least two images of their studio. All applicants must submit 10 images of their work; at least two images of each medium must be included if more than one medium is submitted to the jury. If an applicant is in a new studio, they should submit 10 images of their work and send 2 images of their studio (one inside and one outside) to the studio tour email: studiotourWLAST@gmail.com. All applicants must answer the list of questions/additional information needed to produce the Tour. 

Eligibility Criteria

Professional and emerging visual artists whose studios in Western Loudoun County meet specified criteria may apply as Studio Artists. Loudoun County artists who do not have a Western Loudoun County studio suitable for visitors may apply as Guest Artists.Guest Artists will be placed in a studio or art center location by the WLAST Planning Committee; requests for placement must be included in the Guest Artist's application to be considered.