ARTIST REGISTRATION IS CLOSED FOR 2023.
FAQs for CHALK ARTISTS, 2023
DATES
The Chalk It Up Festival is held at Fremont Park and is open to the public on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, 9/2/23 – 9/4/23, from 10 am to 6 pm. This is when the park is open for visitors. There is live music all three days plus food and craft vendors. Fremont Park is located at 1515 Q Street in Sacramento. The park is a full city block surrounded by P Street, 15th Street, Q Street, and 16th Street. See Google Maps link John C. Frémont Park
ARTIST CHECK-IN
Artists have TWO choices for check-in.
- FRIDAY, 9/1/23, 4 – 7 pm, or
- SATURDAY, 9/2/23, 7 – 10 am
At Fremont Park – Friday, September 1st from 4:00pm – 7:00pm – we will be checking in pre-registered artists who have been matched with a sponsor. The registration area will re-open at 7:00 am on Saturday, September 2nd from 7:00 –10:00 am.
ARTISTS ARE WELCOME to start their artwork on Friday evening after check-in!
WHAT YOU’LL RECEIVE AT CHECK-IN
Each artists will receive a tote bag with:
- Instruction card with includes your sidewalk location and sponsor information,
- One “starter kit” box of 24 chalk pastels (Double squares will receive two boxes),
- 10 large pieces of professional sidewalk chalk in your choice of colors (20 for Double squares),
- One Chalk It Up to Sacramento! commemorative t-shirt,
- Snacks and treats will be shared throughout the weekend.
THINGS TO BRING
- Sunblock
- Hat
- Knee pads or a garden kneeling pad
- Masking tape for marking lines
- A grater for grating chalk into powder
- Paint brushes and cups to mix powdered chalk with water for “painting
- A spray bottle
- Plastic to tape down over your artwork to protect it overnight
- A camp chair or blanket for taking breaks.
- Snacks or money to visit food vendors.
- Money for purchasing additional chalk at the Chalk It Up Merch Tent, or you can bring your own chalk.
SPONSORS
As a registered artist, you have been matched with a sponsor, a patron of the arts who has made a donation to Chalk It Up. All artists are obligated to include their sponsor’s name in 6″ tall letters on the bottom of their art square. Please add your Sponsor’s name when you start your artwork, you can always change or embellish it throughout the weekend. Artists can sponsor themselves, can be sponsored by a friend or family member, or Chalk It Up can pair them with sponsor, usually a business or organization.
ABOUT THE CHALK
We order the large sticks of beautiful, buttery, richly-colored chalk from Eternity Arts in Michigan. You will receive 10 sticks of this chalk in your choice of colors as part of your starter kit. Additional sticks are available for sale at the Merchandise Tent. In 2022 they ran $3.25 per stick or 4 for $11 (sales tax included). 2023 prices TBA.
RULES ABOUT ARTWORK
Artists may choose to do any artwork they want but must include the name of the sponsor along the bottom of the sidewalk square in letters at least six inches high. Keep in mind that the artwork is up to the artist, but it should be appropriate for a family/children’s event. Keep it clean and wholesome – no religious or political statements, illegal references, inappropriate images, or anything that may be deemed offensive.
ARTIST CHECK OUT
You have until Monday at 2:00 pm to complete your masterpiece. All artists must “check-out” and more information on the check-out process will be provided.
COMMUNITY
Please join our artists-only private Facebook Group and our artists-only group text so we can keep you apprised of any updates. Don’t be afraid to ask other artists about their process. You will make friends and learn a lot!
HAVE FUN
For the full Chalk it Up! community experience, we recommend that you take some time to participate in the other activities that the festival has to offer… food trucks, live music, shaded beer garden . . .
LOCATION
Fremont Park is located between 15th and 16th Streets and P and Q Streets in downtown Sacramento. There is a RT light rail station 1⁄2 block from the park (16th St. Station) as well as bus routes serving the area. Take public transit, ride your bike or walk to the park. You’ll be glad you did.
PARKING
Street parking in midtown can be hard to find, and there is absolutely no parking allowed on the street around the perimeter of the park. Violators will be towed.
The SP+ Parking Garage at 1515 R Street, just one block from Chalk It Up, has typically offered a flat rate parking of $12 per day, available beginning at 5 am for those who want to start early.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
There is a Sac RT Light Rail station just one block away. Thank you to Sac RT for offering FREE public transportation for Chalk It Up Weekend!
BIKE VALET
We will have complimentary bicycle valet hosted by SABA near the beer garden.
FOOD VENDORS
There will be a variety of food vendors and trucks, from hamburgers to vegetarian fare, healthy bowls to favorite fried foods, even ice cream!
ARTS & CRAFT VENDORS
Don’t forget to bring a little mad money to pick up something for yourself or to work on that holiday gift list.
BEER GARDEN
Once again we will be serving cold adult beverages including wine, cider, and a variety of beers. The beer garden will be open from 10:00 am – 5:30 pm each day. You must be age 21 or older with ID to enter this area. No children are allowed.
LIVE MUSIC ALL-DAY
Eli Perry is putting together another great lineup of local bands to entertain you throughout the festival. Music runs from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm daily. We will share out the band line-up in August.
SOCIAL MEDIA
We encourage you to engage with Chalk It Up social media pages all year, but especially over the 3 days of the Labor Day weekend. If you post snapshots (or short video) of your square’s progress please tag us! We are @chalkitupsac on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
VOLUNTEER
As the Chalk It Up! Festival gets ever closer, we will once again be reliant upon the many excellent volunteers who step up every year. Might one of them be you? To make an event like Chalk It Up take place and still remain free, we require many selfless helpers assisting us in all aspects of keeping everything running smoothly. To become one of our invaluable volunteers please add yourself here: https://chalkitup.org/festival/volunteer/
Keeping Chalk it Up! Green
We encourage everyone to bring their own reusable water bottles or containers. There will be two water stations with chilled filtered water flowing all weekend. There will be Composting and Recycling boxes next to most of the garbage cans.
We will be sharing more information via email, our private Facebook group, and text before the festival.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!
Artist Information
- How much does it cost to particpate as an artist? None. Art Patrons — individuals, businesses, and organizations — sign up to sponsor the chalk art square and pay a donation to Chalk It Up. Artists are given a starter kit which includes a 24-pack of assorted chalk pastels, and 10 sticks of premium sidewalk chalk in their choice of colors.
- How do I get matched to a Chalk Square Patron Sponsor? Artists can choose to work with a person or business they know to sponsor them, or Chalk It Up can match artists with a sponsor who doesn’t have an artist to work with. It’s about 50/50 – some sponsors have artists and some need us to match them with an artist.
- What kind of equipment do I need to bring with me to the festival? Artists should bring whatever they need to complete their artwork such as chalk, brushes and sponges for blending, etc. Artists should also bring whatever they need to make themselves comfortable during the 3-day outdoor festival. Sunscreen, water bottles (we have chilled filtered water dispensers in the park for endless refils), snacks or money to patronize the food vendors at the festival, a blanket or camp chair for taking breaks in the shade. Artists will be invited to join our private Facebook Group where artists can answer questions for each other and new artists can learn from the veteran artists.
- More questions? Contact us at info@chalkitup.org.
Artists are the lifeblood of the Chalk It Up Festival!
On Saturday morning of Labor Day Weekend artists begin work on their Chalk Art Square and will continue working on their masterpeice throughout the weekend. Each Chalk Square is sponsored by individuals, organizations, or businesses. These are our Sidewalk Chalk Square Sponsors, the Patrons of our art form, and it is their sponsorship donations that have helped keep the Chalk It Up Festival free for the public since 1991.
But the Chalk It Up Festival is all about the artists. We wouldn’t be here without you!
ARTIST REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
- Artists can request to be matched with a Chalk Art “Patron” Sponsor, or Artists can enlist a business, organization, or family member to be their sponsor.
- Artists will receive a start-up kit which includes a 24-pack of assorted chalk pastels, plus 10 sticks of premium chalk in their choice of colors.
- Artists will be listed on our virtual event map, including a link to the artists’ social media page or website, along with their bio or artist statement*.
- Artists agree to include their Chalk Art “Patron” Sponsor’s name in 6” tall letters on the bottom of their art square
