Local artists have until Friday, July 31, to submit designs for the official poster of the fourth annual Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival, a paid commission that will put one creator's work front and center for the free, two-day event at City Green.

The City of Sandy Springs is seeking artists with a "meaningful connection" to the community. Painters, illustrators, graphic designers, multimedia artists and other visual creatives can apply regardless of formal credentials, according to the city's official posting. Proposals are accepted at sandyspringsga.gov/bluestone.

The winning design becomes the festival's signature image for 2026.

The city said in its call for entries that it welcomes proposals from emerging and established creators alike, and that "what matters most is their creative vision and their ability to capture the spirit of Sandy Springs." Full submission requirements are posted on the city's website. The commission amount has not been publicly disclosed.

The festival

The Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival returns to the City Springs District on Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26. Admission is free.

Headliner Allen Stone, a Chewelah, Washington, native known for blending soul, R&B, funk and pop, performs Saturday, September 26. Stone is touring with Chris Stapleton's All-American Road Show through August and joins Teddy Swims' The UGLY Tour in November. New York City alt-rock band Nicotine Dolls opens the festival, and Squonk's Joy Machine, billed by organizers as an immersive outdoor music spectacle, makes its Georgia premiere on both days.

The festival also features a market with more than 60 artists, an emerging artists exhibit, a kids and sports zone, and the Blue Stone 5K-9, a dog-friendly race that qualifies runners for the Northside Hospital Peachtree Road Race. A limited number of adaptive handcycles will be available.

Anna Nikolas leads the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center's Signature Events Department, which produces the festival alongside the Sandy Springs Foundation.

Upcoming dates

  • Friday, July 31 — Poster design proposals due (sandyspringsga.gov/bluestone)
  • Friday, September 18 — Vendor application deadline
  • Friday, September 25 – Saturday, September 26 — Blue Stone Arts & Music Festival, City Green at City Springs, 1 Galambos Way