2026 Right Whale Festival Call to Artists

The Right Whale Festival is held in Fernandina Beach, FL to celebrate North Atlantic right whales and their annual return to the waters of the Southeast U.S., which is the only known right whale calving area. The 2026 Right Whale Festival will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, and Sunday, November 8, 2026. More information on the festival is available at www.rightwhalefestival.com. 

We invite interested individuals to participate in an annual poster design contest (see previous posters on website). Designs will be voted on by the Right Whale Festival planning committee and partners. The chosen poster design will also be used for t-shirts and advertisements. 

Submission Details: 

Please submit a pdf your poster via email: rightwhalefestival@gmail.com by 5pm on Monday, April 27, 2026. 

Please include “RWF Call to Artists” and your last name in the subject line. 

Include the following information in your submission email:

· Name

· Email address

· Phone number

· School, Year of Graduation, & Major (if applicable)

· Instructor name and contact info (if submitted as part of class project)

· Please disclose any use of AI. 

Please refer to previous posters (available the festival website www.rightwhalefestival.com) as examples. Other questions can be directed to rightwhalefestival@gmail.com. Winner will be notified by Friday, May 8, 2026.

Poster Design Requirements: 

· 11x17

· Must include a mother and calf (baby) right whale. In addition to right whales, other marine species that are often struck by vessels may be included. 

· Physical characteristics feature of the right whales should be anatomically correct (ex. paddle shaped flipper vs. pointed).

· Artwork must be original.

· Poster should include the Right Whale Festival logo either incorporated into the artwork or somewhere on the poster (see top left of this announcement). The logo is available on the festival website, or a vector version can be requested by sending an email to the address above.

· Include white space for sponsor logos along the bottom.

· Incorporate this year’s theme into the poster design: “Their Future, Our Fight”

· Text to be included (subject to change): 

2026 Right Whale Festival

Free Admission, Family Fun, Live Music, Arts & Crafts, Kids Activities, Beach Clean-up, Educational Exhibits, Athletic Events, Food, and so much more!  

Main Beach Park

Fernandina Beach, Florida

Saturday, November 7, 2026

10:00am-6:00pm

Sunday, November 8, 2026

10:00am-3:00pm 

www.rightwhalefestival.com 

Protecting North Atlantic right whales is something we should all be part of. With fewer than 380 remaining, their future depends on all of us. Everyone—including families and communities—plays an important role in helping to protect these whales. Join us at the festival to learn how you can join the effort and help ensure a future for right whales.

Other Requirements:

· Artist should be willing to work with a representative from the Right Whale Festival to make necessary edits or modifications to the design, create one color and one black & white ad for print advertisements, as well as, the design for t-shirts, and other materials as needed.

· Artist must provide designs files in the Adobe design program used, upon request.

Recognition:

· Artist’s name will be included on the festival poster, listed on the rightwhalefestival.com website, and recognized on our social media pages. 

· Artists will receive formal recognition on stage at the festival (if artist choses to attend the festival, it will be at his/her own expense). 

· Artist will be provided with each item in which their design was used including posters, t-shirts, advertisements, and any additional items. 

Links to right whale images and information:

https://rightwhalefestival.com/about

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/north-atlantic-right-whale

https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/north-atlantic-right-whale/

https://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/right-whales/

https://mission.cmaquarium.org/research-institute/right-whale-research/

https://rightwhalefestival.com/help-whales

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/how-you-can-help-north-atlantic-right-whales