Gallery Hop Street Participant Application
2026 Gallery Hop Dates
Gallery Hop is held on the first Saturday of every month:
- January 3
- February 7
- March 7
- April 4
- May 2
- June 6
- July 4
- August 1
- September 5
- October 3
- November 7
- December 5
ABOUT GALLERY HOP
Gallery Hop is a 42-year tradition in Columbus’ Short North Arts District! On the first Saturday of each month, thousands of visitors converge on High Street to experience new exhibitions, add to their own art collections, and gather with the creative community. Visit our galleries, non-traditional exhibit spaces, performance venues, and more to make the most of this monthly celebration of art and creativity.
Gallery Hop is an event of the Short North Alliance. Learn more at shortnorth.org/about.
Get Involved
with Gallery Hop and other Short North events!
The 2026 Short North events schedule has not yet been finalized. Please use the following application to apply for upcoming Gallery Hops, as well as any future events put on by the Short North Alliance. To perform or create live during Gallery Hop, you must complete a monthly application via the form below to obtain a permit. Priority will be given to applications received by the 1st of the month PRIOR to Gallery Hop.
Gallery Hop Street Performers and Live Artists
WHO: Visual artists and street performers of any kind who sing, dance, create, and more!
WHERE: Outside along the High Street sidewalks in the Short North Arts District
WHEN: From 4 – 8pm on Gallery Hop Saturdays, the first Saturday of every month, excluding January. (Hours subject to change.)
PARTICIPANT SELECTION: Performers are selected monthly at the discretion of the Short North Alliance based on the availability of space, the mix of applicants, and in consideration of other activities that may be happening in the Short North during Gallery Hop. If performers and vendors meet the guidelines and are deemed suitable in their live performance standards, the Short North Alliance will issue an acceptance to those selected no later than the Tuesday BEFORE Gallery Hop week. Permits will be sent the week of each Gallery Hop.
HOW TO APPLY: To perform or create live during Gallery Hop, you must complete a monthly application via the form below to obtain a permit. Priority will be given to applications received by the 1st of the month PRIOR to Gallery Hop.
PERFORMER AND LIVE ART APPLICATION DUE DATES:
- February 7 Hop: Due January 1
- March 7 Hop: Due February 1
- April 4 Hop: Due March 1
- May 2 Hop: Due April 1
- June 6 Hop: Due May 1
- July 4 Hop: Due June 1
- August 1 Hop: Due July 1
- September 5 Hop: Due August 1
- October 3 Hop: Due September 1
- November 7 Hop: Due October 1
- December 5 Hop: Due November 1
PARTICIPANT FEES: There are no participant fees required for performers, entertainers, and live visual artists. If you are planning to sell goods, please await further information regarding our vendor markets.
Please download and read the UPDATED 2026 Gallery Hop Performer Guidelines before submitting your application. Your online signature and agreement to these guidelines are required in the form below.
Gallery Hop Vendors
Vendor application details and due dates to be released at a later date. Please check back regularly for further details.
Permits
The Short North Alliance holds a Community Market License (No. 2013014800), issued by the City of Columbus Department of Public Safety. The Community Market License allows the Short North Alliance to have authority over the public right-of-way on High Street from Goodale St to 5th Avenue on Gallery Hop Saturdays to ensure public safety during Gallery Hop nights. In order to conduct sales at ANY time, you must secure a Vendor’s License from the State of Ohio.
Volunteer with us!
Not an artist but want to get involved? Join the team as a volunteer! Volunteers help make events like Gallery Hop fun, safe, and memorable. It’s a great way to be part of the local creative community while building your network and giving back.
WHAT WE ALLOW
- Entertainers and performers of all kinds, including live creation of visual art
- Non-profit or cause-related information distribution
- Visual arts or other artisan handicraft vendors*
* Anything being sold must be handcrafted. The spirit of Gallery Hop is to promote art within the Short North Arts District. Handcrafted as defined within the parameters of this event means the final product sold must be hand-created by the vendor. Therefore, elements of the piece may be manufactured but the final piece must be the creation of the vendor. Example: a vendor selling paintings: the canvas and paint are manufactured but the final product is the creation of the vendor. The Short North Alliance reserves the right to determine what acceptable handcrafted items are for purposes of Gallery Hop.
WHAT WE DO NOT ALLOW
- Food or beverage sales
- For-profit cause-related information distribution
- Advertising
- Aggressive leafleting
- Aggressive panhandling
- Activities and items that are not artistic in nature that do not contribute to the creative vibrancy of the event*
* Items being sold cannot be manufactured (i.e., manufactured posters, T-shirts, books, etc.)
