Overview
Charleston Beer Fest is hosting an open competition to select the Official 2026 Charleston Beer Fest Poster Design.
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The winning design will be used across print and digital marketing materials and displayed at the festival on:
October 24, 2026
Riverfront Park – North Charleston, SC
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This competition is organized by Palmetto Community Care, the nonprofit organization behind Charleston Beer Fest.
Eligibility
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Open to artists and designers 18 years of age or older.
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Open to U.S. residents.
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Employees of Palmetto Community Care and immediate family members are not eligible.
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Entries must be original work created solely by the submitting artist.
Original Work &
AI Policy
All submissions must be entirely original artwork created by the entrant.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools — including but not limited to Midjourney, DALL·E, Stable Diffusion, Firefly, or similar platforms — to generate artwork, imagery, layouts, or primary visual elements is strictly prohibited.
AI-assisted or AI-generated submissions will be disqualified.
By submitting an entry, artists certify that:
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The artwork was created by the artist without the use of generative AI tools.
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The work does not infringe on any third-party intellectual property.
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All elements are original or properly licensed.
Charleston Beer Fest reserves the right to request working files, sketches, drafts, or process documentation to verify originality.
Design Requirements
All submissions must:
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Clearly include:
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“Charleston Beer Fest”
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October 24, 2026
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Riverfront Park – North Charleston
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Include designated space for:
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Band lineup
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Brewery and sponsor logos
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Be designed at 11” x 17”
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Include bleeds
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Be submitted as a layered AI, PSD, or layered PDF file
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Maintain organized, editable layers (layers are required for marketing adaptations)
Flat JPG or PNG files will not be accepted.
Incomplete or improperly formatted submissions may be disqualified.
Submission Deadline
All entries must be received by:
Sunday, March 29, 2026. 11:59PM EST
Late submissions will not be accepted.
Judging Process
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The competition will use a hybrid voting structure:
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The Beer Fest team will review all eligible submissions.
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A group of finalists (typically 5–10) will be selected.
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Public voting will take place.
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Final approval and winner selection will be made by the Charleston Beer Fest team.
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Charleston Beer Fest reserves the right not to select a winner if submissions do not meet quality or brand standards.
Prize Package
The selected winner will receive:
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Two (2) VIP tickets to Charleston Beer Fest 2026
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Official Beer Fest merchandise pack
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Artist spotlight and bio featured on the Beer Fest website and social media
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Recognition as the Official 2026 Poster Artist
Ownership & Usage Rights
By submitting artwork to this competition:
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Entrants affirm that the work is original and does not infringe upon any third-party rights.
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Entrants grant Palmetto Community Care permission to display submitted artwork for promotional and voting purposes during the competition.
Winning Entry
The selected winning design becomes the sole property of Palmetto Community Care.
The winning artist agrees to:
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Transfer full commercial ownership and usage rights of the artwork to Palmetto Community Care.
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Allow the artwork to be reproduced, modified, resized, reformatted, or adapted for print, digital advertising, merchandise, signage, and promotional materials.
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Provide fully layered source files upon request.
The winning artist retains the right to display the artwork in personal portfolios and self-promotion, identified as the Official 2026 Charleston Beer Fest Poster.
Disqualification & General Conditions
Entries may be disqualified if:
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They contain copyrighted or trademarked material without permission.
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They include offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate content.
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They fail to meet technical specifications.
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They violate the AI restriction policy outlined above.
By entering, participants agree to:
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Release and hold harmless Palmetto Community Care from any claims arising from participation.
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Accept that all decisions by the Charleston Beer Fest team are final.
Charleston Beer Fest reserves the right to cancel, modify, or suspend the competition at any time.