We are delighted to invite artists and designers to apply for the 2027 Carbondale Arts Fashion Show, one of Carbondale’s most exciting annual events. This dynamic production showcases talent through designers, models, dancers, performers, and multimedia storytelling, and consistently sells out with more than 600 tickets each night, for 3 nights. Click here to learn more and view recordings of past shows.
NEW THIS YEAR: Designer Stipends!
In recognition of the time, creativity, and resources that designers invest in creating their collections, Carbondale Arts is offering designer stipends to help offset the costs of creating a collection.
Stipends will be awarded based on the number of featured looks in each collection:
3–4 looks: $100
5 looks: $150
6 looks: $200
7+ looks: $250
Stipends are capped at $250 per designer or design team. Collections curated by retail stores are not eligible for designer stipends.
DESIGNER ELIGIBILITY & REVIEW CRITERIA
Out-of-state and international applications are accepted with a priority given to Colorado-based applicants.
A design review committee will consider designer applications using a set of criteria to help guide decisions.
Sustainability: Clothing must be sustainably created using a combination of ethically sourced, sustainable fabrics, up-cycled, and/or recycled materials made by the applying designer or in a fair trade and/or locally-sourced scenario.
Inclusive Clothing: This show is rooted in community, celebrates diversity and strives to be broadly inclusive. To this end, Carbondale Arts works with amateur, volunteer models from the community and cares deeply about presenting all bodies types in the fashion show. We strongly encourage that your collection accommodates a range of shapes and sizes. Please consider this in the model sizing section of the application and note if and how you are able to accommodate a range of body types.
Please also consider gender inclusivity when describing your collection. You can list in your application the range of genders that you can accommodate, including but not limited to male, female, and gender neutral.
Thematic Relevance: While designers are not required to create a collection that is reflective of the 2027 theme, creative synergy between between designs and show theme makes for a compelling and cohesive show. So we encourage designers to consider theme when creating a collection. This year's theme is Labyrinth:
The Labyrinth symbolizes so many things; how will you interpret it? Think geometry, surrealism, illusion, repetition, disorientation, mirrors, maps, myths, monsters, guides, thresholds, transformation, entrapment, escape, or something we haven’t thought of at all. One of our sources of inspiration is the 1986 Jim Henson film Labyrinth with its power dynamics, puppetry, humor, trickery, betrayal, transformation, and, of course, Bowie.
There is no single path through The Labyrinth - we want to see which one you take.
TIMELINE (some tentative dates, subject to change)
Designer application opens: September 30, 2026
Application deadline: December 1st, 2026
Designers notified of acceptance: no later than December 11th, 2026
Designer check-in: February 1st-5th, 2027
Collections due: Friday March 5th 2027
Show Dates: March 11-13th 2027
DESIGNER AWARDS
Carbondale Arts will continue the Designer Awards for the 2027 Fashion Show. Prizes will be awarded after the Fashion Show.
People's Choice: $500
The audience will vote on their favorite collection in the show.
Best Use of Materials: $250
This goes to the collection that goes above and beyond with its use of sustainable, reuseable, or upcycled materials.
Best Use of Theme: $250
Awarded to the collection that best embraces the 2027 Fashion Show theme: Labyrinth.
Collections curated by retails stores are not eligible for Designer Awards.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Models, hair and makeup, music, and runway blocking will all be provided for you. Hair and makeup will be styled for the show as a whole, as models will appear in more than one designer’s collection.
Collections featuring fewer than 5 looks may be paired with another line of under 5 looks. In this case, both lines will be featured separately on the runway, but within one shared song.
All designers/designer teams receive 2 complimentary general admission tickets to the show for a night of their choosing. These are based on availability, and we may not be able to accommodate your first choice.
For more information contact info@carbondalearts.com.