The Board of Directors of the Melbourne Art Festival, Inc. has voted to cancel the 2027 Melbourne Art FestivalTM – which would have been the 42nd annual fine art festival. The all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit will instead plan a Fine Art Auction in spring 2027 to raise scholarship funds.
The decision follows this year’s 41st festival, held April 25–26, 2026, at Wickham Park which attracted tens of thousands of local and out of town fine art enthusiasts. The decision to cancel next year’s fine art show was based on numerous issues including: a changing fine art festival market with fewer participating artists and patrons, rising production, security, insurance and service costs, reduced financial support from large sponsors, uncertainty of state and local grants, and too few younger volunteers and organizations stepping up to fill key committee and leadership roles as longtime members retire.
“This was a difficult but necessary vote,” said Doug Taylor, festival spokesperson. “We are deeply grateful to the artists, volunteers, sponsors, patrons, and public partners who made the past 40 plus years of festivals and auctions possible. The festival committee thanks the Brevard County Commission and the Tourist Development Council for providing many years of vital financial support for this free family friendly event. The committee also thanks Commissioner Rob Feltner for his continued passion and support of the Melbourne Art Festival through the years. Unfortunately, most single weekend community events like the Melbourne Art Festival do not qualify for TDC grants under new requirements for attracting out of town visitors.”
Taylor continued, “A focused Fine Art Auction gives us a way to raise money for potential future events and to continue to provide student scholarships to local students.” The spring 2027 Fine Art Auction will include entertainment and original works of art which were donated by festival artists over the past years. After the auction, the Board will review committee membership and the organization’s budget to determine whether future Melbourne Art Festivals can move forward.
The festival continues to welcome new and returning committee members, volunteers, sponsors, advertisers, and donors for the auction and potential future festivals. Individuals and organizations willing to take on planning and leadership roles are especially needed and are urged to contact the festival office and MAFInfo@MelbourneArts.org. The Melbourne Art FestivalTM is a registered trademark of Melbourne Art Festival, Inc.
Doug Taylor
Melbourne Art Festival – Communications Committee
PO Box 611
Melbourne, FL 32902
