The Downtown Festival & Arts Show’s Emerging Artist Program aims to create a pipeline for new talent to access and participate in the juried art show portion of the Downtown Festival & Art Show, Gainesville’s largest street festival and north central Florida’s largest celebration of fine art. Selected artists receive a shared booth space at the festival and a mentorship session with a seasoned festival artist. The cohort will also compete amongst themselves for a cash prize and automatic entry into next year's festival.

Meet our 2026 Emerging Artists

Mariel Bredbenner

Mariel Bredbenner is a jewelry artist working primarily in sterling silver and gemstones. Her work blends organic textures with bold, sculptural designs, inspired by nature and outsider culture. Through her brand, she creates wearable art that celebrates individuality and self-expression.

Travis Peterson

Travis Peterson is a wildlife photographer with a focus on birds. He grew up in High Springs, Florida, and now resides in Williston, Florida. Like most Floridians, he has always been inspired by the nature that surrounds us and is excited to share his photos of the North Central Florida wildlife.
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Molly Phillips

As a field ecologist, Molly Phillips of Silvaris Studio always had a sketchbook in her field bag. Now that she works a desk job, she keeps her curiosity and passion for biodiversity alive through creating artwork that explores the beauty and complexity of ecological relationships, with a special focus on native wildlife and common plants and animals that we may overlook. Working primarily in watercolor, gouache, and acrylic, she draws inspiration from her experiences as a biologist and field researcher. She is especially interested in portraying the connections between species, the interdependence of life, and how even small organisms shape the world around them.

We owe a debt of thanks to the generous community sponsors who helped us launch this program in 2022: Gainesville Fine Arts Association (GFAA) & Gallery, Sequential Artist Workshop (SAW), a private donor, and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.