Books Along the Teche Literary Festival: 2026 Poster Contest
(Updated 10/16/25) The Books Along the Teche Literary Festival is calling on artists to help celebrate a major milestone: the festival’s 10th anniversary, set for April 10–12, 2026. Submissions are now open for the 2026 festival poster contest, which will spotlight one talented artist whose design will represent this landmark year of Southern storytelling.
The winning design will appear on posters, programs, merchandise and more, helping capture the spirit of the Teche region and the power of storytelling that has made the festival a cultural highlight for the past decade. The selected artist will also receive a $500 cash award.
The winning artist will be notified shortly after the deadline. All other artists will also be contacted and must pick up their entries by Friday, December 12, 2025, at noon. Unclaimed entries become the property of the Iberia Preservation Alliance.
Design Criteria:
- Theme: Professional-quality design celebrating Southern storytelling and the Teche region
- Size: 16” x 20” (vertical orientation), full color on canvas
- Medium: Acrylic or oil
- Process: Four-color print process
- Note: No titles should be included on the artwork
Artist Elegibility:
- Open to all artists except the 2025 poster contest winner
- Only one entry per artist
- Must be able to deliver artwork by the submission deadline
Submission Information:
Deadline: Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 3 p.m.
Entries must be dropped off at one of the following locations:
The Shadows Visitor Center
320 E. Main St., New Iberia, LA
Thurs–Sat | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Acadiana Center for the Arts
101 W. Vermilion St., Lafayette, LA
Tues–Sat | 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
A sealed envelope must be attached to the back of each artwork with the artist’s name, address, email, and phone number, along with the following signed and dated statement:
“I give my authority to warrant full ownership thereof to the Iberia Preservation Alliance.”
Award & Ownership:
The winning artist will receive a $500 cash award. The selected design becomes the property of the Iberia Preservation Alliance (IPA) and may be reproduced on all festival-related materials and merchandise. Proceeds from merchandise sales benefit the Festival and/or IPA.
About the Festival:
The Books Along the Teche Literary Festival celebrates the rich culture of Louisiana through literature, history, music, food, and art. Since 2016, the festival has brought together authors, readers, and visitors from across the country to experience the charm of historic downtown New Iberia and the stories rooted in the Bayou Teche region. The 2026 festival marks its 10th anniversary as a premier event for Southern storytelling.
The festival is presented by New Iberia Main Street Program and the Iberia Preservation Alliance (a coalition of Iberia Cultural Resources Association, Bayou Teche Museum and Shadows-on-the-Teche).
Visit BayouBookFest.com or their Facebook or Instagram (@booksalongthetecheliteraryfest).
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