Kentuck's Guest Artist Program is the heart of the Kentuck Festival, born from the vision of founder Georgine Clarke. Georgine understood that building a festival that had the potential for national recognition meant inviting artists who wouldn't normally do the festival circuit because of a lack of mainstream appreciation for their art style, economic hardship, or simply being famous enough that they no longer needed to. This included culturally significant folk, outsider, visionary artists and traditional craftspeople, whose work is now collected by individuals and institutions all over the world.

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Kentuck has long served as a home for some of the most respected names in folk and outsider art. Festival alum include Lonnie Holley, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Butch Anthony, Woodie Long, and Howard Finster, whose presence helped shape Kentuck’s reputation as one of the most respected art festivals in the United States.

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Today, the Guest Artist Program continues this legacy, exposing festival-goers and emerging artists to traditional craftspeople and contemporary folk artists and opening doors to community-building that might otherwise never happen. Visitors can expect to see some of the best folk and outsider artists working today.