Artist Inquiry Form
The Medici Gallery
A Traveling Renaissance Art Gallery Supporting Modern Artists
Immersive art, live engagement, and sustainable patronage for today's festivals
Reviving Renaissance Culture
The Medici Gallery is a modular, immersive exhibition space bringing the Renaissance tradition of artistic patronage into the modern festival world.
It's not just a display - it's an active creative platform. Artists create works onsite, draw from historical inspiration, and rotate through an evolving exhibition that blends classical tradition with contemporary practice.
Our mission is simple: support working artists and make creativity feel accessible, interactive, and alive.
What we're looking for
We represent a wide range of artists with the aim of highlighting interesting techniques and ideas, not limited to Renaissance styles and practices. Our goal is to show people the innovative power of artistic expression and how modern art continues shaping history today.
Artist-in-Residence Program
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Selection Process
Through a simple application process, artists will be selected for exhibition based on style, commitment level and schedule availability.
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Residency & Workshops
Working artists can receive stipends or studio space in the gallery to create live work and engage directly with guests through workshops and lectures.
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Benefits to the Artist
Artists gain exhibition experience, strengthen their networks, and refine their sales practice while sharing their work with more than 10,000 guests per day over the 5-weekend run in Washington during the summer of 2026.
Direct Employment & Patronage
We hire artists for full-time and event roles, showcasing contemporary creators and continuing the tradition of artistic patronage.
Live Engagement & Interaction
Artists work live in the gallery and throughout the event grounds, sharing their processes and connecting directly with guests.
Future Performance Venue
We plan to grow The Medici Gallery into a live performance space, expanding opportunities for performing artists and deepening our cultural reach.
15+
Paid Positions
Patronage through economic security
50,000+
Annual Participants
Gain exposure to a broad new audience
12
Workshop Series
Share your craft with guests of all ages
Innovative 3D Design
The structure itself stands 16' tall at its highest point with a footprint of 40' x 40', featuring a castle facade inspired by the Medici Family ancestral home in Florence - the Palazzo Medici Riccardi.
The Medici didn't operate a gallery in the traditional sense. Instead, they filled their palaces with commissioned works, creating dedicated rooms for displaying art.
Their home functioned as a living gallery, where artists worked, patrons visited, and culture was actively shaped.
Meet Our Directors
Lizzy Cook, Program Director
Lizzy Cook is a painter and arts educator with a specialization in child development and creative instruction. She develops curriculum designed to support cognitive, emotional, and creative growth—providing participants with both technical foundation and space for individual expression. At The Medici Gallery, Lizzy directs educational programming and youth enrichment initiatives, ensuring the gallery serves as both a professional exhibition space and a living classroom.
Calli Scarborough, Gallery Director
Calli Scarborough is an artist and immersive gallery director. She's known for transforming challenging outdoor settings into cohesive, thoughtfully curated gallery experiences. Calli brings both hands-on production expertise and a practicing artist's perspective to The Medici Gallery. She leads curatorial direction and structural execution—ensuring artists are supported with clarity, care, and professionalism, even in dynamic outdoor environments.
Art Classes & Workshops
Our workshops invite participants of all ages into an immersive creative experience. Artists guide students through engaging with classical materials and methods while developing their own artistic voice.
Arts Education for All
Our workshops invite participants of all ages into an immersive creative experience. Artists guide students through engaging with classical materials and methods while developing their own artistic voice.
Hands-On Art Workshops
All‑ages classes in drawing, painting, and historical techniques. Guests create their own pieces while learning the traditions behind them.
Youth Enrichment Programs
Creative sessions designed for kids to explore art, express emotions, and learn Renaissance history in age‑appropriate, engaging ways.
Educational Lectures
Artist‑ and expert‑led talks that explore Renaissance art, techniques, and cultural history, adding depth to the gallery experience.
The Faire After Dark
As dusk falls, The Medici Gallery transforms into a hub of nocturnal entertainment, serving as the anchor of the Knight Club Marketplace. Visited by more than 3,000 partygoers on each Friday and Saturday night of the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire, our impact extends well into the evening.
Guest Performances
Surround yourself with music, dramatic readings, and dance, as we bring the auditory and visual spectacles of the Renaissance to life.
Artist Spotlight & Workshops
Join small-group sessions with our resident artists, featuring focused demos, talks, and workshops with rotating themes.
Social Gatherings
Join us for curated community celebrations in a historically inspired setting, inviting participants from throughout the event to dive in.
Behind the Scenes
Kristin Maher, Founder
Kristin Maher is the founder of The Medici Gallery and currently serves as the CEO of KRMA Strategy, a boutique agency that promotes both individual artists and large-scale multi-weekend events across the US. Through The Medici Gallery, she reimagines the Renaissance tradition of patronage for the modern era—building structures that support artists both creatively and economically for years to come.
Arie Miranda, Creative Producer
Arie Miranda is a live event creative and marketing strategist with over a decade of experience across the entertainment and event industry. She is the founder of Arie Miranda Socials and creator of 9LivesLoft, a multidisciplinary studio space dedicated to art, content, and immersive storytelling. At The Medici Gallery, she leads social strategy and content creation to platform and spotlight the artists that bring the gallery to life.
Future Vision & Expansion
Evening Performance Venue
Transform gallery space into an intimate performance venue featuring music, theater, and dance that complements daytime educational programming and art exhibitions.
Modular Expansion and Contraction
Adaptable workshop and youth-programming spaces that scale to different venues and production needs, with options for half‑day childcare offerings and expanded artist exhibition areas.
Year-Round Educational Art Initiative
Our long-term vision is to expand beyond seasonal events, growing into a year-round educational art initiative that provides continuous cultural enrichment and artistic development opportunities.
Help us honor the Renaissance legacy
Let's create something extraordinary together—where art, history, and community converge in celebration of human creativity.