Omaha Art Fair 2026

Location
Aksarben Village is centrally located in Omaha, NE, with 4 free parking garages and street parking for patrons and artists. Numerous shops, restaurants, and entertainment options draw patrons to the area, as well as a large Farmer’s Market (located across Center Street) on Sunday morning.
Beautiful Omaha, NE…no corn fields…or cows. Fortune 500 company headquarters, #1 zoo in the nation and the college world series are just some of the reasons why Omaha is so popular. Featuring numerous art scenes around the city, art centers and museums, Omaha has a big art presence and appreciation.

Important Dates
October 25, 2025, Applications Live on Zapp.
January 10, 2026, APPLICATIONS DUE!!! Must be submitted by midnight CST.
January 17, 2026, LAST DAY for late applications. Must be submitted by midnight CST.
January 24, 2026, Notifications emailed and available on ZAPP.
February 28, 2026, Deadline to accept invitation. Failure to do so may forfeit your spot.
April 3, 2026, Deadline to submit full booth payment. Failure to do so may forfeit your spot.
April 10, 2026, Deadline to cancel. Full refund less $50 processing fee.
April 17, 2026, Deadline to cancel. Less 50% booth fee. No refunds will be given after this date.
May 16, 2026, Info packets emailed/mailed out.
June 11, 2026, Artist set up. Check mailed packet for load in times.
June 12, 2026, Omaha Art Fair Friday 11a.m. - 9pm
June 13, 2026, Omaha Art Fair Saturday 10a.m. - 9p.m.
June 14, 2026, Omaha Art Fair Sunday 10a.m. – 4p.m. (no show should go past 4p.m. on Sunday!)

Media Descriptions
Ceramic - sculptural or functional clay and porcelain. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.
Drawing - Charcoal, chalk, pastel, pencil, pen or ink in a 2-d form on paper or similar flat material. 
Fiber - Clothing, paper, wall art or sculpture made from fiber. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.
Glass - stained glass, blown glass, molded glass, cast or kiln made. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.
Graphic designs - created using computer generated imagery.  
Jewelry - metal, glass, ceramic, fiber, plastic or any other material formed into jewelry. Artist must make aspects of the jewelry to qualify. No putting all pre-made beads, molds or the like on premade clasps or ear-wire. No bracelets or necklaces using only bought beads strung together. Mass produced spacer beads are fine if the main aspect of jewelry is artisan made.
Leather - wallet, belt, bag or other items crafted from leather. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.
Metal - copper, brass, bronze, aluminum, steel or stainless steel creating 2d or 3d indoor or outdoor art. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.
Mixed media 2D - combination of two or more materials to form flat 2d works. Stone/metal. Plastic, ceramic and wood. ETC. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.
Mixed media 3D - combination of two or more materials for 3d sculptural work. Stone/metal. Plastic, ceramic and wood. ETC. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.
Painting - Oil, acrylic, watercolor or similar 2d created works on canvas/board. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.
Printmaking - Lithograph, block, serigraph or traditional/modern methods creating art. 
Photography - Traditional or modern processes. Artist must use own negatives/take own pictures.
Sculpture - 3-d art created using any material. Free standing or attached to bases. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.
Wood - wood carved, cut, turned or otherwise manipulated to create 2-d and 3-d items. Excludes jewelry. Jewelry must apply to jewelry category.

Images for Jury
Artists are required to submit four images. Three individual images of original pieces of work and one booth shot of current display and artistic style. Images should be of the current style representing your work and actual display to be displayed at the Omaha Art Fair.

Awards
13 Awards will be given to artists. A jury will conduct an on-site review of artwork displayed on Friday June 12^th. Best of show, Best Artist and Best Display will all receive a free 10x10 booth at the 2027 Omaha Art Fair. 10 Honorable Mentions will receive cash prizes. Artist awards will be presented at the Artists Awards Breakfast on Saturday, June 13^th.

Artist Hospitality Services and Amenities
Discounted Hotel Rates.
Artist Hotline Number for Volunteer Booth Sitters and Emergencies
Artist award breakfast on Saturday.
Free breakfast on Sunday.
24-hour Security officers.


Sales Tax
Artists are responsible for collecting, reporting and paying any and all sales tax, including Nebraska State Tax. Tax forms will be issued to each artist with check-in packets. Omaha, NE currently has a 7% sales tax rate.

Marketing
The Omaha Art Fair has an extensive advertising budget and partners to bring art patrons and buyers from the Omaha metro area. A prominent billboard, located on Interstate 80, will be used for advertising for two months prior to and during the show. Local and regional media (including radio, print, and television) provide coverage before and during the show. Banners and signage will advertise the show as well. A dedicated social media team targets patrons online with paid and free advertising on multiple social media platforms.

 

1 All artwork must be of original design. No mass-produced mold, kits or commercial methods allowed. If originality comes into question, we reserve the right to ask artists to submit proof of process and creation. Proof will be used by the festival to make the final decision and will remain confidential.
2. Artists must exhibit in the category applied for and accepted by the fair committee. If you do multiple categories, feel free to apply to more than one category. Artists can be accepted and display in a maximum of two different categories and/or two booths.
3. Limited edition prints are acceptable if signed and numbered, 1000 or less to a picture/painting.
4. Photographers must develop and print from artists original negatives.
5. All artworks must be for sale. No drawings, raffles or fundraising allowed.
6. Prints are acceptable, promotional items are not. We do not allow postcards, mugs, pillows, t-shirts etc. Email info@omahaartfair.com if you have any questions before submitting application.
7. Tents. High quality tents only. Low quality, lightweight pop-up tents are not allowed. Hazardous displays will be forced to tear down and forfeit spot and booth fee.  You will be responsible for any damage to fellow artists’ work, displays and patrons.
8. Artist Insurance is required before artists are allowed to set up. You must provide a certificate of insurance, having Omaha Art Fair, Aksarben Village Master Property Owners Association (AVMPOA) and NODDLE COMPANY as additional insureds with a general liability policy with a minimum of $2,000,000 general aggregate, $1,000,000 per incident occurred. I recommend and use ACT Insurance (www.actinsurance.com). With artists having their own insurance properly set for an art fair, your work and displays will be protected. Omaha Art Fair, AVMPO, Noddle Company and the city of Omaha will not be responsible or held liable for damage/theft or loss to artwork or displays.
9. Artists must submit a brief Artist Description, 300 words or less, describing creative vision, process and overall style of art.
10.  A registered artist or one of the collaborators must be present on all three days of the show. Sales reps, assistants and help can be utilized; however, the ARTIST must be present at the show all three days.
11. Photo ID is required for registered artist or collaborating partner. Must show ID at registration, no sales reps allowed to check in.
12. No generators are allowed in or near booths. No generators allowed at all. Electricity is available for purchase. 
13. No displays or equipment allowed in front or on side of allotted booth layout. There are four extra feet behind booth, provided free of charge, for booth expansion and storage.  
14. Rules and regulations are subject to change due to unforeseeable circumstances that could arise from Federal, State or local laws or at Property owners’ discretion. While highly unlikely, if this happens, we will email you right away with any alterations.
 

Booth Information/ Requirements
Ample weights must be used. 40lbs + per leg is required. The Midwest can get windy in the summer, and you must plan accordingly. Bottom "stay bars" and ratchet straps between top and opposite bottom legs work well to tighten up tents. Any booth deemed hazardous, due to failure to secure tent and belonging, will be forced to close and pack up. Registration and booth fee will be forfeited in this instance.

Booth Fees
Single Booth (11’x14’): $395
Corner Booth (11’x14’): $495
Bigger Corner Booth (16’x14’): $695
Double Booth (22’x14’): $790 *Must Obtain Show Permission
Double Corner Booth (22’x14’): $890 *Must Obtain Show Permission
Your booth size will be selected at the time of payment. A limited number of corner and expanded booths are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Jury Process
A maximum of 166 artists will exhibit at the 2025 Omaha Art Fair. 13 spots are reserved for previous fair award winners. The other remaining 153 spots will be filled from the jury pool. The jury panel will consist of a mix of art professionals, business owners and high-end art patrons.
Jury process is closed to the public. Images will be projected on a big screen in front of the jury panel. The artist’s statement will be read while images are projected. Using a scale of 1-7, the jury will assign points in three categories. 1. Overall art images. 2. Booth display and conformity. 3. Professional nature, overall flow and execution of all images together. We will notify all applicants by January 24 being accepted, waitlisted or rejected.