Fairs/Festivals
Wausau Festival of Arts 2026
Wausau, Wisconsin
Jury Fee (non-refundable) for each medium entered: $40
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Submission Limit: 4
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
The Wausau Festival of Arts is happy to announce an open call for entries for the 2026 Wausau Festival of Arts. This highly anticipated annual event takes place in beautiful downtown Wausau and draws over 45,000 patrons from Wisconsin and beyond! We invite you to become part of the art in the 59th Wausau Festival of Arts!
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General Information
WHO WE ARE.
The Wausau Festival of Arts is celebrating its 61st year of sponsoring an outstanding arts event in North Central Wisconsin. The Wausau Festival of Arts, part of Wausau's ArtRageous weekend, was voted the 2009 #1 Festival in the U.S. by American Style Magazine. The Festival features over 120 exhibiting artists of excellent quality displaying their work on Wausau's Downtown Pedestrian Mall. Three stages of performing artists, food stands, hands-on children's art area, silent auction, dedicated volunteers, generous cash awards, and more add to this much anticipated celebration!
The Wausau Festival of Arts is a non-profit organization, The mission of the Wausau Festival of Arts is to promote and develop an interest in, and appreciation of, the arts and to provide an educational medium. Funds raised help the Wausau Festival of Arts to sustain and promote the mission.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
Registration opens: January 5, 2026
Registration Deadline: March 31, 2026
Notification Date: May 1, 2026
Deadline for Artists to Accept invite: June 1, 2026
ALL FEES DUE: June 1, 2026
Cancellation Deadline: June 1, 2026 *no refunds after this date
Booth Assignments: August 1, 2026 only if we have received your Wisconsin S-240 Temporary Event and Seller tax number information.
THE MONEY.
Jury Fee: $40 *non-refundable for each medium entered
Booth Fee 10x10: $180
Booth Fee 10x15: $230 *only twenty available; first come, first served. Only one booth per visual artist/business.
Commission: 0%
THE AWARDS.
There will be one professional judge awarding the Best in Show, Merit Awards, and Honorable Mention Awards. She will also decide the award winners for best work donated to the Silent Auction and Young Collectors Mart.
The award money totals $6,800. $1800 Best of Show, 5 Merit awards of $600 each, 9 Honorable Mention awards of $200 each, $100 for both best work donated to Silent Auction and the Young Collector's Mart. All exhibiting artists are eligible. Award winners from the festival are invited to the next festival; jury fee and jury process are waived.
YOUR SPACE.
Approximately 100 square feet of display area will be provided for each artist, unless a larger booth space is purchased. Each 10 X 10 booth has only a few inches of space surrounding it because of other booths, sidewalk planters, or fences. In addition to the 10 x 10 booths, there are also twenty 10 x 15 booths available on a first come, first serve basis. Artists provide their own tent, props and display materials. Only one booth per artist/business is allowed to be purchased. There are NO double booths; one booth per artist unless there is an artistic collaboration.
THE EXTRAS.
Matching Grants: $5000 is provided by the Wausau Festival of Arts. This amount is matched by contributions from local non-profit institutions that will display the purchased art in their buildings and offices for public enjoyment.
Booth Sitting: Artists will be offered booth sitters during open festival hours. Sign-up is required.
Breakfast: Complimentary coffee, juice and pastries are available both Saturday and Sunday morning for participating artists.
Parking: Reserved parking available to all artists.
Security: Security is provided.
Awards Festivities: This year we will have an hor d'oeuvre reception at the Jefferson Inn. One complementary entrance per booth is provided, with other guests welcome for a fee. Come enjoy socialzing, food, and awards.
JURY.
Winners of the previous year need not jury, but are required to submit a completed application; a coupon code will be given to you in January to waive the jury fee. Contact the festival office if you were an award winner for the coupon code.
All artists must submit four (4) images of current work and one (1) booth shot. Those wishing to exhibit in more than one medium must submit jury fee and application for each medium entry.
Each entry is scored on a scale of one to five. Images are viewed simultaneously, side by side.
RULES & REGULATIONS.
Wausau Festival of Arts presents artists' hand-original work, not the work of mass production studios. No work that utilizes commercial kits, molds, patterns, plans or prefabricated pieces is allowed.
The Festival of Arts committee reserves the right to refuse exhibition of work not consistent with submitted images and these guidelines. You may not exhibit work purchased from other artists for resale.
The Festival's mission is to promote the original work of each artist. Although we do not allow work that has been prepared with commercial patterns, molds, kits etc., we are allowing artists to sell a limited number of mechanically reproduced prints of original work. We request that the majority of work displayed be original. The Quality Committee reserves the right to deny exhibition of work that was not reflected in submitted images. All work displayed must be for sale, with the price clearly marked.
As an artist, you accept the rules and regulations regarding your participation in the Wausau Festival of Arts, 2026. You agree to be responsible for providing your own display materials. You agree to display your work during all the hours the Festival is open. You will not hold the Festival of Arts, Inc. responsible for any loss, theft of, or damage to your property and/or person regardless of cause. You agree to advertise your art in a way that does not detract from other vendors.
Artists must accept or decline the invitation to participate in the Wausau Festival of Arts by midnight (CST) June 1, 2026. No reply after this date will assume a “declined” status; thus automatically removing you from entering the Festival of Arts 2026.
The Wausau Festival of Arts is celebrating its 61st year of sponsoring an outstanding arts event in North Central Wisconsin. The Wausau Festival of Arts, part of Wausau's ArtRageous weekend, was voted the 2009 #1 Festival in the U.S. by American Style Magazine. The Festival features over 120 exhibiting artists of excellent quality displaying their work on Wausau's Downtown Pedestrian Mall. Three stages of performing artists, food stands, hands-on children's art area, silent auction, dedicated volunteers, generous cash awards, and more add to this much anticipated celebration!
The Wausau Festival of Arts is a non-profit organization, The mission of the Wausau Festival of Arts is to promote and develop an interest in, and appreciation of, the arts and to provide an educational medium. Funds raised help the Wausau Festival of Arts to sustain and promote the mission.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
Registration opens: January 5, 2026
Registration Deadline: March 31, 2026
Notification Date: May 1, 2026
Deadline for Artists to Accept invite: June 1, 2026
ALL FEES DUE: June 1, 2026
Cancellation Deadline: June 1, 2026 *no refunds after this date
Booth Assignments: August 1, 2026 only if we have received your Wisconsin S-240 Temporary Event and Seller tax number information.
THE MONEY.
Jury Fee: $40 *non-refundable for each medium entered
Booth Fee 10x10: $180
Booth Fee 10x15: $230 *only twenty available; first come, first served. Only one booth per visual artist/business.
Commission: 0%
THE AWARDS.
There will be one professional judge awarding the Best in Show, Merit Awards, and Honorable Mention Awards. She will also decide the award winners for best work donated to the Silent Auction and Young Collectors Mart.
The award money totals $6,800. $1800 Best of Show, 5 Merit awards of $600 each, 9 Honorable Mention awards of $200 each, $100 for both best work donated to Silent Auction and the Young Collector's Mart. All exhibiting artists are eligible. Award winners from the festival are invited to the next festival; jury fee and jury process are waived.
YOUR SPACE.
Approximately 100 square feet of display area will be provided for each artist, unless a larger booth space is purchased. Each 10 X 10 booth has only a few inches of space surrounding it because of other booths, sidewalk planters, or fences. In addition to the 10 x 10 booths, there are also twenty 10 x 15 booths available on a first come, first serve basis. Artists provide their own tent, props and display materials. Only one booth per artist/business is allowed to be purchased. There are NO double booths; one booth per artist unless there is an artistic collaboration.
THE EXTRAS.
Matching Grants: $5000 is provided by the Wausau Festival of Arts. This amount is matched by contributions from local non-profit institutions that will display the purchased art in their buildings and offices for public enjoyment.
Booth Sitting: Artists will be offered booth sitters during open festival hours. Sign-up is required.
Breakfast: Complimentary coffee, juice and pastries are available both Saturday and Sunday morning for participating artists.
Parking: Reserved parking available to all artists.
Security: Security is provided.
Awards Festivities: This year we will have an hor d'oeuvre reception at the Jefferson Inn. One complementary entrance per booth is provided, with other guests welcome for a fee. Come enjoy socialzing, food, and awards.
JURY.
Winners of the previous year need not jury, but are required to submit a completed application; a coupon code will be given to you in January to waive the jury fee. Contact the festival office if you were an award winner for the coupon code.
All artists must submit four (4) images of current work and one (1) booth shot. Those wishing to exhibit in more than one medium must submit jury fee and application for each medium entry.
Each entry is scored on a scale of one to five. Images are viewed simultaneously, side by side.
RULES & REGULATIONS.
Wausau Festival of Arts presents artists' hand-original work, not the work of mass production studios. No work that utilizes commercial kits, molds, patterns, plans or prefabricated pieces is allowed.
The Festival of Arts committee reserves the right to refuse exhibition of work not consistent with submitted images and these guidelines. You may not exhibit work purchased from other artists for resale.
The Festival's mission is to promote the original work of each artist. Although we do not allow work that has been prepared with commercial patterns, molds, kits etc., we are allowing artists to sell a limited number of mechanically reproduced prints of original work. We request that the majority of work displayed be original. The Quality Committee reserves the right to deny exhibition of work that was not reflected in submitted images. All work displayed must be for sale, with the price clearly marked.
As an artist, you accept the rules and regulations regarding your participation in the Wausau Festival of Arts, 2026. You agree to be responsible for providing your own display materials. You agree to display your work during all the hours the Festival is open. You will not hold the Festival of Arts, Inc. responsible for any loss, theft of, or damage to your property and/or person regardless of cause. You agree to advertise your art in a way that does not detract from other vendors.
Artists must accept or decline the invitation to participate in the Wausau Festival of Arts by midnight (CST) June 1, 2026. No reply after this date will assume a “declined” status; thus automatically removing you from entering the Festival of Arts 2026.
Application Requirements
RULES & REGULATIONS
Wausau Festival of Arts presents artists' hand-original work, not the work of mass production studios. No work that utilizes commercial kits, molds, patterns, plans or prefabricated pieces is allowed.
Wausau Festival of Arts reserves the right to refuse exhibition of work not consistent with submitted images and these guidelines. You may not exhibit work purchased from other artists for resale.
Wausau Festival of Arts' mission is to promote the original work of each artist. Although we do not allow work that has been prepared with commercial patterns, molds, kits, etc., we are allowing artists to sell a limited number of mechanically reproduced prints of original work. We request that the majority of work displayed be original. The Quality Committee reserves the right to deny exhibition of work that was not reflected in submitted images. All work displayed must be for sale, with the price clearly marked.
As an artist, you accept the rules and regulations regarding your participation in the Wausau Festival of Arts. You agree to the Waiver and Release of Liability below. You agree to be responsible for providing your own display materials. You agree to display your work during all the hours the Wausau Festival of Arts is open. You agree to advertise your art in a way that does not detract from other vendors. (This includes playing music at a level not able to be heard in other booths.)
Artists must accept or decline the invitation to participate in the Wausau Festival of Arts by midnight (CST) on June 1, of the festival year. An artist who does not reply by this date will be assumed to have declined the invitation to participate in the Wausau Festival of Arts.
WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY
By agreeing to this Waiver and Release of Liability (Agreement), I waive and release Festival of Arts, Inc. (ìFestival of Arts), its agents, servants, employees, insurers, successors, and assigns from any and all claims, demands, causes of action, damages, or suits at law or equity of any kind, including but not limited to claims for personal injury, medical expenses, property damage, property loss, property theft, and loss of services on account of or in any way related to or growing out of my presence or involvement in the Festival of Arts.
This waiver and release is intended to and does release Festival of Arts from any and all liability for damages or injuries on account of or in any way related to or growing out of my negligence, the negligence of third parties, and/or Festival of Artsí negligence. This is not intended to release Festival of Arts from any liability resulting from its intentional conduct.
I further covenant and agree not to institute any claim or legal action against Festival of Arts for any claim released by this Agreement. I further agree that should any claim be made against Festival of Arts in contravention of this Agreement, including but not limited to derivative claims, I will protect, defend, completely indemnify, and reimburse Festival of Arts for any such claim and expenses including attorney's fees and costs incurred by Festival of Arts in defending itself or security indemnity hereunder.
I understand that Festival of Arts is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged property or valuables, including but not limited to art and/or merchandise.
I have read this Agreement and understand that, by agreeing to this Agreement, I have consented to be bound by its terms, including the waiver and release of any legal right I may have to sue Festival of Arts for any costs it incurs because a claim or legal action is brought in violation of this Agreement. I agree that any violation of this Agreement and its terms and conditions, as determined by Festival of Arts, will void and terminate this Agreement.
Event will be held rain or shine.
I am agreeing to this Agreement freely, voluntarily, and competently, and am at least eighteen (18) years of age.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
210
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
125
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
17
Booth Information
YOUR SPACE.
Approximately 100 square feet of display area will be provided for each artist, unless a larger booth space is purchased. Each 10 X 10 booth has only a few inches of space surrounding it because of other booths, sidewalk planters, or fences. In addition to the 10 x 10 booths, there are also twenty 10 x 15 booths available on a first come, first serve basis. Artists provide their own tent, props and display materials. Only one booth per artist/business is allowed to be purchased. There are NO double booths; one booth per artist unless there is an artistic collaboration.
THE MONEY.
Jury Fee: $40 *non-refundable for each medium entered
Booth Fee 10x10: $180
Booth Fee 10x15: $230 *only twenty or fewer available; first come, first served. Only one booth per visual artist/business.
Commission: 0%
Approximately 100 square feet of display area will be provided for each artist, unless a larger booth space is purchased. Each 10 X 10 booth has only a few inches of space surrounding it because of other booths, sidewalk planters, or fences. In addition to the 10 x 10 booths, there are also twenty 10 x 15 booths available on a first come, first serve basis. Artists provide their own tent, props and display materials. Only one booth per artist/business is allowed to be purchased. There are NO double booths; one booth per artist unless there is an artistic collaboration.
THE MONEY.
Jury Fee: $40 *non-refundable for each medium entered
Booth Fee 10x10: $180
Booth Fee 10x15: $230 *only twenty or fewer available; first come, first served. Only one booth per visual artist/business.
Commission: 0%
Refund Policy
The jury fee is non refundable. The booth fee is refundable only until June 1 of each festival year.
Additional Fees
10 x 15 Booth: $230
10 x 10 Booth: $180
Reception: $25
Terms to Apply
Jury Fee (non-refundable) for each medium entered: $40