Ohio Mart 2026

Contact Information

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Contact Email: ohiomart@stanhywet.org

Contact Phone: 330-836-5533

Requirement Overview

Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
Submission Limit: 4

Media Requirements

Images | Min: 6, Max: 6
Total | Max: 6

Opportunity Summary

EVENT INFORMATION
The Auxiliary Board of Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens invites you to apply for its 59^th annual Ohio Mart, northeast Ohio’s premier invitational show of Arts and Fine Crafts.

Ohio Mart is a four-day outdoor event, held under large tents, with an average of 16,000 attendees each year. It features over 140 juried artists as well as entertainment, food vendors, stitchery displays and more, all on the magnificent historic grounds of Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, Ohio.

2025 was a resounding success for exhibitors and the estate, featuring over 17,000 attendees. For the first time ever, exhibitor sales exceeded $1 million for the four-day event, representing a 16% increase in sales over 2024. 95% of exhibitors reported that Ohio Mart met or exceeded their overall expectations.

Five cash prizes are awarded for outstanding work, as determined by independent judges. Top prize is the $500 Gertrude Seiberling Best in Show Award.

Proceeds from Ohio Mart benefit Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, the nation's sixth largest, non-profit historic home open to the public. Built in the early 20th century by F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, it is one of the most important remaining examples of an American Country Estate. Today it is a treasured part of Akron's legacy and an unmatched resource for educational, cultural and recreational enrichment to the community.

Thank you for considering Ohio Mart as a showcase for your work.

General Information

GENERAL INFORMATION
Ohio Mart 2026: Event Information

Event Dates

October 1 to 4, 2026
Setup dates: Tuesday, September 29 and Wednesday, September 30

Location

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 Portage Path, Akron, Ohio 44303
www.stanhywet.org

Application Requirements

A $45 non-refundable application fee is due with your application. An Early Bird application fee of $35 is available through February 15, 2026.
Required Photos
- A minimum of six (6) photos, as specified below, with your application, to be used for jurying purposes.
  - Four (4) individual images of your work with a description and its price
  - One (1) photo of your most current booth set-up with items of your current work displayed
  - One (1) or more photos of work-in-process, with the artist’s face clearly shown, working on an identifiable piece of art or product
- Photos must accurately represent all products you will sell, including reproductions of your original artwork, and the booth you will set up at Ohio Mart.
- You MUST SUBMIT ALL REQUIRED PHOTOS or your application WILL NOT BE considered during jurying. Lack of any of these photos will disqualify your application from being considered.
Please note the application deadline of March 15, 2026. Applications received after March 15 will be juried on an as-needed basis. Successful applicants will be notified no later than May 1, 2026.
Stan Hywet & Hall & Gardens is unable to provide secure WiFi for exhibitors' use. Please be prepared to use your own data connection.
See complete Exhibitor Rules and Guidelines provided for detailed information regarding acceptable/unacceptable work, booth display and set-up and other important considerations.

NOTE: Please be sure all your contact information in your application is up-to-date and correct.

Awards to Artists

Cash prizes awarded include:
- Gertrude Seiberling Best in Show Award ($500)
- Stan Hywet Award of Excellence ($200)
- F.A. Seiberling Innovation Award ($100)
- Charles Schneider Best Original Design Award ($100)
- Hugo Huber Best Booth Presentation Award ($100).

For more information, please email questions to: ohiomart@stanhywet.org.

Application Requirements

RULES/REGULATIONS
OHIO MART 2026: Rules and Regulations
Artwork

All work must be the original design of the artist(s) and handcrafted by the artist(s).
No buy-to-sell items allowed.
Any commercially produced parts used in a work must play a subordinate role and may not be sold separately.
Unacceptable items include any work created by a person other than the artist(s); greenware pottery; sculpture from molds; mass-produced jewelry and factory art.
The Exhibitor Committee reserves the right to exclude any work that does not meet its guidelines.
The artist(s) will be permitted to exhibit only the specific type of work accepted by the jury. Jewelry, for example, cannot be exhibited with another medium without being screened and accepted by the Exhibitor Committee.
Images or representations of Stan Hywet buildings and/or grounds may not be sold without prior approval by Stan Hywet senior management.
The artist will be asked to remove from the show any items the Exhibitor Committee considers in violation of the above guidelines. If the bulk of the artist's work is in violation, the artist will be removed from the show and forfeit all fees.

Booth Display and Set-Up

Each in-line booth must have three (3) closed sides that extend to the floor and are at least seven (7) feet tall to separate it completely from adjoining booths. Corner booths must be closed on two (2) sides.
A limited number of free-standing outdoor booth spaces are available. Exhibitors must furnish their own complete tent set-ups for these spaces; electricity is not provided in outdoor spaces. Outdoor spaces must be contained within the purchased space.
A pop-up tent may be used to define the booth space inside the large tent.
Portable display tables, including tables furnished by Ohio Mart, must be covered and skirted.
Electricity is provided for all inside booths, but exhibitors must provide their own extension cords and surge strips. Exhibitors will be allowed to connect only one (1) surge protector to the electrical supply with no more than six (6) extension cords attached to it. Extension cords must be minimum 16 gauge and suitable for outdoor use.
Exhibitors are not allowed to provide music at their booth. Music for the event is provided by a DJ with speakers throughout the property.
Booths that do not meet these guidelines will not be allowed to open.
Booths are to be completely set up in the assigned space on Tuesday, September 29 or Wednesday, September 30. Booths must be fully stocked and ready for business by 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 1.

Fees

A $45 non-refundable application fee is required with each application. Early Bird application fee of $35 available through February 15, 2026.
All fees, including booth fees, are due within 30 days of acceptance. A $50 late fee will be assessed for any late payments. The Exhibitor Committee reserves the right to reassign booth spaces if payment is not received as required.

Other

The applying artist(s) must attend all four days of Ohio Mart, open to close. A representative attending in the artist’s place is not acceptable other than to cover breaks and meals. If the artist is not present, the booth will be considered closed, with no sales allowed.
Wi-Fi Access - Internet (Wi-Fi) access for exhibitors is not available during Ohio Mart to process credit card payments.
- Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens does offer free Guest Wi-Fi throughout the estate. The Stan Hywet Guest wireless network does not use any encryption protocol. The information that travels between the computer and the access point is not encrypted and can be intercepted and recorded. In addition, there can be no guarantee that these wireless networks you connect to are that of Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens (it may be a rogue access point setup with Stan Hywet/Ohio Mart wireless network name). We recommended exhibitors DO NOT process credit card payments using Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens Guest Network.
- Ohio Mart exhibitors are strongly encouraged to utilize their own Internet connection via cellular device (mobile phone, hotspot, etc).
- Questions? Please contact us by email at ohiomart@stanhywet.org.

Jury Details

Average number of applications submitted each year

300

Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event

140

Booth Information

BOOTH INFORMATION
Booth Fees

$600 10' x 10' Inline Booth under Tent
$600 10' x 10' Outside Space
$700 10' x 10' Inside Tent D*
$750 10' x 10' Corner Booth under Tent
$850 10' x 10' Corner Inside Tent D*
$825 10' x 15' Inline Booth under Tent
$975 10' x 15' Corner Booth under Tent
$1200 10' x 20' Inline Booth under Tent

*Tent D (Wedding Tent) is fully enclosed with a wood floor and enjoys close proximity to restrooms and the Exhibitors' daily complimentary breakfast.

Provided by Ohio Mart

Transportation of your work to/from your assigned booth during set-up and teardown. (Tent E and nearby outside booths are next to the parking lot and typically exhibitors in these areas haul themselves out rather than wait for transportation after closing.)
Electricity under tent only.
Booth sitter upon request for exhibitors working alone.
24-hour security.
Free parking pass for one (1) vehicle in the exhibitor parking lot. Additional passes available at $50 each.
Chairs and tables available for rental.
Complimentary morning coffee and snacks in the Conservatory.
A corps of enthusiastic volunteers to help you throughout the show.

Refund Policy

REFUND POLICY
Refund Policy

Cancellation by the exhibitor prior to August 1^st will result in a 50% refund of booth fees paid.
There is no refund for cancellations on or after August 1^st.
Application fees, table and chair rentals and parking fees are non-refundable.

Additional Fees

OUTSIDE 10 ft. x 20 ft. Booth: $1,200

INLINE 10 ft. x 20 ft. Booth under Tent: $1,200

CORNER 10 ft. x 15 ft. Booth under Tent: $975

WEDDING 10 ft. x 10 ft. Corner Booth Tent D: $850

INLINE 10 ft. x 15 ft. Booth under Tent: $825

CORNER 10 ft. x 10 ft. Booth under Tent: $750

WEDDING 10 ft. x 10 ft. Inline Tent D Booth: $700

INLINE 10 ft. x 10 ft. Booth under Tent: $600

OUTSIDE 10 ft. x 10 ft. Booth: $600

UPGRADE to 10x15 Corner: $225

UPGRADE to 10x10 Corner: $150

Additional Parking Space : $50

Late Fee: $50

8 ft. Table: $20

6 ft. Table: $15

Chair: $5