Fairs/Festivals
South Haven Art Fair 2026
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 2
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
The South Haven Center for the Arts is proud to host the Annual South Haven Art Fair on Saturday, July 4 from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, July 5 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. South Haven is a coastal tourist destination for over 500,000 summer visitors from around the world and attracts Fourth of July weekend crowds. Art Fair takes place in a beautiful, wooded park one block from Lake Michigan and South Haven’s North Beach.
Our goals are to provide a successful environment for exhibiting artists, creatively market the event to a wide range of potential buyers and provide a professional awards program. We will also prioritize the health, safety and enjoyment of our community. We are ready to make this year's art fair one of the best and we welcome you to apply to join us!
Our goals are to provide a successful environment for exhibiting artists, creatively market the event to a wide range of potential buyers and provide a professional awards program. We will also prioritize the health, safety and enjoyment of our community. We are ready to make this year's art fair one of the best and we welcome you to apply to join us!
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General Information
ART FAIR CALENDAR:
Art Fair dates: Saturday, July 4, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, July 5, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Application period begins:
Application deadline: Monday, March 9, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST.
Notification by: Friday, March 20, 2026 11:59 p.m. EST.
Booth fee deadline: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST.
Extended booth fee deadline: Thursday, April 30 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST
Cancellation refund deadline: Friday, May 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST (refund of booth fee, minus $50 non-refundable deposit)
Set up dates & time: Friday, July 3, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 4, 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
LOCATION & CHECK-IN:
Stanley Johnston Park, 202 Dyckman Ave., South Haven, MI. The check-in booth is located on the corner of Woodman St. and Park Ave., both one-way streets. It is best to approach the park exiting from Highway 196 at Exit 22, North Shore Drive. Continue west past the roundabout, turn left onto Woodman St., and drive one block to the check-in area.
Artist parking is provided onsite for one vehicle per artist. Artists must comply with instructions of parking attendants or will be asked to park off site.
The City of South Haven strictly prohibits overnight camping in Stanley Johnston Park.
ELIGIBILITY:
All work must be created solely by the exhibiting artist. The original concept, design, and execution must be attributable solely to the artist displaying their work. No buy/sell or consigned works permitted. All artists will be juried. All work on display must be consistent with images submitted. Artists must be 18 years or older. Artist Level Members of the South Haven Center for the Arts receive $10 off their application fee. To learn more about the Artist Level Membership at the SHCA click this link, https://www.southhavenarts.org/artist-membership
AMENITIES:
FEES:
AWARDS:
On-site judging takes place the first day of the show, and will be done by arts professionals. Prizes totaling at least $1,500 will be available for award at the Art Fair.
HOW TO APPLY:
Art Fair dates: Saturday, July 4, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, July 5, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Application period begins:
Application deadline: Monday, March 9, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST.
Notification by: Friday, March 20, 2026 11:59 p.m. EST.
Booth fee deadline: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST.
Extended booth fee deadline: Thursday, April 30 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST
Cancellation refund deadline: Friday, May 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST (refund of booth fee, minus $50 non-refundable deposit)
Set up dates & time: Friday, July 3, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 4, 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
LOCATION & CHECK-IN:
Stanley Johnston Park, 202 Dyckman Ave., South Haven, MI. The check-in booth is located on the corner of Woodman St. and Park Ave., both one-way streets. It is best to approach the park exiting from Highway 196 at Exit 22, North Shore Drive. Continue west past the roundabout, turn left onto Woodman St., and drive one block to the check-in area.
Artist parking is provided onsite for one vehicle per artist. Artists must comply with instructions of parking attendants or will be asked to park off site.
The City of South Haven strictly prohibits overnight camping in Stanley Johnston Park.
ELIGIBILITY:
All work must be created solely by the exhibiting artist. The original concept, design, and execution must be attributable solely to the artist displaying their work. No buy/sell or consigned works permitted. All artists will be juried. All work on display must be consistent with images submitted. Artists must be 18 years or older. Artist Level Members of the South Haven Center for the Arts receive $10 off their application fee. To learn more about the Artist Level Membership at the SHCA click this link, https://www.southhavenarts.org/artist-membership
AMENITIES:
- Marketing and publicity campaign using newspaper, magazine, social media and radio public service announcement
- Artist parking onsite vehicle access to booth site for easy setup and teardown subject to our policies and procedures
- Private security patrolling the park overnight Friday and Saturday
- Artist hospitality: Morning coffee, pastries and bottled water
- Friendly volunteer booth sitters available for artist breaks
- Committee members and volunteers are dedicated to welcoming artists and having a successful art fair
- Family and children’s activities
FEES:
- There is a $35.00 non-refundable application fee payable with application.
- The Artist Level Member application fee is $25. We will send a coupon code to you via email if you have a membership at the Artist Level with the SHCA. Apply your coupon code prior to check out to receive $10 off the application fee.
- A booth fee of $325.00, including a $50 non-refundable deposit for each reserved booth space, is required after notice of acceptance and is due by Wednesday, April 15, 2026 11:59 p.m. EST. Two booths can be purchased to have a double booth. The Extended deadline is Wednesday, April 30 or sooner if booths run out.
- You may pay fees by credit card on the ZAPPlication® website, or mail a check or money order to 600 Phoenix Street, South Haven, MI 49090. Make check or money order payable to South Haven Center for the Arts.
- Cancellations before Friday, May 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST. receive a refund of the booth fee, minus the $50 per booth non-refundable deposit. Cancellations after that date result in loss of full $325.00 fee per booth (no refund).
- Waitlist artists need not pay Booth Fee until invited to fill a vacancy for the show.
- Any vacancies are filled by the Artist Committee from the 2026 juried waitlisted artists. The Committee and Executive Director may use their discretion to invite non-juried artists should the wait list be exhausted.
AWARDS:
On-site judging takes place the first day of the show, and will be done by arts professionals. Prizes totaling at least $1,500 will be available for award at the Art Fair.
HOW TO APPLY:
- Artists must apply online at www.ZAPPlication.org. The application and a $35.00 non-refundable application fee ($25 for Artist Level Members) is due by Monday, March 9, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST.
- A booth fee of $325.00 including $50 administration fee is due by Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST.
- You may pay both the application fee and the booth fee by credit card on the ZAPPlication® website, or mail a check or money order to 600 Phoenix Street, South Haven, MI 49090. Make check or money order payable to South Haven Center for the Arts.
- Each application must include five (5) digital images: four (4) of artwork and one (1) of booth display. Any image may be considered and used for publicity purposes. Digital images must show current, original artwork and be representative of work being sold and/or displayed in your booth. Applications without artwork and booth images will not be considered.
- Jurors will review the five (5) digital images as a group for each applicant. Images will be scored from 1 (low) to 5 (high). The highest scores in each category will be invited to participate in the Art Fair.
- If you need help with image dimensions, please refer to ZAPPlication help videos. We are not able to assist with resizing or uploading images.
- Clay/Ceramics: (Functional & Non-Functional)
- Digital Art: Digital Art is original work created on a computer. Original work in which the original image, or manipulation of other source material, was executed by the artist using a computer. Work must be in editions, signed and numbered. Artists using a digital camera to produce work, but who are not altering the image, should apply under photography.
- Drawing and Pastel
- Printmaking
- Fiber (Decorative & Wearable)
- Glass
- Jewelry (Precious & Non-Precious)
- Painting (Watercolor, Oils, & Acrylic)
- Photography: Photographs must be made from the artist’s original image, film or digital.
- Mixed Media 2D
- Mixed Media 3D that incorporates more than one type of physical material to produce. Includes non-sculptural work as determined by artist.
- Sculpture: Figurative or abstract 3D decorative works using traditional stone, clay, metal or mixed materials.
- Wood: (Functional & Non-Functional)
Application Requirements
POLICIES:
South Haven Art Fair policies are set to promote the highest level of artist participation and integrity.
Reproduction Policy:
South Haven Art Fair policies are set to promote the highest level of artist participation and integrity.
- Photo ID required at check-in.
- Only the accepted artist may register. Collaborating artists are invited, but must be included in the same application. If accepted, only one booth will be issued, and only finished work that is the result of the collaborative process may be displayed and/or sold.
- Applying in more than one category is permitted. If applying in more than one category, you will need a separate ZAPPlication, fee and required images for each category. Artists may exhibit and sell work only in the medium(s) or category(ies) in which the work was accepted. If you have a category that crosses over you must be accepted in both. For example, if you sell only ceramic jewelry, you would apply in the jewelry category, but if you also sell other ceramics, for example pottery, you would also need to apply in the ceramics category.
- Digital images must show current/original artwork and be representative of work being sold and/or displayed in your booth.
- All work will be juried, except that the South Haven Art Fair reserves the right to admit prior year award winning artists and a limited amount of local member artists without jury selection.
- All work must be created solely by the exhibiting artist. The original concept, design, and execution must be attributable solely to the artist displaying their work. No buy/sell or consigned works permitted. All work on display must be consistent with digital images submitted.
- Commercially-made products will not be accepted, i.e., kits, molds, patterns, plans, pre-fabricated forms, or other commercial methods.
- Mass produced items are not permitted at the South Haven Art Fair. Mass production is defined as works produced in large quantities that are essentially identical or have minimum differentiation, modification or enhancement by the artist. Mass produced clothing of any kind is not permitted.
- Each application must include five (5) images: four (4) of artwork; and one (1) of booth display. Any of your images may be considered and used for publicity purposes.
- Booth image submitted must be representative of the booth quality you intend to provide at the fair. Please do not submit an image with any identifiable signage or photo of the artist. Everything (other than your identifying signage) that is visible in your booth from the front of the booth at the fair must be seen in the booth image. Browse boxes, flip bins, etc. must appear in the booth image if they are visible from the front of the booth at the fair. The purpose is to ensure that you have a complete body of work which is represented in the first four (4) images and to give us a fair and accurate representation of your total, overall layout as it will appear in the fair.
- Except for reasonable, short breaks, artists must be present in their booth for the duration of the art fair. Booth sitters will be available for artist breaks.
- Displays are to remain intact until 4:00 p.m. Sunday, July 5, the close of the art fair, and no vehicles are permitted in the booth area until after 4:00 p.m.
- Quality Coordinator(s) will monitor all displays throughout the fair to ensure exhibitors comply with Art Fair rules.
- Participants must follow all South Haven City Park rules.
- City of South Haven strictly prohibits overnight camping in Stanley Johnston Park.
- Artists are solely responsible for collection and payment of all sales taxes.
Reproduction Policy:
- A reproduction is defined as any existing work of art (such as a painting, pastel, drawing, etc.) that is copied by digital or photographic means and printed on an offset press, a serigraph press or through a computer printer. This definition includes giclées. Reproduced work to which the artist has made enhancements are still considered reproductions. This does not apply to photography and or the digital categories.
- All reproductions must be only of current, original art that is also for sale at the artist’s booth at this year’s Fair.
- Framed reproductions must be signed, numbered in an edition not to exceed 250, and may be displayed in browse bins and/or hung on one (1) wall of the booth, not to exceed (10) ten linear feet.
- All hanging framed reproductions must be individually labeled “REPRODUCTION” or “LIMITED EDITION REPRODUCTION.” This notice must appear on the front of each item displayed. Labeling a work “giclée” is not adequate.
- All unframed reproductions must be signed, numbered in editions not to exceed 250, and displayed in browse bins only. Browse bins must be clearly marked as “REPRODUCTION.” They may not be hung.
- 3 dimensional reproductions must be signed and numbered. In the medium of clay, no commercial models are allowed, only molds made and signed by the artist may be used.
- Cards, note cards, etc., are permitted, but must be labeled as reproductions if they are not original works. (These do not have to be individually labeled as long as the grouping/display is labeled as reproductions.)
- In all cases, the work must be produced by the exhibiting artist, and by no one else.
- If you have questions concerning the eligibility of the work you wish to exhibit and sell, please contact us.
- An Artist Statement must be displayed in your booth during the Art Fair.
- A booth sign bearing the artist name, booth number, medium, city and state will be provided. This must be prominently displayed in the front right corner of the booth, to assist the onsite jurying process and be within easy reach of the juror assistants.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
200
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
120
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
10
Booth Information
BOOTH:
Exhibit spaces are approximately 12 ft. wide by 12 ft. deep ($325 fee). Artists will be able to view
the site map and request booths upon acceptance to the show. Booth requests are honored whenever possible. First preference is given to returning artists and the previous year’s media category winners. Double booths can be purchased based on availability.
BOOTH SETUP:
Exhibit spaces are approximately 12 ft. wide by 12 ft. deep ($325 fee). Artists will be able to view
the site map and request booths upon acceptance to the show. Booth requests are honored whenever possible. First preference is given to returning artists and the previous year’s media category winners. Double booths can be purchased based on availability.
BOOTH SETUP:
- Check-in and booth setup begin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026 in Stanley Johnston Park. Check-in closes promptly at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026.
- Booth packets will be issued at the artist check-in site located at the corner of Woodman St. and Park Ave.
- The park officially closes at 10:00 p.m. each night and no one is allowed inside the park overnight except security. The City of South Haven strictly prohibits overnight camping in Stanley Johnston Park.
- Check-in will resume on Saturday, July 4 at 6:00 a.m. and set up must be completed by 9:00 a.m.
- All booths must display the booth number sign located in your booth packet, identifying the artist, category, city and state on the front right corner of the booth.
Refund Policy
- The application fee is not refundable. The booth fee of $325 minus the deposit of $50 is refundable for cancellations made before Wednesday, May 15, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Cancellations after that date result in loss of full $325.00 fee per booth (no refund).
- All cancellations/refund requests must be made via email with a brief explanation for cancellation.
- We reserve the right to remove you from the fair for violation of any of the South Haven Art Fair rules, regulations, policies, and procedures, or for any other reason deemed necessary by the event coordinators, at their discretion, without a refund and to prohibit you from exhibition at the South Haven Art Fair in the future.
Additional Fees
Double booth fee: $550
Single Booth Fee: $325
Terms to Apply
Application Fee: $35
