One of a Kind Holiday Show Chicago 2026

One of a Kind Show, held in April and December each year, can be your best opportunity to sell to tens of thousands of affluent consumers who value handmade work and love to shop!  The award-winning show boasts an ideal downtown Chicago location, a premium indoor exhibiting environment, and unparalleled marketing and promotional opportunities.  

Artists, makers and creators of high quality, handmade, original work are invited to apply to be a part of the One of a Kind experience! Eligible work ranges from giftable craft to premium fine art.  Applications will be juried and chosen based on uniqueness, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.  

Location
The Mart (Indoor Venue)
Chicago, Illinois 

Show Dates and Hours
December 3-6, 2026
Thursday, December 3, 10am - 7pm
Friday, December 4, 10am - 7pm          
Saturday, December 5, 10am - 7pm 
Sunday, December 6, 10am - 5pm       

Show Facts

• The show is entering its 25th annual year featuring approx. 650 artists, designers, and makers
• Show promotion to our database of over 200,000
• Held in a premium indoor environment with all-inclusive hard wall booth package in the heart of downtown Chicago
• Top ranked on the Sunshine Artist's 200 Best list and by ArtFairCalendar.com

For more information regarding the One of a Kind brand please visit our website at www.oneofakindshowchicago.com.

Important Dates and Deadline

January 13, 2026         Early Jury Application is open/available
May 18, 2026                Early Jury Deadline to apply (extended from 5/15)
May 21, 2026                Early Jury Notifications of participation status (accepted, waitlisted, declined) 
May 28, 2026                Early Jury Deadline for completing online contracts with payment 
July 20, 2026                Jury Deadline to apply (extended from 7/17)
July 23, 2026                Jury Notifications of participation status (invited, waitlisted, declined) 
July 30, 2026                Jury Deadline for artist to submit online contracts with payment
September 14, 2026      Late Jury Deadline to apply (Extended from 9/11)
September 17, 2026      Late Jury Notifications of particiaption status (accepted, waitlisted, declined) 
Septemer 24, 2026        Late Jury Deadline for artist to submit online contracts with payment 
September 25, 2026      Rolling jury begins
December 3, 2026         Show opens

Acceptance Criteria for Artists (Non Emerging Artists) and Participation Rules
With the wide variety of media and production processes in our show, we recognize that there is no single definition of "handmade".  For this reason, each application is thoughtfully reviewed by our selection committee. To qualify for our selection process, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be the original artist/designer/creator/purveyor of your work
• You have a complete understanding of the creation & craft process needed to make your work 
• You are intimately involved in the design, creation & production process from start to finish
• Limited assistants/apprentices are permitted as long as the original artist is involved in the production as stated above
• Work displayed may only be in the media category in which participant was accepted
• For photographers: Original photography should make up most of the artists booth
• For fine artists: Limited editions will be permitted but shouldn't make up more than 10% of total offerings
• Booth sharing is not permitted unless presenting work is a collaborative collection and approved by management
• Mass-produced work is not eligible for participation

Production Process:

• Manufactures and technological tools that aid in the production of your item must be disclosed in your application 
• Artist/Designer can employ limited assistance/apprentices but, they (the artist) need(s) to be intimately involved during production
• AI (Artificial Intelligence) usage as a production tool must be disclosed in the application and approved by management

Acceptance Criteria for Emerging Artists 
The Emerging Artists section of the show includes designated spaces dedicated to talented up and coming artists, designers and makers. To be considered, you must meet the acceptance criteria listed above for “All Applicants” as well as the following Emerging Market criteria:

• First time participant in a One of a Kind Show
• Less than 3 years of professional experience as a working artist 
• Less than 3 years of professional experience presenting your work (installations, exhibitions and/or art shows)
• Exceptional work and presentation

 **Accepted artist can only participate in 1 Holiday or Spring show as an Emerging Artist. For example, Spring 2026 Emerging Artists will not be eligible for the Holiday 2026 Emerging Market.

Acceptance Criteria for Gourmet Market 
Artist approved to participate in the OOAK Gourmet Market must adhere to the following requirements:

• Artists are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the Chicago Public Health Guidelines and for filing/submitting the appropriate permits & liability forms. 
• Artists may distribute SAMPLE food and/or beverages 
• All samples and food for sale must provide clear ingredient labels to help consumers identify and avoid foods which contain ingredients to which they are allergic or sensitive too. 

 Onsite Show Agreement:

• The original artist must be onsite during the entire duration of the event
• The only items approved to be displayed in your booth are the items submitted in your application
• Artists may not breakdown their booths before the close of show (Sunday at 5pm) or a fine will be incurred.

Media Categories
Accessories (Fashion Accessories)
Bath & Body
Ceramics
Emerging (Section Full)
Fashion (Fiber Art Wearable)
Fiber Art (Non-wearable)
Furniture 
Glass
Gourmet Food (Section Full)
Holiday (Mixed Media)
Home Goods
Jewelry 
Kids
Leather
Metal
Mixed Media
Painting/2D
Paper
Pet Products
Photography
Repurposed Vintage / Upcycled
Sculpture
Wood

Application Process
All applications must be submitted online through Zapplication at www.zapplication.org.  To be considered you will be asked to do the following:

• Create an online artist profile
• Prepare and upload 5 images in total
  • 3 images of your work
  • 1 image of your studio/workspace (system requires this image to have a value, please allocate/label it as $1)
  • 1 image of your booth/display 
    • For artists who have not participated in a show, we recommend creating a mock booth or display and submitting the photo of it.  The jury will want to see your presentation skills and how the work looks as a collective.
• Submit a $40 USD non-refundable application fee
• Complete online application and submit it here before midnight (CST) of the jury deadline date.

Notification of your jury status will be emailed to you and posted on your online Zapplication profile. Please do not call.

Accepted artists will receive an acceptance email including a show contract, booth payment schedule and additional show information via email.  Partial payment is due with the contract no later than 1 week after receiving your acceptance notification.  

Artist Booth (Non-Emerging)
Your booth package will include: 8' high hard walls (1" thick, painted white), four incandescent flood lights, electricity, Wi-Fi, carpeting, booth signage, waste basket & chair (must request), booth cleaning and complimentary drayage (labor moving your work to and from the dock to your booth).

• Standard Booth - approx. 10' x 10' - $2,675 (other configurations may be available)
• Standard Corner Fee - $400 additional
  • ​​Corner configurations consists of 2 walls & 2 sides of exposure, not 3 walls. 

​Multiple and Multiple Corner Booth configurations are also available. 

Booth Details for Artist Booth (Non-Emerging Booth)

• 8' high hard walls (1" thick, painted white)
• 4 incandescent flood lights
• Electricity
• Carpeting
• Accessible inventory storage for replenishment
• Online and printed marketing tools
• Booth signage
• Waste basket (upon request)
• Chair (upon request)
• Pre-show booth cleaning
• Drayage (labor transporting your work to and from the loading dock to your booth)

Emerging Artist Package
Your booth package will include: flood lighting, electricity, Wi-Fi, carpeting, booth signage, waste basket & chair (upon request) booth cleaning, drayage and placement in designated emerging artist space.

• Emerging Booth - $1,350 (please note, spaces are not full-size booths. Limited quantities)

Space dimensions and details may vary from year to year. Typically, the spaces are approx. 50 sqft with no side walls. Confirmation of space dimensions will be given once finalized. 

Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding applying to the show, please contact:

Kathleen Hogan, Managing Director 
312-527-7642 phone
khogan@themart.com
oneofakindshowchicago.com

Marie Gerbasi, Senior Artist Relations Manager
312-527-7757 phone
mgerbasi@themart.com
oneofakindshowchicago.com

All payments and fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.