Lawrence Art in the Park 2026

Art in the Park is a fine-art and fine-craft event that is held in beautiful shade-filled South Park (12th and Massachusetts) on the south end of vibrant downtown Lawrence, Kansas. 

When: September 19 - 20th. (Saturday 10 am to 6pm - Sunday 10 am to 5pm)

Art in the Park is a Lawrence tradition dating back to 1964 and is the Lawrence Art Guild's premier fundraising event. Winning "Best Event" since 2019 as voted by the public in the "Best of Lawrence" contest, Art in the Park is a Lawrence favorite. 2026 will be our sixth year as a two day event with over 20,000 visitors expected. Ten live music groups will perform throughout the weekend, creating a beautiful background (keeping in mind volume for artists) and food vendors provide a wide variety of sweet and savory options. 

All accepted artists are also invited to have up to two pieces of their artwork in the Phoenix Gallery sponsored "Art in the Park Preview Show" located in Downtown Lawrence. The opening reception will be held during Lawrence's highly attended Final Friday gallery walk.

The Lawrence Art Guild is a not-for-profit organization. Their mission is to support local artists, promote art in the community and provide workshops, exhibits and show opportunities for its members. Due to the proceeds made at Art in the Park, the Lawrence Art Guild has donated over $30,000 to local high school art programs over the past five years. 

Benefits to Artists: 
Artist hospitality will be provided Saturday and Sunday mornings before the show opens, with breakfast items, coffee, and tea. Artist support (including booth sitters, water, and snacks) will be provided throughout the event.
Lunch will be provided both days. 

Security will be provided overnight Friday and Saturday. 

Optional Friday night set up: Sept.18th starting at 3:30pm 

Eligibility:
Only originals of fine art and fine craft are eligible and must comprise the majority of the work to be displayed. Art work must be the creation of the exhibiting artist. Reproductions must be signed, numbered, and identified as such. Not eligible for entry are crafted items such as soaps or candles, mass-produced T- shirts, copyrighted, trademarked, or licensed images not owned by the artist, and any items made from commercial kits or molds. The Lawrence Art Guild reserves the right to refuse the display and sale of artwork that is not represented by medium, style, and quality represented in the submitted images, in which case the artist will be asked to leave without refund of entry fees.

Eligible Media:
Graphics/printmaking, drawing, leather, metal, glass, painting, digital, pastels, photography, and mixed media in all media, ceramics, all fiber media, glass, jewelry, metal, sculpture, wood.

Jury Fee: $35.00
Note: This is a non-refundable fee. 

Cash Awards:
Artists’ work will be judged on-site by a panel representing local artists and/or arts organizations. Awards will be based on the overall quality of art displayed by each artist in both 2-D and 3-D categories. Six cash prizes were awarded in 2025.

Jury:
Acceptance is based on artwork that exhibits originality, craftsmanship, imaginative use of materials, and aesthetic qualities. All artists must submit four (4) good-quality images showing at least one work for each medium of art to be displayed, plus an example of their booth setup (drawings of the booth set up will be allowed although photographs are prefered). Images must be of original art created by the exhibiting artist. A panel of judges chosen for their expertise in each media will judge the overall suitability of artwork based on images submitted. The judges' decisions are final. Keep in mind that the quality of your images as well as your booth shot may impact the judges' decision. Please submit high resolution images of your artwork. Each juror chosen represents a level of expertise in each media they jury. 

Electricity:
The hours of operation will be during daylight hours; there will be no electricity provided to artists’ booths. There will be access to electricity in the gazebo (centrally located) for charging purposes. Artists are allowed to bring their own batteries or solar panels.  No generators are allowed.

Important Dates:
​1/5 - Application available​
5/31 - Application deadline
6/12 - Jury notifications emailed to artists
6/30 - Acceptance and booth purchase deadline
8/18 - Booth assignments sent 
9/18 - Early Setup. This service is optional. Booth locations will be marked at the park by 4pm. Artists are able to start setting up their tent and display materials at that time. We will have security scheduled for that evening.
9/19 - Show Starts. Hours 10am - 6pm.  Setup starting at 6:00 AM (no assigned setup times).
9/20 - Show Closes. Hours 10am - 5pm. 

Art in the Park will be held rain or shine. 

Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We will be featuring artists, posting images and the artist map, and announcing our food truck list and musical line-up on social media.

• Lawrence Art Guild Association Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawrenceartguildassociation
• Lawrence Art in the Park Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceArtinthePark
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artintheparklawrenceks/

1. Booth spaces are assigned by the Lawrence Art Guild and are not interchangeable. A limited number of double booths are available. 
2. Artists must be present during the entire event and must personally staff their booth space. It is acceptable and encouraged that you have assistance but under no circumstances may agents, dealers or representatives attend the event in place of the artist.
3. Artists may only show work in categories and bodies of work approved by the jury. All jewelry must have been juried in the jewelry category or a separate application be submitted to be juried in. Example: If you are selling ceramics and jewelry made from ceramics, you must submit two applications, one in ceramics and one in jewelry. If you are only selling ceramic jewelry, you only need to submit one application in jewelry. The Lawrence Art Guild reserves the right to refuse the display and sale of artwork that is not represented by submitted images, in which case the artist will be removed from the show without refund of any fees. If you have any questions please reach out to Roura Young (rourasue@gmail.com) or Jen Unekis (j_unekis@hotmail.com). 
4. Artists must define “limited edition” through their Artist Statement and must disclose their process to the buyer. Original art must visibily be the focus of the applicant's booth space. Reproductions of 2-D work must clearly be labeled as such. 
5. Ceramic works must be handcrafted/made by the artist. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, each must be signed or marked by the artist. 
6. Artist must comply with all staff and uniformed security regarding site safety and regulations. Vehicles must be parked only in designated areas.
7. Art in the Park is a family-oriented event. Artwork intended for mature audiences will not be considered. On-site representatives will be enforcing this policy throughout the show.
8. In all disputes that result in an artist being disqualified from appearing, a refund of fees will not be given.
9.  Each artist is responsible for collecting any and all taxes including Kansas sales tax. Sales tax forms will issued with the artist's packets. If you have further questions, you may contact the Kansas Department of Revenue (www.ksrevenue.org/specialsalesevents.htm or kdor_special.events@ks.gov)
10. Tents should be designed for outdoor use and capable of withstanding the elements. All display materials will be provided by the artists (including tents, panels and chairs). WEIGHTS ARE REQUIRED (40 LBS PER TENT LEG MINIMUM.) NO TENT SCREWS OR STAKES ALLOWED due to sprinkler systems in the park. 
11. The Lawrence Art Guild or The City of Lawrence assumes no responsibility for loss, damage, or theft. 
12. All artists must check out, report their earnings, and pay 10% of gross sales before leaving on Sunday.
 

Jury Fee: $35.00 (this is a non-refundable fee)

Booth Fees:
Our booth fees are low in following with our mission to support working artists. To offset this reduced fee, the Lawrence Art Guild collects an additional 10% on gross sales at checkout. Additional booth payment not to exceed $200.00 per artist).

Lawrence Art Guild members: $145.00 
Non-members: $175.00
Double Booth: $290 for members, $350 for nonmembers

*Lawrence Art Guild Membership may be purchased concurrently with booth fee at check out. Membership fee is $30.00 ($20.00/Senior-55 plus years). By becoming a member, you qualify for discounts, acceptance into our two annual "All Members" shows, will receive newsletters, are invited to the annual members party, and are invited to guest speaker events and workshops.
Lawrence Art Guild website: https://www.lawrenceartguild.org/membership.html

All booth spaces are 10' x 10'. The backs of booths open up to the park and there is usually unlimited space. Most but not all locations have additional space on one side. 

Setup: Early setup will begin at 3:30 pm Sept 18th (artists may also set up Saturday morning, Sept 19th). Check-in and hospitality begin at 7:00 am on Sept 19th at the information booth near the gazebo although you may set up as early as you would like on Saturday morning. A map with your location will be sent to you by email with instructions before the event. Volunteers will be available but are also not guaranteed. 

In all instances before setting up please let the staff know if your location is not suitable or if you have any questions or concerns about your location. One of our primary goals is to keep our artists happy. 

No electrical outlets, tents or display materials will be provided by the Lawrence Art Guild.

Tents should be designed for outdoor use and capable of withstanding the elements. All display materials will be provided by the artists (including tents, panels and chairs). WEIGHTS ARE REQUIRED (40 LBS PER TENT LEG MINIMUM.) No tent screws or stakes allowed.

Checkout: Artists must check out at the Information table. A 10% fee on sales will be collected by the Lawrence Art Guild, due at the end of the show. This 10% allows the Guild to keep booth fees low, provide grants, as well as pay for yearly expenses (advertising and honorarium fees). 

IMPORTANT: A BOOTH SITE MAP WITH OPTIONS FOR BOOTH LOCATION IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS SCREEN, IT WILL NOT SHOW UP AGAIN WHEN YOU FILL OUT YOUR APPLICATION.  

Please note desired location when filling out your application. Music will be at the Gazebo (close to letter G) and food vendors will be along Massachusetts Street. Artists tend to like a variety of locations for a variety of reasons. You may also choose to not have a preference. Please note preferences if you have any, such as near or away from food. Please also list if you have any restrictions or limitations physically. While we try to honor requests, we cannot guarantee exact locations.