Glenview Art League Summer Art Fair 2026

                                                   Welcome to Glenview's Original Art Fair!

We look forward to your application to exhibit in the 72nd Annual Glenview Art League Summer Art Fair! 

This is a volunteer-run event - the second longest running Art Fair in Illinois. Yes, we have a wonderful home-town history!

• Conveniently located on blacktop near Attea Middle School, with great visibility, parking, and location near parks and shops.
• This beloved community tradition dates back to the 1950s.
• Crowds are drawn in by fine artwork and fine craft, as well as social and traditional media promotion and live music.
• Fine art exhibits well-complimented by music, food, kids activities
• Enthusiastic volunteers and organizers
• High visibility in a downtown location at a major crossroad with consistent foot traffic 

Median income of surrounding area is twice above national average and patrons are appreciative of the arts.

 

Show Date: Saturday and Sunday, July 18-19, 2026; 11am - 5pm both days
Entry Deadline: April 3, 2026
Jury Fee: $20
Booth Fees: $250 ($190 for GAL members on record as of 1/1/2026)

ARTIST AMENITIES

• Friday check-in and set-up
• Overnight security
• Coffee, water, and light snacks
• Booth sitters and energetic volunteers
• Students are available for hire to help with set up and take down. Payment information will be given with accepted application.
• Promotion and event marketing, including social and traditional media        

Accepted Media

• Paintings and Drawings This category includes painting, drawing, oil, acrylic, charcoal, pastel, crayon, chalk, watercolor, graphite, pen and ink, egg tempera and colored pencil.
• Sculpture Three dimensional works created in any medium.. 
• Prints Works made encompassing printmaking techniques such as lithography, etching, engraving, wood block, linoleum, mono prints, etc.
• Mixed media This category includes both 2D and 3D works that incorporate more than one type of material to produce. 
• Wood Original works made of wood that may be hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved. Work may be functional or decorative.
• Glass Functional, decorative and sculptural work where the primary material is glass.
  No mass-produced or machine-made work is permitted.
• Fiber Artists who have work in fiber wearable, non-wearable and leather should submit in this category, as well as  paper, basketry, tapestries, weaving and hand embroidery.
• Ceramics Functional, decorative and sculptural work where the primary material is clay.
  No mass-produced or machine-made work is permitted. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, each piece should be signed. 
• Photography Includes images taken with any type of film or digital camera, and printed on any form of conventional or digital printing process without any exceptional enhancements or additions.  Photographers should post the process used for the printing of their photographs.
• Jewelry Only artists accepted in the jewelry category may exhibit or sell jewelry. The majority of components in jewelry must be handcrafted by the exhibiting artist. Work assembled primarily from commercially produced units, including beads, is not allowed. Stringing of purchased beads without added artist embellishment or design does not meet our jurying criteria.

Artists may exhibit only their own work.
All buy & sell work is prohibited. We will require these pieces be removed from the booth. 
All work displayed must be original art. 
Copies or reproductions of the artist’s work must be labeled as such.
Giclee prints may only be displayed in bins.

Fees and Jurying

Applications will be accepted beginning January 14, 2026 (juried in April 2026).

$250 - Non-member booth fee

$190 - Glenview Art League members (on record as of January 1, 2025)

$20 - Non-refundable jury fee

First time applicants, previous exhibitors who plan to exhibit a different medium, and ALL ceramics, sculpture and 3D artists are required to be juried into the 2026 fair. All returning artists are required to re-jury every 3 years:
  •  2026 - Jewelry, Fiber
  •  2027 - Photographers/print makers/2D art
  •  2028 - Ceramics/sculpture/3D art

If you are returning and do not need to jury this year, check your email for a jury fee waiver coupon (or request by email to contact@glenviewartleague.org). 

Application Deadline

All applications, entry fees, and images must be received by: April 3, 2026.

Judging and Awards

Judging begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, with ribbons awarded after judges complete their work. Cash awards will be presented at the end of the Fair on Sunday, July 19. Recipients must be present to receive awards. At judges’ discretion, one Best of Show and several Awards of Excellence and Merit will be given.

Booth Space

• Each space is approximately 12' by 12' 
• While some security is provided, artists leave their work overnight at their own risk.

Event Information

• Each accepted application is a commitment to our show. Booth fees must be paid by May 5, 2026, with the refund cut-off date of June 3, 2026.
• This is a free public event.
• Accepted artists must be present and exhibit for the duration of the Fair on both days, which we feel is quite reasonable since this IS why you apply, right?
• We are pet lovers; however, there have been enough issues in the past that Glenview has an ordinance to prohibit animals/pets at the fair. Please inform your regular clients. Registered and marked service pets are of course allowed.

Silent Auction

As part of the fair, the Glenview Art League holds a Silent Auction to raise funds for our Youth Art Fair and Scholarship Program. Please consider a donation to the Silent Auction, which is tax deductible in accordance with the law.

Recipients of our Scholarship are often showing at the Fair, so you can see your donation at work!

You can drop off your donation at the Silent Auction Booth on Saturday, July 18 before 10 a.m. We appreciate your support!

Promotion

The Glenview Art League will promote artists through social and traditional media.

But most importantly, we encourage all artists to promote the Summer Art Fair to clients and on social media sites. Artwork will be provided, so please don't be shy about asking for it. This is what creates more success for all of us..

Local Student Artist Category

The Glenview Art League encourages current student artists to apply and exhibit at the Summer Art Fair. Local student artists may qualify for a reduced booth fee, and have the opportunity to volunteer with set-up/take-down for a discounted booth fee. Please contact us!

The Glenview Art League is a 501c3 tax-exempt organization. www.glenviewartleague.org

ELIGIBILITY
Participation is open to artists creating original art in the categories listed above in General Information:

(Painting and drawing, sculpture, prints, drawing, mixed media, wood work, fiber, ceramics, photography, and jewelry.)

Artists may exhibit only their own work. Copies or reproductions of the artist’s work must be labeled as such. All work displayed must be original art. Giclee prints may only be displayed in bins.

The Artist must be present for the duration of the show. No artist representatives allowed.

No refunds after June 3, 2026.
 
The Glenview Art League reserves the right to request removal of any items you have not been approved to sell, if we suspect they are not of original design, or if items are not consistent with those you juried in with.

A Glenview ordinance prohibits animals/pets at the fair.

BOOTH SPACE
The Glenview Art League Summer Art Fair is an outdoor show - the event goes on RAIN OR SHINE with NO RAIN DATE. Please be prepared for any eventuality in the weather.

• Booth spaces measure approximately 12' x 12', with the opportunity to display work on outside walls. 
• All booths are on blacktop in 2026. Unless you have miraculous ties with the weather maven, we would seriously question if you did not secure your tent!  So yes, we require you to use weights for your tent!
• All artists are responsible for setting up and carrying for their work in their allotted space.
• Artists will be able to drive up to their booth space to load in and load out. We ask that you move your vehicle promptly to allow other artists to access their spaces.. (if you would like help, there will be eager students available for a fee.)
• While some security is provided, artists leave their work overnight  at their own risk.

There is NO ELECTRICITY AVAILABLE for artist booths. 
 

The Glenview Art League Summer Art Fair is an outdoor show - the event goes on RAIN OR SHINE with NO RAIN DATE. Please be prepared for any eventuality in the weather.

Each accepted application is a commitment to our show. Booth fees must be paid by May 7, 2026, and no refunds after June 3, 2026.