Fairs/Festivals
Round the Fountain Art Fair 2026
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 5
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 6, Max: 6
- Total | Max: 6
Opportunity Summary
Artists and art lovers alike gather for the 'Round the Fountain Art Fair on the grounds of the Tippecanoe County Courthouse, Lafayette, Indiana, on the Saturday before Memorial Day. Attendance averages 8-9,000 fine art lovers. Merit Awards worth close to $5,000 are available, as well as several Purchase Awards. In addition, each year the committee purchases one piece of art for the Courthouse's permanent collection.
General Information
The 52nd annual 'Round the Fountain Art Fair will be held on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026 in the Lafayette-West Lafayette, Indiana area, home of Purdue University. Attendance averages 8,000-9,000 fine art lovers. Merit awards worth close to $5,000 are available as well as several purchase awards. In addition, each year the committee purchases one piece of art for the fair's Permanent Collection, housed in the Tippecanoe County Courthouse. The fair is held on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and is organized by a volunteer committee. 'Round the Fountain Art Fair benefits area high school art programs and other art related community projects. Amenities for the artists include free coffee, loading and unloading help, and booth sitters
Fair date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Fair Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Fair set up: Friday, May 22, 2026 (limited availability, first come first serve) after 6 p.m for booths not located in the street. For booths in the street, setup begins at 6 a.m on Saturday, May 23, 2026 (Day of the Show). You will be notified in early May as to booth assignment and setup details.
Important Dates:
Applications Accepted: December 15
Applications Close: February 13
Notification of Jury Results: by March 16
Deadline to accept invitation and pay fees: April 17
Mediums
You can apply in more than one medium. Artists can apply in more than one medium category from just one profile! This eliminates the need for you to maintain separate profiles if you regularly submit applications in more than one medium to our show. All you have to do is log in to your ZAPP account, apply, and check out as normal. Then, repeat for each additional category you are applying in -a maximum of three categories. Simple as that! For more details visit here: https://docs.google.com/a/westaf.org/document/d/1yyQOZ6VMnmLVfnAB3evL1oxQa5C4646JXl_IoCBDZ6k/edit You will need to upload 5 images for each medium, a booth image for each (can be the same) and pay a separate jurying fee for each. If you are accepted in more than one medium, you can display them together in one booth.
All work must be original and made by the artist. Reproductions are allowed and may be displayed in bins or portfolios only. No pieces made from kits allowed. Artists may display and sell only the type of work represented in images submitted with the online application. The committee reserves the right to ask for any work that was not juried in advance to be removed.
How to Enter
Fill out our application here on ZAPP. Pay $35 jurying fee by credit card or PayPal or by mailing us a check. Be sure to include 5 images of your art and 1 image of your booth for a total of 6 images. Jurying will take place in early-March. You will be notified of the results by March 18. If you are accepted, you will choose your booth size and pay the fee, again by credit card, PayPal or personal check. Booths can be 10 feet by 10 feet ($200) or 10 feet by 20 feet ($400) and ($300) for specific booths. About 2 weeks before the fair, you will receive an email with booth assignment and fair information. Booth assignments may be available earlier- check your ZAPP account in late April.
Please note: The fair will be held rain or shine, hot or cold. No refunds will be given because of weather conditions.
Jurying
Selection of the artists will be done primarily by paid judges related to the arts community. The Fair Committee will also review all submissions at their jury review event, for verification of compliance with the regulations of the event and other items. The jury views each artist's work and makes a final decision based on the judges recommendations. Artists are notified by March 18 of the results.
Awards
The committee obtains two qualified judges to view all the booths and determine winners for the awards. All 2024 winners are automatically invited to the 2025 fair with no jury fee needed. Those winners will be notified with a specific coupon code that covers the jury fee. If you were a 2024 winner and have not been sent the coupon code, contact Cameron at rtffair@gmail.com .
The awards given are:
Best of Show: $1250, Second Place: $750, Third Place $500 for a single piece of art.
5 Merit Awards ($250) for overall body of work in the booth in all categories:
In addition, the show committee purchases a piece from one artist to add to our Permanent Collection, which is displayed in the courthouse year round.
Fair date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Fair Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Fair set up: Friday, May 22, 2026 (limited availability, first come first serve) after 6 p.m for booths not located in the street. For booths in the street, setup begins at 6 a.m on Saturday, May 23, 2026 (Day of the Show). You will be notified in early May as to booth assignment and setup details.
Important Dates:
Applications Accepted: December 15
Applications Close: February 13
Notification of Jury Results: by March 16
Deadline to accept invitation and pay fees: April 17
Mediums
- Acrylic
- Batik
- Ceramics
- Fiber
- Glass
- Graphics
- Jewelry
- Mixed Media
- Oil
- Pastels
- Photography
- Sculpture
- Watercolor
- Wood
- Other (jury approved)
You can apply in more than one medium. Artists can apply in more than one medium category from just one profile! This eliminates the need for you to maintain separate profiles if you regularly submit applications in more than one medium to our show. All you have to do is log in to your ZAPP account, apply, and check out as normal. Then, repeat for each additional category you are applying in -a maximum of three categories. Simple as that! For more details visit here: https://docs.google.com/a/westaf.org/document/d/1yyQOZ6VMnmLVfnAB3evL1oxQa5C4646JXl_IoCBDZ6k/edit You will need to upload 5 images for each medium, a booth image for each (can be the same) and pay a separate jurying fee for each. If you are accepted in more than one medium, you can display them together in one booth.
All work must be original and made by the artist. Reproductions are allowed and may be displayed in bins or portfolios only. No pieces made from kits allowed. Artists may display and sell only the type of work represented in images submitted with the online application. The committee reserves the right to ask for any work that was not juried in advance to be removed.
How to Enter
Fill out our application here on ZAPP. Pay $35 jurying fee by credit card or PayPal or by mailing us a check. Be sure to include 5 images of your art and 1 image of your booth for a total of 6 images. Jurying will take place in early-March. You will be notified of the results by March 18. If you are accepted, you will choose your booth size and pay the fee, again by credit card, PayPal or personal check. Booths can be 10 feet by 10 feet ($200) or 10 feet by 20 feet ($400) and ($300) for specific booths. About 2 weeks before the fair, you will receive an email with booth assignment and fair information. Booth assignments may be available earlier- check your ZAPP account in late April.
Please note: The fair will be held rain or shine, hot or cold. No refunds will be given because of weather conditions.
Jurying
Selection of the artists will be done primarily by paid judges related to the arts community. The Fair Committee will also review all submissions at their jury review event, for verification of compliance with the regulations of the event and other items. The jury views each artist's work and makes a final decision based on the judges recommendations. Artists are notified by March 18 of the results.
Awards
The committee obtains two qualified judges to view all the booths and determine winners for the awards. All 2024 winners are automatically invited to the 2025 fair with no jury fee needed. Those winners will be notified with a specific coupon code that covers the jury fee. If you were a 2024 winner and have not been sent the coupon code, contact Cameron at rtffair@gmail.com .
The awards given are:
Best of Show: $1250, Second Place: $750, Third Place $500 for a single piece of art.
5 Merit Awards ($250) for overall body of work in the booth in all categories:
- Photography
- Ceramics
- Oil/Acrylic
- Watercolor
- Graphics
- Sculpture
- 4 unspecified merit awards, given at the judges' discretion.
In addition, the show committee purchases a piece from one artist to add to our Permanent Collection, which is displayed in the courthouse year round.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
225
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
80
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
4
Booth Information
Booth space is 10 feet by 10 feet for a single booth for $200 or 10 feet by 20 feet for a 'double booth' for $400. Specific, high demand booth locations are $300 & $550 respectably. There is a limit on 'double booths' and they will be a 'first come, first served' via Zapp registration for the event.
Once accepted you will be able to send money for a booth and tell us any preferences you may have about your location. This includes any physical limitations you may have or desires to be next to a specific artist. The committee cannot guarantee that we will be able to honor all requests. When the committee assigns your space you will be notified, sometime after May 9. You may only display pieces in the mediums you were accepted. Reproductions are allowed in bins only.
Once accepted you will be able to send money for a booth and tell us any preferences you may have about your location. This includes any physical limitations you may have or desires to be next to a specific artist. The committee cannot guarantee that we will be able to honor all requests. When the committee assigns your space you will be notified, sometime after May 9. You may only display pieces in the mediums you were accepted. Reproductions are allowed in bins only.
Refund Policy
Refunds are not given on the jury fee. Please read the general information section carefully.
RTFAF will refund booth fees if the artist contacts the committee by phone or email before May 8. No refund after May 8 unless the committee is able to fill your spot. Any last minute cancellations due to illness or death in family may be refunded at 100% as long as you contact us by phone or email by 7:00 a.m. the day of the fair. No refunds for weather related reasons, unless the weather prevents you from getting to Lafayette. Calling us by phone or email by 7:00 a.m. the day of the fair is required in this case as well.
RTFAF will refund booth fees if the artist contacts the committee by phone or email before May 8. No refund after May 8 unless the committee is able to fill your spot. Any last minute cancellations due to illness or death in family may be refunded at 100% as long as you contact us by phone or email by 7:00 a.m. the day of the fair. No refunds for weather related reasons, unless the weather prevents you from getting to Lafayette. Calling us by phone or email by 7:00 a.m. the day of the fair is required in this case as well.
Terms to Apply
