Fairs/Festivals
Evanston Art Center Winter Arts & Crafts Expo 2026
Evanston, Illinois
Application Fee (Non-refundable): $40
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 1
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 4, Max: 4
- Total | Max: 4
Opportunity Summary
The Evanston Art Center's Winter Arts & Crafts Expo is one of the largest and most celebrated shows in the Chicago area. The Annual Expo showcases arts and crafts by over 150 selected artisans, featuring original, handmade works of jewelry, ceramics, fiber, metal, glass, painting, photography, mixed-media, and more.
Jump to
General Information
Application Deadline: October 8
General Shopping: Nov 21- Dec 20, 9 am-6 pm, Mondays – Fridays, 9 am - 4 pm Saturdays - Sundays (closed Thanksgiving)
Inventory Drop-off: Nov. 12, 13, and 14.
Inventory Pick-up: Dec 21, 22, and 23.
The Evanston Art Center’s Annual Winter Arts + Crafts Expo features original, handmade arts and crafts by over 150 selected artisans. We feature original, handmade works of jewelry, ceramics, fiber, metal, glass, painting, photography, mixed-media, and more. This month-long event attracts visitors all over the Midwest region.
Categories
Jewelry, ceramics, wood, glass, metal, fiber, leather, wearable textile accessories, mixed media, small 3-D sculpture, and small 2-D works including printmaking, photography, and painting (must be ready to hang). Beautifully crafted ornaments or menorahs are deemed acceptable as long as the artistic quality is very high.
Not To Be Included:
Commercially oriented or mass produced holiday items. Please note: All work must be original and made by the artist within the last few years. Commercial items will not be accepted. The Expo Committee reserves the right to refuse exhibition of work not consistent with these guidelines.
Size/Weight Restrictions
3-D work: May not exceed 50 lbs and 24" in height. If work requires a base, it must be provided by the artist. Tabletop work is preferred due to limited floor space. Anything larger must receive special permission to be included in the show. 2-D work: May not exceed 24" in any dimension, unless given special permission. Must be framed or equivalent and ready to hang. There may be some space for smaller works to be shown in bins.
Acceptance Information
Notification of the juror's decision will be emailed by mid-October. Upon acceptance to the Expo, an information packet containing inventory delivery and pick-up, pricing, volunteering, and other pertinent show details will be emailed to you. An inventory sheet will also be emailed to you to fill out and return by October 22nd. This means that you will need to plan ahead and know how many pieces will be available to sell before the start of the Expo. As a guideline from last year's show, ceramics, jewelry, glass, and small mixed media artists inventoried approximately 25-50 items. 2-D (Canvas or framed) and larger 3-D inventoried approximately 10 - 20 items. Small prints can have up to 50 pieces. We encourage each selected artist to price items from $20 to $400, with a greater quantity priced below $100 to encourage holiday gift purchases. Artists must drop off and pick up work in person unless special arrangements are made with EAC staff.
Visual Display
The Evanston Art Center has open gallery space available for this event. The Expo is a group show, and as such, there are no booth spaces. Each artist's inventory will be identified and displayed on an approximately 20x30-inch tabletop space or the equivalent area on the wall or floor. Extra inventory for each artist will be stored and then displayed as the merchandise is sold. The Expo staff will make all decisions regarding placement and display. Since this is not a booth show, artists will not be required to be present to conduct sales. The Expo relies on volunteers to run the show. We have found that the artists who are present during the show contribute greatly to the professional atmosphere of the galleries and increase the sales of their own work by being able to talk to customers about their craft and process. We encourage each participating artist (who lives in the area) to volunteer three 3-hour shifts during the show.
Advertising and Publicity
To ensure that the show is well attended, the Art Center will produce an announcement card in print and electronic versions, which will be sent to EAC members and other Art Center mailing lists. Artists will be provided with announcement cards (electronic and print). A combination of store posters, display advertising, print advertising, and publicity will be used to promote the Expo in the surrounding area. Information and photos will be posted on our website at www.evanstonartcenter.org as well. The Art Center reserves the right to photograph or use artist-provided images for publicity purposes.
Sales and Taxes
All sales will be made through a central cashier at the Evanston Art Center: cash, check, or charge. Illinois sales tax will be added to every transaction. The commission to the Art Center is 40%. The retail price labeled on each item will include the commission. At the end of the Expo, the items sold will be noted on your inventory sheets, the commission deducted, unsold inventory returned, and checks mailed in mid-January. Artists are required to supply the Art Center with a signed W-9 so that 10-99s may be sent. All sales are final; the EAC will not refund money under any circumstances.
Security and Insurance
Insurance will be provided at no additional fee. Artists who are selected must provide a full inventory list of works stating sale prices and insurance values of each item. Insurance will be valued at the retail price of each piece and cannot exceed $400 per piece. Artwork will be covered by EAC insurance once the work is checked in and included in our inventory through December 20th. After December 20th, artwork will not be insured. The Expo is not responsible for loss or damage to property over and above the insured value of each piece. All artwork must have an assigned value to be insured. Claims must be submitted in person to the Expo staff at the time of inventory pick-up.
Silent Auction
Artists are encouraged to donate items to a silent auction to be held during the opening weekend on November 21-23, 2025. The EAC greatly appreciates your generosity in this event. All proceeds from the Expo benefit the ongoing exhibition, education, and outreach programs at the EAC. The auction will encourage customers to linger in the galleries and shop. All proceeds from the silent auction will go toward supporting the show's fundraising efforts for the Evanston Art Center. Please note that under current IRS regulations, the tax-deductible amount of an auction item donated to the EAC by the artist who created the work will generally be limited to out-of-pocket costs involved in creating the artwork, not its current value or the proceeds received at the auction. For more information regarding tax deductions, we suggest that you consult with your tax advisor.
All sales are final. Cash, Checks, Visa / MasterCard, AMEX, and Discover are accepted.
General Shopping: Nov 21- Dec 20, 9 am-6 pm, Mondays – Fridays, 9 am - 4 pm Saturdays - Sundays (closed Thanksgiving)
Inventory Drop-off: Nov. 12, 13, and 14.
Inventory Pick-up: Dec 21, 22, and 23.
The Evanston Art Center’s Annual Winter Arts + Crafts Expo features original, handmade arts and crafts by over 150 selected artisans. We feature original, handmade works of jewelry, ceramics, fiber, metal, glass, painting, photography, mixed-media, and more. This month-long event attracts visitors all over the Midwest region.
Categories
Jewelry, ceramics, wood, glass, metal, fiber, leather, wearable textile accessories, mixed media, small 3-D sculpture, and small 2-D works including printmaking, photography, and painting (must be ready to hang). Beautifully crafted ornaments or menorahs are deemed acceptable as long as the artistic quality is very high.
Not To Be Included:
Commercially oriented or mass produced holiday items. Please note: All work must be original and made by the artist within the last few years. Commercial items will not be accepted. The Expo Committee reserves the right to refuse exhibition of work not consistent with these guidelines.
Size/Weight Restrictions
3-D work: May not exceed 50 lbs and 24" in height. If work requires a base, it must be provided by the artist. Tabletop work is preferred due to limited floor space. Anything larger must receive special permission to be included in the show. 2-D work: May not exceed 24" in any dimension, unless given special permission. Must be framed or equivalent and ready to hang. There may be some space for smaller works to be shown in bins.
Acceptance Information
Notification of the juror's decision will be emailed by mid-October. Upon acceptance to the Expo, an information packet containing inventory delivery and pick-up, pricing, volunteering, and other pertinent show details will be emailed to you. An inventory sheet will also be emailed to you to fill out and return by October 22nd. This means that you will need to plan ahead and know how many pieces will be available to sell before the start of the Expo. As a guideline from last year's show, ceramics, jewelry, glass, and small mixed media artists inventoried approximately 25-50 items. 2-D (Canvas or framed) and larger 3-D inventoried approximately 10 - 20 items. Small prints can have up to 50 pieces. We encourage each selected artist to price items from $20 to $400, with a greater quantity priced below $100 to encourage holiday gift purchases. Artists must drop off and pick up work in person unless special arrangements are made with EAC staff.
Visual Display
The Evanston Art Center has open gallery space available for this event. The Expo is a group show, and as such, there are no booth spaces. Each artist's inventory will be identified and displayed on an approximately 20x30-inch tabletop space or the equivalent area on the wall or floor. Extra inventory for each artist will be stored and then displayed as the merchandise is sold. The Expo staff will make all decisions regarding placement and display. Since this is not a booth show, artists will not be required to be present to conduct sales. The Expo relies on volunteers to run the show. We have found that the artists who are present during the show contribute greatly to the professional atmosphere of the galleries and increase the sales of their own work by being able to talk to customers about their craft and process. We encourage each participating artist (who lives in the area) to volunteer three 3-hour shifts during the show.
Advertising and Publicity
To ensure that the show is well attended, the Art Center will produce an announcement card in print and electronic versions, which will be sent to EAC members and other Art Center mailing lists. Artists will be provided with announcement cards (electronic and print). A combination of store posters, display advertising, print advertising, and publicity will be used to promote the Expo in the surrounding area. Information and photos will be posted on our website at www.evanstonartcenter.org as well. The Art Center reserves the right to photograph or use artist-provided images for publicity purposes.
Sales and Taxes
All sales will be made through a central cashier at the Evanston Art Center: cash, check, or charge. Illinois sales tax will be added to every transaction. The commission to the Art Center is 40%. The retail price labeled on each item will include the commission. At the end of the Expo, the items sold will be noted on your inventory sheets, the commission deducted, unsold inventory returned, and checks mailed in mid-January. Artists are required to supply the Art Center with a signed W-9 so that 10-99s may be sent. All sales are final; the EAC will not refund money under any circumstances.
Security and Insurance
Insurance will be provided at no additional fee. Artists who are selected must provide a full inventory list of works stating sale prices and insurance values of each item. Insurance will be valued at the retail price of each piece and cannot exceed $400 per piece. Artwork will be covered by EAC insurance once the work is checked in and included in our inventory through December 20th. After December 20th, artwork will not be insured. The Expo is not responsible for loss or damage to property over and above the insured value of each piece. All artwork must have an assigned value to be insured. Claims must be submitted in person to the Expo staff at the time of inventory pick-up.
Silent Auction
Artists are encouraged to donate items to a silent auction to be held during the opening weekend on November 21-23, 2025. The EAC greatly appreciates your generosity in this event. All proceeds from the Expo benefit the ongoing exhibition, education, and outreach programs at the EAC. The auction will encourage customers to linger in the galleries and shop. All proceeds from the silent auction will go toward supporting the show's fundraising efforts for the Evanston Art Center. Please note that under current IRS regulations, the tax-deductible amount of an auction item donated to the EAC by the artist who created the work will generally be limited to out-of-pocket costs involved in creating the artwork, not its current value or the proceeds received at the auction. For more information regarding tax deductions, we suggest that you consult with your tax advisor.
All sales are final. Cash, Checks, Visa / MasterCard, AMEX, and Discover are accepted.
Application Requirements
No CDs or prints will be accepted. All images have to be in JPG format.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
220
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
150
Booth Information
Visual Display
The Evanston Art Center has open gallery space available for this event. The Expo is a group show, and as such, there are no booth spaces. Each artist's inventory will be identified and displayed on an approximately 20x30 inches tabletop space or the equivalent area on the wall or floor. Extra inventory for each artist will be stored and then displayed as the merchandise is sold. The Expo staff will make all decisions regarding placement and display. Since this is not a booth show, artists will not be required to be present to conduct sales. The Expo relies on volunteers to run the show. We have found that the artists who are present during the show contribute greatly to the professional atmosphere of the galleries and increase the sales of their own work by being able to talk to customers about their craft and process. We encourage each participating artist (who lives in the area) to volunteer three, 3-hour shifts during the show.
The Evanston Art Center has open gallery space available for this event. The Expo is a group show, and as such, there are no booth spaces. Each artist's inventory will be identified and displayed on an approximately 20x30 inches tabletop space or the equivalent area on the wall or floor. Extra inventory for each artist will be stored and then displayed as the merchandise is sold. The Expo staff will make all decisions regarding placement and display. Since this is not a booth show, artists will not be required to be present to conduct sales. The Expo relies on volunteers to run the show. We have found that the artists who are present during the show contribute greatly to the professional atmosphere of the galleries and increase the sales of their own work by being able to talk to customers about their craft and process. We encourage each participating artist (who lives in the area) to volunteer three, 3-hour shifts during the show.
Refund Policy
Application fees are non-refundable.
Additional Fees
Early Bird Application Fee (Non-refundable): $40
To be a member of the EAC (optional): $55
Terms to Apply
Application Fee (Non-refundable): $40