LATE APPLICATION West End Arts Festival 2026

Apply and sell your art at the 30th West End Arts Festival in La Grange, IL! This year will be extra special as it is our 30th Anniversary!

This juried fine art festival is a popular end-of-the-summer event for the community as well as for high-caliber artists from across the country due to its strong reputation as being well-organized and being very artist friendly!  We are proud to highlight artists and promote their art to attendees. 

The event draws interested buyers to the upscale and family-friendly Village of La Grange as it is easily accessible and located 20 min. west of Chicago. It is held along Burlington Avenue with the historic Stone Avenue Metra train station as a backdrop. The event is in the west end area of this charming village surrounded by old trees, small businesses and free parking. It is truly a picture-perfect setting to showcase your art.

The staff and members of the vibrant La Grange Business Association, in cooperation with Village of La Grange, plan, host, and actively promote artists and the event via a variety of marketing channels.

2026 Show:  10 am - 5 pm on Sat, Sept 12 & Sun, Sept. 13

Questions? Email: artfest@lgba.com
Facebook: WestEndArtsFest  Instagram: LaGrangeArts 
Website: westendartsfestival.com
 

ARTIST AMENITIES:

• Coordinated & easy loading and unloading (vehicle pull-up allowed to booth)
• Friday afternoon check‐in and set‐up available if interested  (Note, in the past artists have been allowed to check in beginning at about 2 pm. Artists can stay as late as desired to set up)
• Professionally judged with $1,000 cash and ribbon awards
• Strong festival and artists marketing and publicity campaign  
• Booth sitters 
• Overnight Security
• Festival program with listing of artists
• Friendly volunteers 
• Food & Beverage Vendors
• Free parking for artists and attendees

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Its our 30th Annual Year! 
• An interested buying crowd that enjoys supporting the arts
• Art activities /demos for all ages sponsored by local La Grange Art League and Park District, and Lyons Township High School student art club
• LIVE music
• Food & Beverage Vendors 
• Vibrant, Upscale Community
• Picturesque setting
• Free parking, Free Admission for Attendees
• Steps from METRA train station and easy access to highways/expressways
• We will abide by all state and local guidelines as to COVID-19 protocols in order to keep West End Arts Festival safe for all artists, attendees and volunteers. Hand santizer and hand washing stations will be available throughout the event. 
• Emerging Artist Section

AWARDS
Ribbons and prize awards are given in the following categories:

• Best of Show: $500
• 1st Place: $250
• 2nd Place: $150
• 3rd Place: $100

In addition, award winners are invited back to the show for the following year with jury fee waived.

Award winners selected by professional judge(s). Judge(s) change each year. 

FEES:

Jury Fee:  $35 (waived if invited as previous award winner)

BOOTH FEES:
Standard 10x10 booth - $375.00
Corner booth - $450.00 (first come basis)
Double booth - $725.00
Double corner booth - $775.00
Emerging Artist 10x10 booth - $225.00 (space is very limited. Please see criteria below)

EMERGING ARTISTS
A designated emerging artists section for new artists that have done less than two shows and not previously participated in West End Arts Festival. Emerging Artists will be required to follow all rules, regulations and show policies. Emerging Artists will not be a part of the official judging during the show but will be juried in the Emerging Artist application process. Emerging Artist section will be clearly identified and not impede on the juried artists in main categories. Spaces will be very limited. 

WAIT LIST
We try to update artists of their wait list status as soon and as often as possible. Final determination to add artists is at the sole discretion of the West End Art Festival.
 

CANCELLATION & REFUND REQUESTS

All refund requests must be submitted in writing. E-mail requests are accepted.

The following cancellation and refund policies are in place:

- $100.00 cancellation fee in effect immediately upon receipt of booth fee payment or deposit.

- No refunds available 60 days prior to the start date of the event. Start date is considered the Friday night before the weekend of the event. 
 

JURY:

The following mediums are accepted: ceramics, drawing, fiber non-functional, fiber functional, paper non-functional, furniture, glass, jewelry, acrylic, oil, watercolor, pastel, sculpture, wood, metal, mixed media, collage, photography, and printmaking. If you work in a medium not listed above, please contact us for consideration to apply to the event. 

Artists' work must be original and completed by the artist present at the event. No artist’s representatives or galleries allowed. Work that is mass produced or commercially made is not allowed.  Manufactured or components containing manufactured pieces are not permitted to exhibit. Artists whose work does not comply with the rules or differs from the images submitted, will be asked to remove these items or leave. No refunds will be given.

Artwork created entirely through digital illustration or software-based drawing processes falls outside the scope of eligible media for this event. Photography is permitted, including digitally enhanced or conceptually altered photography, provided the original image is captured by the artist.

The La Grange Business Association and West End Arts Festival reserves the right to remove any and all works deemed not suitable at the time of the festival. We reserve the right to select and/or invite other artists in order to ensure a balanced show in all mediums. The West End Arts Festival reserves the right to not accept an artist for jury. Should this occur, your jury fee shall be returned. West End Arts Festival reserves the right to ask any artist to leave the show, if deemed necessary, regardless of invitiation or award standing. 

Artists are juried by a panel of professional art educators and working artists. This panel of three-four jurors selects the show in a “blind jurying” process based on the images submitted of your original work and the photo of your booth. The identities of artists are not disclosed to the jurors. Images submitted MUST BE consistent with the work exhbited at the event. All art work MUST BE original art created by the artist who applied and that artist must be present at the event.

A brief artist statement is encouraged to be submitted with your application to provide jurors further details on your art techniques. 


Other:
*Please note that in the unfortunate event of inclement weather, artists must wait to tear down only when notice is given from the show. If an artist tears down before permission is given, they will not be invited back the following year. 

*Any artist leaving the show early due to any circumstances that has not gained approval from West End Arts Festival will not be invited back out of cosideration for the other artists.

*Please consider that this is an outdoor show. While we allow paper and delicate arts, please be prepared to store these arts properly in the even of inclement weather. Accepting our shows invitation means that the artist commits to staying for duration of show until the West End Arts Festival calls the show due to weather or unforseen circumstances. Approval must be gained for early tear down by West End Artist's Liasion. 

All booths and displays must be of a professional nature, clean and inviting and representative of work submitted in jury application.

Each display space is 10’ x 10’ Double booth spaces are available for an additional fee. We will make every attempt to honor specific booth requests. Booth location and number are subject to change. Again, we will abide by state and local requirements as to spacing due to Covid protocols. 

Only one artist may display their work, per booth. No sharing of booths allowed.

All areas will be patrolled both Friday night and Saturday night by local law enforcement. However, we assume no liablility for any loss.
 

ARTIST DISPLAY RULES. 

1. Artists must be present at their booth on both days
2. Manufactured or components containing manufactured pieces are not permitted to exhibit.
3. Artist exhibited work must be consistent with images submitted for jury process.
4. Late setups and early shut downs are not allowed without prior written approval
5. All table legs must be covered to the floor with table cloths.
6. Storage items may be stored behind tents or under tables. If stored under tables, items should not be visible. If storing items behind your tent, please stack items so they are neat and clean and safe.
7. Framed reproductions must be labeled "Reproduction".
8. One small bin of reproductions is allowed and must be appropriately labeled.
9. Display should not go passed front awning width or length. Artists will be asked to move in during show if display is in violation. 

TENTS AND WEIGHTS
All tents must be white and must be weighted properly and safely. If it is deemed by the committee that either your tent or weights are not acceptable you will be asked to correct the situation. Those who do not comply will be asked to leave the festival without refund. Milk jugs filled with sand or water, small bricks or other such items are NOT acceptable weights for artist booths.  Please be sure to check with the manufacturer of your tent for correct setup and proper weighting techniques.