57th Street Art Fair 2027

The 57th Street Art Fair is a two-day outdoor celebration of the visual arts held the first full weekend of June in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, adjacent to the University of Chicago campus. Considered the oldest juried art fair in the Midwest, the goal of the 57th Street Art Fair is to provide a venue for creators of quality fine art and fine craft to meet with the art-buying public.  All artwork displayed at the 57th Street Art Fair must be original and produced entirely by the hands of the exhibiting artist:  no reproductions, unlimited editions, or mass produced work.   No work generated partially or in entirety by or with the aid of Artificial Intelligence is permitted. 

All artwork displayed must be original and produced entirely by the hands of the exhibiting artist.  While other fairs may allow reproductions, we do not.  

No work generated partially or in entirety by or with the aid of Artificial Intelligence is permitted.
 

As part of our rotating cycle of re-jurying, returning artists in the glass, jewelry and leather categories will be re-screened for 2027.
 

Medium Categories

You may apply in two categories, but only once within the same category.  You must submit a separate application and separate images with a booth shot for each medium.  Each category will be juried separately, and must be exhibited separately..  
 

       Ceramics

Original clay and porcelain work, functional or sculptural. No artwork from mass produced studios, collectives, or items made with commercial kits, molds, patterns, plans, or prefabricated pieces are allowed. Artists may not exhibit work purchased in part or in entirety from other artists for resale. 
 

       Digital Art

Includes any original work in which the original image, or the manipulation of other source material, was executed by the artist using the computer. (Digital photo editing within the confines of what could be done in the darkroom is allowed in the photography category.) Work must be signed and numbered limited editions, using archival papers, inks, and emulsions.  Signage of an overtly commercial nature listing the availability of numerous sizes, print surfaces, and/or other framing options is prohibited.  No work generated partially or in entirety by or with the aid of Artificial Intelligence is permitted. 

       Drawing

Work created using dry media including chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax, crayons, etc. or from a fluid medium of ink on archival material are accepted in this medium. Reproduction prints are not allowed. 

       Fiber

Unique, one of a kind artwork crafted from fibers, including embroidery, basketry, weaving, and tapestry created by the exhibiting artist alone are accepted. Includes but not limited to wearable art.  No machine-tooled work, machine-screen printing or other forms of mass production are accepted.

       Glass

Functional and sculptural work using kiln forming, blowing, molding or casting as well as cold working processes are permitted. No forms of mass production or reproductions are permitted. 

       Jewelry

Jewelers must be the designers and hands-on makers of their one of a kind work. No commercial casts, molds, or production studio work. The Art Fair prefers that any beads used in jewelry-making be fabricated by the artist.  

       Leather

One of a kind unique pieces created by the exhibiting artist are welcome.  No machine tooled, machine-screen printed or other forms of mass production accepted. No factory-produced items, regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist, are allowed. 

       Mixed Media

This category includes works, both 2 and 3-dimensional, that incorporate more than one type of physical material to produce. Includes non-sculptural work as determined by the artist. Original one of a kind pieces are accepted. No reproductions are allowed.

       Painting

Acrylic, oil, gouache, and watercolors are accepted in this medium. Reproduction prints are not allowed.

       Paper

Flat and three dimensional unique one of a kind works made with paper by the exhibiting artist are accepted. No reproductions are allowed.

       Photography

Includes traditional film photography, hand colored images, emulsion transfers, dye sublimation on aluminum, and digital photography that has not been manipulated to achieve results beyond what could be done in a traditional darkroom. Only artist's original source material is acceptable. Work must be in editions, signed and numbered on archival material and all work displayed in the booth must be for sale. Signage of an overtly commercial nature listing the availability of numerous sizes, print surfaces, and/or other framing options is prohibited.

       Printmaking

Only hand pulled original mono-print, serigraph, lithograph, etching, woodcut or other relief techniques are allowed. Prints must be in limited editions, signed and numbered on archival material.  Signage of an overtly commercial nature listing the availability of numerous sizes, print surfaces, and/or other framing options is prohibited.

       Sculpture

Unique, one of a kind, art that is 3-dimensionally sculptural and is original work done in any medium by the exhibiting artist is welcome. No reproductions or mass produced work.

       Wood Objects/Hand-Crafted Furniture

Unique, one of a kind, original hand-tooled, machine worked or carved work made entirely by the exhibiting artist is accepted. No reproductions or mass produced work.

Collaborative Work and Multiple Applications 

If artists apply and are accepted as a team they may only exhibit the collaborative work they were accepted for.  No more than two artists may collaborate on work. Both must be included on and sign the application. Both must be present at check in and throughout the Art Fair. The collaborative work must have the signature or mark of both collaborators. A description of each member’s involvement in the creation of the artwork must be in the Artist's Statement. A Collaborating Artist is defined as participating in the creation of artwork; not a business manager/partner, spouse, or assistant.
 

Artists may not apply more than once in the same category.   

We do not accept applications with work in multiple categories, or separate applications in more than two categories.
If you apply in two categories--and are accepted in both-- you must purchase two booths, which can be located next to each other, one for each category you were accepted in.  

Digital Images

Four (4) images are to be submitted for each individual media category entered by the artist.

Three (3) images (image #1-3) must be of individual pieces of work.

One (1) image (image #4) must be of a display of the artist's work, showing overall continuity and presentation of your current body of work.

Images must be in 1920 pixel horizontal x 1920 pixel vertical format. Images must accurately represent the body of the artist's work to be exhibited at the Arts Festival. For tips visit www.zapplication.org/imaging_tips.html

Application Fee

Please submit a non-refundable jury fee of $45 with your application. Payments may be made by credit card or PayPal online via ZAPPLICATION.
 

Acceptance of Offer to Exhibit

All artists selected to participate must notify the 57th Street Art Fair of intent to exhibit at the 2027 event and submit a booth fee to the Fair by April 15, 2027.  Accepting our invitation to particiapate is not the same as a confirmation-- your participation is not confirmed until you have paid the booth fee.
 

Exhibit Booth Fee

To confirm particiation in the 57th Street Art Fair, artists must submit a $450 booth fee through Zapplication by April 15, 2027.  

 

Refund and Cancellation Policy

The application fee is non-refundable. Booth fees will be refunded in full until April 30, 2027.  If for any reason you find you must cancel after this date, there is no refund of booth fees.


Parking

Parking for vehicles with trailers is easily available on local streets.  Contact event organizers at 57thstartfair@gmail.com for information about parking oversize vehicles.

No work generated partially or in entirety by or with the aid of Artificial Intelligence is permitted.   

No commercial or mass produced work.  No collective or group work.  

No by/sell vendors or agents representing artists.  

          Reproduction Policy

All artwork displayed must be original and produced entirely by the hands of the exhibiting artist.  While other fairs may allow reproductions, we do not.

We do, however, permit you to bring and sell a small number of note cards with images of the work you are exhibiting in your booth during the Art Fair, as long as they are not prominently displayed and do not draw attention away from the work in your booth.

What do we consider a Reproduction?   Any method of making multiple copies of original art using photo, mechanical, digital or casting technology is considered by the 57th Street Art Fair to be a reproduction. Reproduction technology have one or more of the following characteristics:

• The work is not the product of the artist’s own hand.
• The number of reproducible copies is technically limitless.
• All copies are identical.
• The copies are produced by commercial entities, and the artist is not involved in the process. 

Methods of creating multi-copy art in limited runs, such as intaglio, lithography, relief painting and other traditional printmaking means, are not considered reproductions. 

Regarding photography and digital art, the Art Fair recognizes that artwork created utilizing photographs and/or computer technology are inherently reproducible. We also recognize that the use of cropping, enlargement and darkroom and digital processes can produce different effects even from the same negative/image. All of this is allowed at the 57th Street  Art Fair. We require that participating fine art photographers show only work that they have signed, numbered and produced in limited editions on archival material. Such work is not considered to be a reproduction.

Signage of an overtly commercial nature listing the availability of numerous sizes, print surfaces, and/or other framing options is prohibited.

To prevent the sale of mass produced work at the 57th Street Art Fair, the Fair reserves the right to halt sales of such work on-site, and/or to not invite artists who are believed to be selling reproductions, unlimited editions, mass procuced work to future Fairs.

          Rule Violation Policy

To insure fairness for every artist, the rules contained in this application will be strictly enforced. Artists not complying with the 57th Street Art Fair policies will be asked to leave the art fair, without refund. The 57th Street Art Fair reserves the right to advise artists of any work that does not meet art fair standards and may take any action deemed necessary for compliance. The 57th Street Art Fair reserves the right to not invite violators to future fairs.

          Refund and Cancellation Policy

The application fee is non-refundable. Booth fees will be refunded in full until April 30, 2027.  If for any reason you find you must cancel after this date, there is no refund of booth fees.

          Refund and Cancellation Policy

The application fee is non-refundable. Booth fees will be refunded in full until April 30, 2027.  If for any reason you find you must cancel after this date, there is no refund of booth fees.