Tower Square Art Fair 2027

The Tower Square Fine Arts Fair is a juried, original-only show created to set a new standard for art events in Southern Illinois. Extensive planning, research, and collaboration with artists have shaped this inaugural event, which was developed to fill the void left by a beloved regional arts and crafts fair that concluded its remarkable 49-year run.

Presented by the City of Marion, Illinois, the event takes place in the newly revitalized Tower Square Plaza, a vibrant public gathering space. The pedestrian-friendly plaza features beautiful landscaping, enhanced public amenities, and a growing collection of restaurants, boutiques, and specialty retailers.

Tower Square Plaza has quickly become a regional destination, and the City of Marion has a proven track record of hosting successful large-scale events. Vendor festivals and community celebrations regularly attract crowds exceeding 11,000 attendees over a single weekend.

To maintain the quality and reputation of the show, priority is given to artists who bring fresh perspectives and work not commonly seen in the region. The goal is to create a premier fine arts experience that showcases exceptional artwork while attracting an enthusiastic audience of collectors, patrons, and art enthusiasts.
 

Application’s open: August 1, 2026
Application deadline: January 22, 2027
Jury Notifications: February 12, 2027

Tower Square Art Fair is first weekend in June 2027:
Friday, June 4 from 4pm–8pm
Saturday, June 5 from 10am–8pm
Sunday, June 6 from 11am–5pm

To maintain the quality and reputation of the show, priority is given to artists who bring fresh perspectives and work not commonly seen in the region. The goal is to create a premier fine arts experience that showcases exceptional artwork while attracting an enthusiastic audience of collectors, patrons, and art enthusiasts.

SALES POTENTIAL
Marion, Illinois is strategically located along Interstate 57, within 45 minutes of both Interstates 24 and 64, making it easily accessible to visitors from Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, and beyond. As the economic hub of Southern Illinois, Marion serves as a regional center for employment, retail, dining, healthcare, and entertainment.

Marion is one of only two communities south of Interstate 70 to generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales, and the only city outside the St. Louis metropolitan area to achieve that distinction. The community’s strong retail market demonstrates its ability to attract consumers from a broad trade area and support discretionary spending.

In addition to its historic downtown and revitalized Tower Square Plaza, Marion is home to a $30 million multi-use sports complex that draws thousands of athletes and spectators each year. Combined with the transformation of a formerly shuttered shopping mall into a thriving destination for retail, dining, and entertainment.

Marion offers travelers compelling reasons to leave the interstate and explore. The city serves as a gateway to the Shawnee National Forest, the starting point of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, and is located near Lake of Egypt. These attractions bring a steady flow of visitors seeking unique experiences, recreation, and cultural opportunities.

The region has already demonstrated a strong appreciation for the arts through robust attendance at events such as the Art in the Garden and the Union Street Art Fair, as well as continued support for public art initiatives and local artist programs. This established culture of arts engagement, combined with Marion’s strong consumer market and growing tourism sector, creates exceptional sales potential for participating artists.

ELIGIBILITY & ACCEPTED MEDIUMS
Tower Square Art Fair is open to all artists 18 years of age and older. Artists must be present to exhibit their work during all hours of the festival. Representatives are not permitted to substitute for the artist(s). All artists must present a photo ID at registration. 

All work represented must be of an original concept executed and designed by the artist(s) in attendance. In addition, work done by a production studio is not accepted. No work which has been made with commercial kits or pat­terns allowed; no digital fabrication allowed. Exhibitors may not sell promotional items such as t-shirts, postcards, note cards, tumblers, key chains, coasters, or books. 

Artist can apply in multiple mediums, and if accepted in both can display both in one booth. Up to 3 applications per artist is accepted.

ACCEPTED MEDIUMS
Clay: Fired pieces constructed using clay, whether thrown, hand-built or cast in artist-made molds. Objects are decorative or sculptural, for utilitarian/non-utilitarian use.
Fiber: Work crafted from fibers including wearable art, basketry, embroidery, weaving, tapestry, leather work, paper making, etc.
Glass: Glass works that are functional or decorative by design and are crafted by glass blowing, molding, casting or stained glass.
Jewelry: Jewelry handcrafted from precious jewels and metals, semi-precious stones, clay, polymer clay, glass, fiber, paper, pebbles, glass, wood, lab-created gems and found objects. No production studio work allowed. Only those artists who jury and are accepted in the jewelry category may sell jewelry.
Mixed Media: 2D or 3D work in which the final piece incorporates more than one medium.
Painting: Original artistic creations using Watercolor, Gouache, Encaustic, Acrylic, Oil on an appropriately prepared 2D surface.
Photography: Photographs made from the artist’s original image, printed by the artist or under the artist’s direct supervision.
Printmaking and Drawing: Printed original works for which the artist has hand manipulated the plates, stones or screens; and artistic creations using chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax crayon, and ink.
Sculpture: 3-dimensional, non-functional objects which are carved, modeled, constructed or cast from a single medium.
Wood: Original works that are hand-tooled, machine worked, turned or carved. The primary material must be wood.


ARTIST AMENITIES
• Booths are spaced comfortably from each other and do includes 2 foot storage space behind each booth.
• City Hall will be open for every morning coffee and light breakfast for artists
• Easy loading and unloading (Drop Off on Friday Afternoon)
• Booth sitters and volunteers on each block
• Overnight security
• Air-conditioned break room with snacks, water, and private bathroom is on festival grounds at City Hall

Promotions
Our comprehensive marketing campaign includes social media, emails, digital ads and magazine ads. Leading up to the event, we feature artist profiles on Instagram and Facebook, including artist images and website links. We are actively working with VistSI, and other tourisim organizations, to promote the Art Fair.  All participating artists receive a media kit for easy self-promotion.

AWARDS
3 Awards of Excellence will be presented Saturday afternoon.

Collaborating Artists: If exhibited work is the product of collaboration, both names must appear on all applications and materials as collaborating, and both artists must contribute to creating the art pieces. The artist statement must describe the role of each artist. It should outline the specific involvement of the collaborating artist(s) in the design and/or production of the work. Only joint work may be shown and sold at the festival. All collaborating artists must be present during all hours of the festival. 

IMAGES
Upload five images on Zapp. Four must represent the work you will exhibit; the fifth must show your booth display with the work visible. Please do not submit images with your name/picture in them.

Images should represent the body of work that will be exhibited.

• Submit images of professional quality that are clear and sharply focused.
• The booth image must represent your current work, showing overall continuity and presentation. Booth images should NOT indicate your name, website, or business name. Failure to omit this may result in disqualification.
• An artist statement must also be included detailing your process. As this is a blind jury process, please do not include any mention of your name, website or business. Any applicant who neglects to do this may be eliminated from the jury process.

Tower Square Art Fair reserves the right to exclude any application not fulfilling the stated rules.

PRINT POLICY 
Both Photographers and Printmakers are required to disclose their printmaking process. Artist’s hands must have manipulated the plate for printmaking. Prints should be numbered.

REPRODUCTION POLICY
Reproductions are not prints. We define reproduction as a copy of an original image. This includes giclee prints. No photo copy or off set reproductions will be accepted. Please email if you have questions as to if your work will be accepted for jury. 
 

10’ x 10’ booth space - $300.00
10” x 10’ corner booth  - $350.00
10’ x 20’ booth space - $500.00

Please note that we have a limited number of corner booths available. These will be granted on a first-come first-served policy.

The footprint of each display space is 10’ x 12’ with the additional 2 feet of space behind the booth for storage. A limited number of double booths are available for purchase. No extra wings, walls, jut outs are allowed. 

Artists are to provide their own professional grade 10×10 WHITE TENT and any display items required to set up your display including tables and chairs.

All booths will be on level pavement and/or concrete. Tent structures are to be of professional-grade and are to be properly weighted with at least 50 pounds on each tent leg. 

ELECTRIC
Access to electrical is available for all exhibitors, must be requested at time of application submission. Artist are required to provide their own 50’ outdoor rated extension cords. 

All lights and etc. should be LED only and only draw minimal amount of electricity.

All extension cords should be out of the way of pedestrian traffic!

Booth structure and displays must not exceed limits of assigned space. No art bins, additional display items and/or stands may be IN FRONT of your tent. 

This art fair takes place on an urban street and staking, drilling and damaging the concrete or brick work in any way is prohibited. 

Sidewalks (behind booths) must be open to residents and such that emergency and art fair personnel can easily navigate. The sidewalks can NOT be blocked. This will be strictly enforced by art fair committee members/art fair personnel.

Event staff reserves the right to remove any and all works deemed not suitable at the time of the festival.  This is a family friendly event and Art Fair staff may ask artists to remove any work that is not in keeping with that theme.

As this is an outdoor event that will be held rain or shine. As such please come prepared for the elements. 

Pets and/or sound equipment are not allowed.  

At load-out we have a no trace policy — leave no trash or other items behind. 

Submitting this application implies on your part commitment to all show rules.

All areas will be patrolled by security both Friday night and Saturday night. All spaces are easily accessible to patrons’ traffic flow.

Booth location and numbers will be communicated to artists in advance of the fair. Artists are to read all emailed communication in advance of the fair weekend. 

SET UP AND TEAR DOWN
You must check in before set-up at City Hall!

Set up begins Friday from 8:30am-3pm. Once unloaded, artists must move their vehicles to designated parking areas before setting up their booths. Show is drop and go for set-up. You are expected to unload and move your car before setting up. Traffic WILL NOT be closed for set-up.

Tear-down will begin at 5:30pm Sunday. No artist will be allowed to pull their vehicles up until all pedestrians are off site and the roads are closed. But then you will be able to pull your vehicle up to load out.

Guidelines will be emailed to all artists prior to the show with specific set up and tear down instructions.

JURY DETAILS
The panel reviews images in a blind jury process (the artists’ identities are not disclosed to jurors). Each set of five images is shown simultaneously. Each artist’s statement will be visible during the viewing. Each image’s materials, dimensions, and price range are also available. No other criteria are considered. 

Scores are based on a 10 point scale. It is imperative that entry images display the artist’s current work, and booth shots exclude the artist’s face or name. Scores are totaled for each category, and the top 69 artists receive invitations. High-scoring artists not initially invited to exhibit are added to a wait list and offered the opportunity to exhibit should a space become open. We strive to present an artistically balanced show.

Decisions of the jury panel are final. Images are viewed in a controlled setting using the photos and statements provided by the application. Tower Square Art Fair staff will notify all applicants of the jury decision via their email accounts.

All Application Fees Are non-refundable.

Booth Fees are non-refundable after April 1, 2027. All refund requests must be submitted by email prior to April 1, 2027. Credit card processing fees will be deducted from the refund amount.