Fairs/Festivals
Old Town Art Fair 2027
Chicago, Illinois
OTAF App/Jury Fee: $50
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply. Emerging Artist Program or Grants exist.
- Submission Limit: 3
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
The Old Town Art Fair will take place on June 12-13, 2027, on the streets of the historic Old Town Triangle neighborhood on Chicago’s near north side.
The Old Town Art Fair is considered one of the top outdoor fine art shows in the nation. Celebrated for over 75 years, the fair will once again line the streets of the historic Old Town Triangle neighborhood on Chicago’s near north side, amid charming homes, leafy parkways, and welcoming neighbors.
A distinguishing feature of the Old Town Art Fair is its all-volunteer management. The show succeeds thanks in no small part to the tireless efforts of as many as 750 unpaid volunteers - your partners in this great event! Fair proceeds support nonprofit organizations such as the Menomonee Boys and Girls Club, local schools, community groups and neighborhood improvements.
This is a show for artists and art buyers alike -- our art patrons are considered to be discerning, art-educated, and loyal art buyers. We continue to place a strong emphasis on increasing our marketing profile to bring more buyers to you in a unique direct-to-consumer sales model.
The volunteer-led Old Town Art Fair is committed to providing the highest quality experience possible for both our artists and our patrons. The Fair is produced by the Old Town Triangle Association, a nonprofit neighborhood organization whose Director also serves as staff support to the Fair.
We invite you to apply for one of our highly coveted artist spots!
General Information
CASH AWARDS
First Place in Category
Second Place in Category
Best of Show: Additional Award
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IMPORTANT DATES
January 15, 2027: Application DeadlineJanuary 22-24, 2027: Application Jurying
February 8, 2027: Jury Invitations Sent to Applicants
March 1, 2027: Booth Fee Deadline; No Booth Fee Refunds after this Date
Early May 2027: Important information e-mailed to Artists and Available on Website
Early June 2027: Artist Gallery on Website
June 11, 2027: On-site Artist Check-In and Booth Set-Up
June 12, 2027 (10 AM-7 PM) & June 13, 2027 (10 AM-6 PM), Rain or Shine: Old Town Art Fair
FAST FACTS
- Contact: Barbara Guttmann, Director of Arts & Operations, Old Town Triangle Association
- Mailing Address: 1763 N. North Park Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614
- Telephone: 312-337-1938
- Email: info@oldtownartfair.org
- Exhibitor Information: http://www.oldtownartfair.org/exhibit/
- Website: www.oldtownartfair.org
- Images: Submit five images; one must be a booth image. Include the booth image with your five images. Emerging Artists are exempt from the requirement to submit a booth image. Contact us if you don't have a booth image or you have any questions.
- Registration Deadline: Midnight (CST), January 15, 2027
- Total Number of Booths: 235 maximum
- Booth Fee: A single booth fee is $800 (includes $25 Itinerant Merchant Fee required by the City of Chicago for each artist and forwarded on the artist's behalf to the City). OTAF will offer a LIMITED number of double booths at a cost of $1,800. Further information about double booths will be sent in February, 2027.
- Invited artists will receive a link to make payments via check, ACH or credit card. Note that credit card payments will include an additional 3% processing fee.
- We have designated a limited number of spaces for sculptors with pieces larger than 5 linear feet requiring more space. Upon request of the sculptor, these spaces will be assigned at the Old Town Art Fair's discretion.
- We encourage artists to showcase their work through demonstrations during the Fair. The demonstrations will have no impact on your jury score.
- Jurors will visit all booths on the Saturday of the fair, however, they will NOT announce themselves and will not wear identification.
ARTIST INFORMATION AND BENEFITS
- Cash awards for First Place and Second Place within each of the four media groupings by which artists are juried, with an additional award for Best of Show. The Best of Show award will be given to the artist with the top jury score from all media categories.
- Website gallery with artist’s full-color, thumbnail image, and link to artist’s website (we use image #1, so plan accordingly)
- Organized load-in Friday and cooperative load-out Sunday
- Artists retain all proceeds from the sale of their art
- Electronic postcard provided to artists to send to customers
- Booth sitters are available for artists and complimentary water and snacks are delivered during the show
- Complimentary continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday of the show for artists and assistants
- Express lanes for artists at food concessions
- Indoor bathrooms and water filling station reserved for artists, assistants, and volunteers. Please bring your water bottles and fill up!
- Prepaid, reserved artist parking in nearby lots
EMERGING ARTIST CATEGORY
The Old Town Art Fair launched an Emerging Artist program in 2023 to elevate and provide a platform for new and under-recognized artists to show their work and evolve in a variety of genres and mediums. We are proud to continue this program. “Emerging Artists” are defined as artists who are at an early stage in their career development and have little experience exhibiting and selling their artwork.
Artists may apply to either the Emerging Artist program or the general show, but they may not apply to both. OTAF reserves the right to prescreen and research any Emerging Artist applicant to ensure they conform with the requirements for this category and have the level of experience represented in the application.
Emerging Artist Category Requirements and FAQs:
- Artists must be either 18-25, recently graduated (2 years or less) from College/University, or who have made a recent career change to the Visual Arts.
- Select “Emerging Artist” as the medium category and apply with only ONE medium per application.
- Reduced application fee is $20. Applicants applying as Emerging Artists should use EA27 as a coupon code. Artists using the code who do not fulfill the category requirements will be disqualified from the jurying process.
Application Requirements
MEDIA DESCRIPTIONS
Artists may only exhibit work in the medium/media for which they were accepted.
Media Categories:2-D Mixed Media: Works that incorporate more than one type of physical material in their production. Two-dimensional mixed media should include more than one of the following: paint, pencil, watercolor, photography, printmaking or drawing, fabric or other found objects, and collages. Use of generative AI tools to produce or alter content is prohibited.
3-D Mixed Media: Works that incorporate more than one type of physical material in their production. Three-dimensional mixed media should include more than one of the following: ceramic, fiber, glass, metal, wood, or any other 3-D objects. Use of generative AI tools to produce or alter content is prohibited.
Ceramics: Original, hand-crafted clay and porcelain. No machine-made or mass-produced work is permitted. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed, each piece must be signed. Work should be primarily aesthetic; functionality is secondary.
Digital Art: Includes any original work in which the original image was crafted and manipulated by the artist using the computer. Work must be in editions, signed and numbered, on archival paper. Artwork created using a camera and then subsequently manipulated utilizing computer technology is not to be entered in this category – See Photography. Use of generative AI tools to produce or alter content is prohibited.
Drawing/Pastel: Works created using dry media including chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax crayon, or from the fluid medium of inks and washes applied by pen or brush.
Emerging Artist: Select this category if you are applying as an Emerging Artist. Do not choose any other category. Please see the additional requirements for this category in the last section below.
Fiber: Artwork crafted from fibers, including embroidery, weaving, tapestry, and papermaking. No machine-tooled work, machine-screen printing, or other forms of mass production are accepted. We do not accept wearable items/artwork, including clothing, hats, and leather goods/purses, in the Old Town Art Fair.
Glass: Glassworks that are functional or decorative by design and are kiln-formed or have been crafted by glass blowing, molding, or casting. Works may be etched or engraved. No forms of mass production are permitted. Work must be made primarily by the hands of the applying artist.
Jewelry: All jewelry, whether produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic, or other materials. No commercial casts, molds, or production studio work is allowed. Work must be primarily hand-fabricated by the artist. Watches are not allowed.
Metal: Includes all non-jewelry work crafted from metals. No production studio work is allowed.
Painting: Original compositions on a flat surface created by the artist’s hand using oils, acrylics, or watercolor.
Photography: Limited-edition digital or film photographic prints made from the artist’s original image and processed by that artist digitally or using wet techniques, or under his or her direct supervision. Work must be printed on archival-quality paper and be properly signed and numbered as a limited edition. Digital manipulations are discouraged with the exception of usage meant to preserve the integrity of the original image. Acceptable edits are generally limited to basic enhancements that could traditionally be achieved in a darkroom. Permitted manipulations include: Cropping; Adjustments to color, contrast, and brightness; Black and white conversions; Removal of sensor dust and minor blemishes; Dodging and burning (lightening or darkening specific areas); High dynamic range (HDR) and focus stacking, as long as it's clearly disclosed. Prohibited manipulations include: Adding, rearranging, or removing people or objects; Distorting content; Compositing (combining multiple images) unless entered into a designated Digital Art Media Category; Using generative AI tools to alter content.
Printmaking: Printed works for which the artist hand-manipulated the plates, stones, or screens. Prints must be signed and numbered as a limited edition.
Sculpture: Artists sculpting clay, metal, wood or stone should apply in that medium unless the work incorporates mixed materials (in which case it is 3D-Mixed Media) or media not included separately here. This category is only for work that does not fit into any other category.
Stone: Original work in stone that is shaped by the artist, whether hand-tooled or machine worked.
Wood: Original work in wood that is hand-tooled or machine worked by the artist.
Reproductions are not allowed at the Old Town Art Fair. See the note below on reproductions.
PLEASE NOTE: The following items cannot be exhibited at the Old Town Art Fair. Belts, books, buttons, calendars, calligraphy, cards, candles, clocks, clothing, cutting boards, desk accessories, hair ornaments, hats, knives, lamps, leather goods, magnets, mirrors, musical instruments, note cards, pillows, planters, posters, purses/totes, puzzles, stationery, toys, utensils, watches or wearable art.
FINE ART REQUIREMENTS
- Artwork must be first and foremost an artistic expression. Utilitarian purposes must be secondary.
- All work must be designed and handmade by the accepted artist/artist team.
- Jewelry made from strung, commercial beads are not considered handmade by the artist and will not be accepted for the Old Town Art Fair.
- Production studio work is absolutely prohibited.
- The display and sale of commercial reproductions of any kind are not allowed (see the note on reproductions below).
- Items bought elsewhere and sold as original art (i.e., “Buy-Sell” merchandise) are not allowed.
- Artists may only sell art in their booths; no auctions, giveaways, or other activities are allowed.
- Photography and digital art must be signed and numbered in limited editions.
- Printmaking is defined as hand-pulled prints, in signed, numbered, limited editions.
- Proof of originality and authenticity of work is required.
NOTE ON REPRODUCTIONS
The Old Town Art Fair is committed to being a high-quality fine art show. Therefore, all artwork displayed must be original and produced by the hands of the exhibiting artist(s). No reproductions are permitted. Any method of making multiple copies of original art using photo, mechanical, digital, or casting technology is considered by the Old Town Art Fair to be a reproduction. This includes Giclees. Reproduction technologies 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 Old Town Art Fair recognizes that artwork created utilizing photographs and/or computer technology is inherently reproducible. We also recognize that the use of cropping, enlargement, darkroom and digital processes can produce different effects even from the same negative/image. All of this is allowed in the Old Town Art Fair. We require that participating fine art photography and digital art artists show only work that they have signed, numbered, and produced in limited editions. Such work is not considered to be reproductions. Please refer to the Photography and Digital Art Media category descriptions above for additional guidance.
To prevent the sale of mass-market work at the Old Town 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 to future Fairs.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
- Artist Presence: Required. Accepted artists must be present during all festival hours. No agents, representatives, family members or friends are permitted as a substitute for the accepted artists' attendance, unless express exception is granted in special circumstances. Any artist closing the booth prior to the end of the show without permission may not be permitted to return to the fair the next day or in future years.
- If two artists have collaborated in the joint creation and production of the art exhibited, they may together show their work in the booth and will be listed jointly in the Fair program. On the application form, do not list individuals (spouses, business partners, etc.) who are not co-artists with the primary registrant.
- An artist’s statement must be prominently displayed in the booth. The statement should indicate that all work is original and the creation of the artist, to further public education, and to inform the jury and Fair leadership. The artist’s statement must include information about materials and techniques used in the creation and production of the art.
- All work on display must be for sale.
- Sales from catalogs are not allowed.
- No auctions, raffles, or other promotions are permitted in artist booths.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
850
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
235
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
40
Booth Information
- Booth Space: Single booths: 10’ deep x 15’ wide; booth width CANNOT exceed 10’ and height CANNOT exceed 9'. We have a limited number of double booths available this year. Double booths: 10' deep x 30' wide; booth width CANNOT exceed 25’ wide and CANNOT exceed 9' high. Additional information regarding double booths will be sent in February, 2027. Artists violating the size requirements noted above will be asked to leave the fair.
- Booth Fee: The Old Town Art Fair charges a booth fee of $800 for a single booth and $1,800 for a double booth. The single booth fee must be paid in full by March 1, 2027, and we will follow after March 1 to solicit double booth requests. Successful double booth requests will be provided a link and deadline to pay the remaining booth fee. The booth fee includes a $25 required Chicago Itinerant Merchant Fee that the Fair will forward to the City on the artist’s behalf.
- No single booth fee refunds will be given after March 1, 2027. No double booth fees will be refunded after the deadline provided. Itinerant Merchant Fees will not be refunded after May 1, 2027.
- Invited artists will receive a link to pay the booth fee via check, ACH or credit card. Note that booth payments made by credit card will include the 3% credit card processing fee. Artists can pay by ACH or check and avoid the additional fee.
- The premium fee for corner booths is an additional $275. Only a limited number of corner booths are available and will be assigned by the Fair based on time stamps of the request. Payment for corner spaces will be requested in the spring. Corner booths provide increased visibility and an additional 5' of space to extend a booth "wing" on the open side.
- A limited number of spaces have been designated for large scale sculpture requiring more open area than is offered by the standard booth footprint. These special booths will be located adjacent to alleys and will offer an additional 5 lineal feet of area or 20 lineal feet of total frontage. At the request of the sculptor and through review and coordination with the Old Town Art Fair, these spaces will be assigned at the Fair's discretion. A premium of $275 will be charged for these corner/shoulder locations.
- Booth Set-Up: An orderly process for Friday afternoon/evening load-in has been established and will be communicated to artists prior to the event. There will be no parking allowed on the Fair streets beginning Thursday at midnight, and any cars on the streets after midnight will be towed.
- Vehicles may not drive on the Fair streets after sundown on Friday night for the remainder of the weekend. The gates are closed at night for security reasons.
- Single booth spaces are 15 feet wide and approximately 10 feet deep. Double booth spaces are 30 feet wide and approximately 10 feet deep. Tents may not exceed 9’ in height due to trees along the streets and our desire for an equitable and uniform look for the show. Booths are required to be no more than 10’ in width for single booths and 25' in width for double booths to allow for room between booths. Front awnings are not allowed. Side awnings are only allowed during rain events. Booths/Tents are erected on city streets that slope to the gutter and are lined up perpendicular to the curb. The back of the booth may open to a brick or grass parkway or sidewalk. Trees and street signs may be present.
- Artists must supply and set up their own display equipment. There is no electrical power for booths. On some streets, artists are asked to place the back of their booth on the curb. Plan accordingly for these conditions.
- Tent rental companies are not allowed on the Fair streets to set up or take down any artist's booth. Artists must bring and set up/take down their own booths. Artists may rent tents offsite and bring them and set them up themselves.
Refund Policy
There is no refund for the Application Fee. Booth payments made before March 1, 2027, can be refunded by contacting the Old Town Triangle Association at info@oldtowntriangle.com or 312-337-1938. NO refunds of the single booth fee are allowed after March 1, 2027.