Geneva Arts Fair 2027

Application deadline: February 10, 2027
Geneva Arts Fair is Saturday, July 24 & Sunday, July 25

• Geneva Arts Fair is in the Top 20 of Fine Art & Design Shows ~ ranked #12 
• Sunshine Artist 200 Best.  Sunshine Artist’s annual 200 Best focuses solely on artist show revenue
• Consistently nominated in West Suburban Living’s Best of the West BEST CRAFT OR ART SHOW

It's our 25th year!!! Geneva Arts Fair is an original-only art show with a reputation for quality. The prestigious show offers a superb selection of fine art by renowned artists and cutting edge newcomers from around the country that attracts beginning and avid collectors. Presented by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, the show is front and center among 100+ specialty shops located in Victorian-style homes and century-old buildings. Geneva, Ill. is a chic and bustling historic town located on the Fox River that offers a picture-postcard setting for this juried art celebration. Its proximity to Chicago and the train line make it a convenient weekend stop. 

In order to maintain the quality of our shows and offer our visitors and buyers a fresh look at new work, we prioritize artists who are new to or unique in the region. We value being a high end show that promotes quality artwork and attracts an enthusiastic crowd. 
 

ELIGIBILITY & ACCEPTED MEDIUMS

Participation is open to all artists creating fine art and fine craft. All work represented must be of an original concept executed and designed by the artist in attendance. No artist’s representatives are allowed in place of artist; artist must be in attendance during event. 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, notecards, tumblers, keychains, coasters, or books. 

 

ARTIST AMENITIES

• Booths are spaced comfortably from each other
• Morning coffee and light breakfast for artists at Info Tent
• Easy loading and unloading (Drop Off on Friday Afternoon)
• Event marketing & publicity: web, social media, print
• Close artist parking reserved, suitable for trailers
• Booth sitters and volunteers on each block
• Overnight security
• Air-conditioned break room with snacks, water, and private bathroom is a short walk from the festival
• Festival programs with listing of attending artists
• One-on-one communication with show director

AWARDS

• 2D and 3D awards of excellence (3 each) presented during Saturday afternoon
• Judges will walk the entirety of the fair; they are NOT required to talk with artists

PRINT POLICY 
Both Photographers and Printmakers are required to disclose their printmaking process. Artist’s hands must have manipulated the plate for printmaking. For photography and digital art, no prints on canvas are allowed. Prints should be numbered and could be limited to 50 or fewer. This is up to the discretion of the event coordinator. 

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. Upon acceptance, artists will be sent a full Reproduction Policy for the show with specific suggested guidelines. No copyrighted designs are allowed in original artwork or prints. Geneva Arts Fair is an all original show. 

 

REPRODUCTIONS OF ANY KIND ARE NOT ALLOWED AT THE GENEVA ARTS FAIR. Please refer to the Reproduction Policy for the show. 

 

DISPLAY

Only one exhibitor per booth except for galleries and collaborative events or work. No card carousels are allowed at this event, even if they hold original works of art. Only those artists who have been juried in jewelry may have jewelry in their booths. Bins containing numbered artwork are subject to approval by the event coordinator. 

See Booth Information for presentation and storage guidelines.
 

Event staff reserves the right to remove any and all works deemed not suitable at the time of the festival. It also reserves the right to select or invite other applicants in order to ensure balance of medium. In addition, this show, reserves the right to not accept an artist for jury. In the event of this happening, your jury fee shall be refunded.   

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

10' x 10' booth space - $500.00
10' x 20' booth space - $1,000.00

Please note that any requests for corner booths will receive an upcharge of $80 if we are able to accommodate the request. 

It is helpful for us if your booth image is from an actual show. Fabricated booth images are strongly discouraged. If we feel that your booth image is not a true representation of your display you will not be juried. During the show, you will be held to the standard of your booth display.

DISPLAY SPACE 
The footprint of each display space is 10’ x 10’. A limited number of double booths are available for purchase. No extra wings, walls, jut outs are allowed. Tents must be clean and ALL WHITE. Weights are mandatory and must be proper tent weights (no bricks, hand weights, milk jugs, or concrete blocks will be allowed). Tents that are not properly weighted will be immediately taken down. Show will attempt to honor specific space requests; however, final booth location will be determined by the needs of the show. Requests must be made in advance, and should be received by June 1. Artists will be notified of request deadlines. 

​All areas will be patrolled by security both Friday night and Saturday night. Most display spaces are free from obstruction behind. 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. Confirmed artists will receive a total of four (4) emails. 

LOAD IN & OUT
Show is drop and go for set-up. You are expected to unload and move your car before setting up.

For set up and tear-down, traffic is one lane and ONE WAY only. Please read the instructions prior to the fair weekend. 

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

CANCELLATION & REFUND REQUESTS
The following cancellation and refund policies are in place for this event: 

• In the event of artist cancellation, $100.00 cancellation fee in effect immediately upon receipt of booth fee payment or deposit. Credit card processing fees will be deducted from the refund amount.
• All refund requests must be submitted in writing. Email requests are accepted. 
• No refunds available 60 days prior to the start date of each event. Start date is considered the Friday night before the weekend of this event. We appreciate that there a variety of reasons that an artist might cancel; this policy is non-negotiable.