Art at the Park 2027 | Appleton, WI

The Trout Museum of Art welcomes artists to a juried outdoor art festival that connects people with original art and the artists who make it. The two-day festival attracts more than 20,000 visitors annually and features visual art, original live music, food and beverages, a Young Artist Marketplace, and interactive art activities. Professional artists exhibit along the four streets of the City Park loop. Park Avenue is reserved for our Young Artist Marketplace.

67th Annual Art at the Park
July 24 and 25, 2027 • City Park • Appleton, Wisconsin

The Trout Museum of Art welcomes artists to a juried outdoor art festival that connects people with original art and the artists who make it. These guidelines explain eligibility, selection, fees, awards, and requirements for exhibiting. Artist success tips appear separately at the end and are advisory.

The two-day festival attracts more than 20,000 visitors annually and features visual art, original live music, food and beverages, a Young Artist Marketplace, and interactive art activities. Professional artists exhibit along the four streets of the City Park loop. Park Avenue is reserved for the Young Artist Marketplace.

Important dates

October 15, 2026	Applications open
March 1, 2027	Application deadline at 11:59 p.m. Central Time
March 1, 2027	Invited artists confirm participation, submit images, select booth size, submit location or corner requests, and pay applicable fees
March 15, 2027	Jury results and initial waitlist notices sent
March 16–June 30, 2027	Waitlist offers sent as spaces become available
May 1, 2027	Artists accepted through the jury confirm participation and pay booth fees in full
July 1, 2027	Artist registration packets emailed
Friday, July 23, 2027	Required setup from noon–7:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 24, 2027	Festival open 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 25, 2027	Festival open 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; clear streets by 7:00 p.m.

All times are Central Time. Artists must be present and ready to exhibit by 9:00 a.m. on both festival days and remain open through closing. Offers made after May 1 will state their own confirmation and payment deadline.

Plan lodging early. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh runs July 26–August 1, 2027, immediately after the festival, and may affect lodging availability. You can find a list of local hotels with discounted rates for Art at the Park artists HERE, subject to availability.

Questions: artatthepark@troutmuseumart.org

Eligible artists and media

Professional exhibitors must be at least 18 years old. The Young Artist Marketplace has separate youth eligibility requirements. Eligible media are Basketry, Ceramics, Collage, Drawing, Fashion, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metalworks, Painting, Paper, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Wood, and Other.

Application requirements

Apply through ZAPPlication. Submit four artwork images and one booth image, your primary medium, required tax information, acceptance of the event’s legal agreement in ZAPPlication, and the $30 nonrefundable jury fee. Award winners returning on their one-year invitation are exempt from the jury fee. Other invited artists pay the fee but do not undergo competitive re-jurying.

Work images should show artwork clearly, be correctly oriented, and avoid distracting backgrounds. The booth image should show the planned presentation. Images may be changed before the application is finalized; no edits are permitted after submission. Invited artists must submit current images by March 1 as well.

Select the primary medium of your original work; a painter offering reproductions should choose Painting. To apply in additional media, submit a separate application and fee for each. Acceptance in one medium does not imply acceptance in another. For mixed-media work, select the closest category. The museum may correct a category designation without changing the acceptance decision.

Jury review and waitlist

Jurors independently review applications across all media on a 1–5 scale. Criteria are originality, design execution, technique and craftsmanship, creative use of materials, aesthetic qualities, and booth presentation. Images are reviewed on computer monitors; within each medium, applications are reviewed in order received. Jury review is closed to observation.

The festival accommodates approximately 215 exhibiting artists. At least 85% of participating artist places are reserved for the competitive jury process. The festival typically receives 300–400 applications; the number accepted depends on capacity, invited participation, and category balance. Acceptance decisions are final. Previous participation does not guarantee acceptance.

Results are emailed March 15. Up to 40 artists may be waitlisted. Waitlist offers are sent March 16 through June 30 as spaces become available. Being waitlisted does not guarantee a space. Each offer specifies its response and payment deadline.

Communication and publicity

Unless arranged otherwise, notices are sent to the email address in your application. Check it regularly, keep contact information current, and add artatthepark@troutmuseumart.org to your contacts. For technical application issues, contact the ZAPPlication Help Center; museum staff cannot view your application progress.

By participating, artists authorize the museum to use submitted artwork images for festival publicity and the online artist gallery. Artists will be credited, and tagged when a social media handle is provided. The online gallery includes the artist’s name, booth location, and an image thumbnail. Artists retain ownership of their images and are responsible for securing necessary copyright and other intellectual property permissions.

One invited artist group

Up to 15% of total exhibiting artist places may be filled by invited artists, including award winners. At approximately 215 artists, this is approximately 32 places. All invitations are valid for one festival year only; there are no carried-over two-year invitations.

Award winners are automatically invited to the following year’s festival without re-jurying and pay no jury fee. Their booth fee is waived for the same booth size they registered for in the winning year: single (10 × 10 feet) or double (10 × 20 feet). Their places are included in the 15% cap and reserved before other invitations are issued. The invitation is guaranteed, subject to meeting eligibility, submission, confirmation, and conduct requirements. Young Artist award winners return in the Young Artist Marketplace while eligible; those who have aged out may use their invitation in the professional section if they meet its age and artwork requirements.

Additional invitations may be extended by the museum and artist advisory committee in recognition of artistic quality, contribution to the festival, visitor engagement, or media balance. These artists form the same invited group; there are no separate invitation tiers. Additional invitations are discretionary and may not displace award winners or exceed the overall cap. Category balance guides discretionary invitations.

All invited artists, including award winners, must confirm participation, submit current artwork and booth images, select their booth size, submit any location or corner requests, and pay all applicable fees by March 1. Invitations not confirmed by this deadline expire, and the spaces become available for selection through the jury process. All participation rules apply. An award winner upgrading from a complimentary single booth to a double booth pays the difference between the current booth rates ($345 for 2027). Choosing a smaller booth does not create a cash refund or credit. The corner fee is also waived if the artist registered for a corner in the winning year. A newly requested corner costs $75. Complimentary booth benefits have no cash value. After the invited year, artists must apply through the jury process unless they receive a new invitation.

Festival Awards

Award	Amount
Best in Show	$1,000
Best Painting	$500
Best Photography Drawing, Collage, Paper, or Printmaking	$500
Best Jewelry	$500
Best Sculpture Basketry, Glass, or Metalworks	$500
Best Wood	$500
Best Ceramics	$500
Best Fiber, Leather, or Fashion	$500
Best Young Artist	$100

Two award jurors assess the overall body of work and booth presentation on Saturday, July 24, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Awards are announced on the main soundstage Saturday afternoon. Display the booth tag from your registration packet at the front of the booth. Jurors mark reviewed booths with a sticker on your booth tag. Payment requires a completed W-9.

Each artist may receive only one award in a festival year, including Best in Show. Artists who received any festival award in the previous three festival years are ineligible for another award, whether they return through jury selection or invitation. This restriction includes Best Young Artist.

Best Young Artist is limited to high school students and those within one year after graduation participating in the Young Artist Marketplace. Professional exhibitors cannot receive this award; Young Artist Marketplace exhibitors cannot receive professional awards.

Artist amenities

Volunteers circulate with snacks and water during the festival. Overnight security patrols are provided Friday and Saturday. Discounted lodging options are listed on the festival website and are first-come, first-served. The museum promotes the festival and its artists through its marketing campaign and online artist gallery.

Connect with visitors

Visitors value meeting the artist and learning about the process, materials, and inspiration behind the work. A friendly greeting and a short story about a piece can help someone feel comfortable asking questions. Choose a booth arrangement that makes you easy to find and allows you to engage with visitors comfortably.

Offer a thoughtful range of prices

Art at the Park attracts a broad audience, including first-time art buyers and established collectors. Artists often find success by offering a thoughtful range of price points while maintaining the integrity of their artistic practice. Accessible options, including works or reproductions under $300 where appropriate, can welcome new buyers alongside larger or signature pieces.

Keep prices visible and clearly identify originals, editions, and reproduction products. Offering lower-priced items is optional and does not affect eligibility.

Make your booth inviting

Keep the display clear and easy to browse. Highlight signature pieces and arrange smaller works where visitors can readily see them. Refresh the display as work sells. If suitable for your medium and approved for the space, a demonstration can invite conversation without blocking visitor access.

Build connections beyond the weekend

Provide business cards, a social media handle, or an optional mailing-list sign-up so interested visitors can reconnect. Welcome families and younger visitors, who may be discovering original art for the first time.

Show how your practice is growing

Returning visitors enjoy seeing new pieces and developments in an artist’s practice. Bring current work that reflects the style and medium represented in your application. There is no requirement to bring the exact photographed pieces and no percentage limit on new work within the approved style and medium.

For festival questions, contact artatthepark@troutmuseumart.org. For application technical support, use the ZAPPlication Help Center. 

Questions: artatthepark@troutmuseumart.org

Original artwork and reproductions

Original artwork is work created directly by the artist, including original printmaking and original photography. All artwork must originate in the participating artist’s own design, concept, and creative execution.

Artists may sell reproductions of their own original artwork as editions or as other products that widen the range of price points for festival attendees. Prints, cards, textiles, and other products carrying the artist’s own original imagery are permitted. Reproductions must be clearly identified; numbered editions must disclose the edition size. Open editions and other reproduction products do not need to be signed or numbered.

Original fine-art prints and photographs should use archival-quality materials appropriate to the medium. Clearly distinguish original printmaking from reproductions of work created in another medium.

Resale merchandise unrelated to the artist’s original work, copies of another artist’s work, unaltered purchased items, and mass-produced goods presented as handmade originals are prohibited. Purchased materials or components must be meaningfully transformed through the artist’s creative work.

Artificial intelligence and digital editing

AI-generated artwork, imagery, designs, or content may not be displayed or sold, including AI-generated elements incorporated into a larger work. Digital editing of an artist’s original work, such as photographic adjustments, retouching, cropping, and compositing of the artist’s own photographs, is allowed when it does not generate new content using AI. Ordinary digital editing and production tools are permitted.

New work and compliance

Application images must represent the style, medium, and scope of work to be exhibited, rather than the exact pieces brought to the festival. New work is welcome, with no percentage limit, provided it remains consistent with the approved style and medium. A substantial change in style or an additional medium requires advance written approval. These rules apply equally to juried and invited artists.

Tax information and sales

Artists must provide the vendor information required by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue Temporary Events Program, including a Wisconsin seller’s permit or tax account number when required, or the applicable reason a permit is not required. Provide other identifying information requested on the current vendor form. Submit sensitive information only through the designated registration process.

Each exhibitor manages their own sales, payment processing, receipts, applicable sales taxes, refunds, and customer disputes. Artists must comply with Wisconsin registration and tax requirements. Contact the Wisconsin Department of Revenue with questions about permits or exemptions. All application materials must be complete before participation is confirmed.

Weather and emergency response

Art at the Park is held rain or shine. The museum may delay opening, suspend activities, require evacuation, or cancel all or part of the festival for lightning, dangerous winds, severe weather, or other emergencies. Follow instructions from event staff and public safety personnel immediately. A canopy is not a safe shelter during lightning or dangerous winds.

Festival staff monitor weather forecasts and coordinate with police and other safety professionals. Staff will communicate safety and evacuation instructions through soundstage announcements and written updates, with as much advance notice as conditions allow. Sudden hazards may require immediate suspension or evacuation. Review the emergency procedures in the artist registration packet and follow staff instructions promptly. If directed to evacuate, prioritize personal safety and leave artwork behind when securing it would delay evacuation. Call 911 for an immediate emergency and notify event staff when safe to do so.

Respectful conduct and enforcement

Treat staff, volunteers, fellow artists, and visitors respectfully during setup, festival hours, and teardown. Harassment, threatening behavior, unsafe conduct, and interference with festival operations are prohibited.

The museum may inspect booths and require ineligible or noncompliant items to be removed. Artists must cooperate with compliance and safety instructions. Serious or repeated violations may result in booth closure, removal from the festival without refund, or exclusion from future festivals. Staff may act immediately when a safety risk requires it.

Security insurance and responsibility

Security guards patrol Friday and Saturday nights. Artists remain responsible for their artwork, equipment, cash, and personal property, including securing their booths overnight. Security patrols do not guarantee protection against theft or damage.

Exhibitors are strongly encouraged to maintain general liability insurance and coverage for artwork, equipment, theft, and weather-related losses. The museum does not provide insurance for exhibitors’ property. Artists must review and accept the Art at the Park legal agreement included in the ZAPPlication application before submitting their application.

Pets and accessibility

Pets are prohibited at special events in City Park under City of Appleton Municipal Code section 10-47. Service animals permitted by applicable law are welcome. Emotional support, comfort, and therapy animals do not qualify as service animals solely because they provide comfort. Follow applicable accessibility requirements and staff directions.

Keep access routes clear and arrange your booth so visitors can browse safely. For an accommodation or accessibility question, contact artatthepark@troutmuseumart.org before the festival.

Booth fees and locations

Option	Fee
Single booth 10 × 10 feet	$350
Double booth 10 × 20 feet	$695
Corner upgrade for a single or double booth	$75 additional

Invited artists must confirm participation and pay all applicable fees by March 1. Artists accepted through the jury must confirm participation and pay booth fees by May 1, unless their offer specifies a later deadline. Award winner waivers are described in Invited artists and awards. A double booth comprises two adjacent spaces. Request a double booth on your application; unauthorized booth sharing is prohibited.

After acceptance, artists may request a location and purchase a corner upgrade, subject to availability. Requests and upgrades are prioritized by the date booth payment is received. For a fee-waived award winner, priority is based on receipt of confirmation and any upgrade payment. Specific locations are not guaranteed. If the museum cannot provide a purchased corner, the $75 upgrade fee will be refunded.

Equipment and tent safety

Booths are on blacktop or cement unless otherwise indicated, with approximately one foot between adjacent booths. Tents must be white and fit entirely within the assigned space. Artwork, displays, signs, weights, and equipment must remain within the booth and keep aisles and emergency routes clear.

Secure every tent leg with at least 50 pounds of artist-supplied weight firmly attached to that leg or its corresponding frame connection. Two tents in a double booth must each meet this requirement. Larger structures must meet the same minimum at every leg and any higher manufacturer requirements. Weights must remain secured and must not create trip hazards. Stakes do not replace weights on pavement. Staff may require additional anchoring or closure of an unsafe canopy.

Electricity is unavailable. Bring all display equipment, tables, chairs, weights, and supplies. Open flames and generators require advance written approval and compliance with event safety requirements.

Setup and attendance

Set up Friday, July 23, from noon to 7:00 p.m. Be fully ready by 9:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. The accepted artist must attend both days and personally manage the booth. A designated representative may accompany the artist to help with booth operations but cannot substitute for the artist. Ordinary short personal breaks are permitted; a representative must keep the booth attended during those breaks.

Remain open until 5:00 p.m. Saturday and 4:00 p.m. Sunday. No early teardown is permitted unless directed by event staff for safety. Be packed and off the streets by 7:00 p.m. Sunday, when roads reopen. Contact staff in advance if you anticipate needing extra time.

Loading and vehicle access

Vehicle access is permitted only during staff-authorized loading windows and by designated routes provided in the registration packet. Unload promptly, then move your vehicle to approved parking. Vehicles are prohibited in festival streets during public hours. On Sunday, do not bring vehicles in until the festival has closed and staff authorize entry. Follow staff directions and keep fire lanes clear.

Refunds and withdrawals

Jury fees and booth fees are nonrefundable after payment, including for artist withdrawal, nonattendance, weather-related disruption, or organizer cancellation for severe weather or another emergency. No credit toward a future festival is promised. The exception is a refund of the $75 corner upgrade when the museum cannot provide the purchased corner. Award winners receive no cash payment or credit for an unused fee waiver.