--- title: Old Town Art Fair 2027 description: Outdoor fine art fair in Chicago's Old Town Triangle, June 12-13, 2027. Juried, direct-to-consumer sales, cash awards, $50 fee. url: https://www.artsume.com/programs/8e69bbd6-0098-4b0c-b2d3-6eb1bb78813d type: program status: open createdAt: "2026-10-24" updatedAt: "2026-10-24" programType: Festival/fair organization: Old Town Art Fair organizationUrl: https://www.artsume.com/o/old-town-art-fair deadline: "2027-01-15" entryFee: 50 USD location: Old Town Triangle Historic District, Chicago, IL, United States isOnline: false compensationRange: Cash awards for First and Second Place within each media category, plus an additional Best of Show award. Artists retain all proceeds from sales of their work. disciplines: - 2-d mixed media - 3-d mixed media - ceramics - digital art - drawing/pastel - fiber - glass - jewelry - metal - painting - photography - printmaking - sculpture - stone - wood --- # Old Town Art Fair 2027 **Hosted by:** Old Town Art Fair **Type:** Festival/fair | **Location:** Old Town Triangle Historic District, Chicago, IL, United States | **Deadline:** January 15, 2027 | **Entry fee:** $50 ## About This Program ### About This Call The Old Town Art Fair takes place June 12-13, 2027, on the streets of the historic Old Town Triangle neighborhood on Chicago's near north side. Considered one of the top outdoor fine art shows in the nation and celebrated for over 75 years, the fair is managed entirely by volunteers. Fair proceeds support nonprofit organizations including the Menomonee Boys and Girls Club, local schools, community groups, and neighborhood improvements. The fair features a maximum of 235 booths and attracts discerning, art-educated art buyers in a direct-to-consumer sales model. A single booth costs $800 (including a $25 Itinerant Merchant Fee required by the City of Chicago); a limited number of double booths are available at $1,800. Artists are juried into one of several media categories: 2-D Mixed Media, 3-D Mixed Media, Ceramics, Digital Art, Drawing/Pastel, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Metal, Painting, and Photography. An Emerging Artist category is available for artists ages 18-25, recently graduated (within 2 years), or who have made a recent career change to the Visual Arts, with a reduced application fee of $20. Cash awards are given for First and Second Place in each media category, plus an additional Best of Show award. Artists retain all proceeds from sales. Benefits include a website gallery with artist information and link, organized load-in and cooperative load-out, complimentary continental breakfast on both days, booth sitters, complimentary water and snacks, express food concession lanes, reserved artist parking, and access to indoor bathrooms and water filling stations. ### Summary The Old Town Art Fair is produced by the Old Town Triangle Association, a nonprofit neighborhood organization whose Director also serves as staff support to the Fair. The show succeeds thanks in no small part to the tireless efforts of as many as 750 unpaid volunteers. 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. ### Important Dates - January 15, 2027: Application Deadline - January 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 ### Media Categories - 2-D Mixed Media - 3-D Mixed Media - Ceramics - Digital Art - Drawing/Pastel - Fiber - Glass - Jewelry - Metal - Painting - Photography - Printmaking - Sculpture - Stone - Wood - Emerging Artist Reproductions are not allowed at the Old Town Art Fair. Artwork must be first and foremost an artistic expression, designed and handmade by the accepted artist/artist team. Production studio work is absolutely prohibited. Use of generative AI tools to produce or alter content is prohibited in applicable categories. ### 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. "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 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, using coupon code EA27. Artists may apply to either the Emerging Artist program or the general show, but they may not apply to both. ### Booth Information and Fees - Single booths: 10' deep x 15' wide; width cannot exceed 10' and height cannot exceed 9'. - Double booths (limited availability): 10' deep x 30' wide; width cannot exceed 25' and height cannot exceed 9'. - Booth Fee: $800 for a single booth, $1,800 for a double booth, paid in full by March 1, 2027. - The booth fee includes a $25 required Chicago Itinerant Merchant Fee forwarded to the City on the artist's behalf. - Corner booths carry an additional $275 premium and are assigned by time stamp of request. - There is no electrical power for booths. - Tent rental companies are not allowed; artists must bring and set up/take down their own booths. ### Refund and Cancellation 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. No refunds of the single booth fee are allowed after March 1, 2027. ### Jury Details - Average number of applications submitted each year: 850 - Average number of artists selected from the jury: 235 - Average number exempt from jury who are invited: 40 - Images are viewed by jurors on a computer monitor, in random order within each medium category. - Jurors score applications on a 1-10 scale; 9 jurors score applications, organized into multiple jury panels by medium expertise, scoring separately from various locations. - The jury process is closed. ## Eligibility & Requirements - **Disciplines:** 2-d mixed media, 3-d mixed media, ceramics, digital art, drawing/pastel, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, stone, wood - **Note:** Applicants apply as either the general show or the Emerging Artist category, not both. Emerging Artists are defined as artists at an early stage of their career development with little experience exhibiting and selling their artwork, who are 18-25 years old, recently graduated (within 2 years) from college/university, or who have made a recent career change to the Visual Arts. Accepted artists must be present during all festival hours; no agents, representatives, family members or friends may substitute for the accepted artist's attendance except by special exception. Reproductions of any kind are not permitted; all work must be original and handmade by the exhibiting artist. Production studio work is prohibited. ### Additional Requirements - 5 images (a booth shot is required, except for Emerging Artists) - $50.00 application/jury fee (reduced to $20 for Emerging Artists, coupon code EA27) - Up to 3 applications may be submitted per artist ## Compensation & Benefits Cash awards for First and Second Place within each media category, plus an additional Best of Show award. Artists retain all proceeds from sales of their work. **Includes:** Prize Cash awards are given for First and Second Place in each media category, plus an additional Best of Show award given to the artist with the top jury score from all media categories. Artists keep all proceeds from art sales during the fair. ## Timeline - **Opens:** September 30, 2026 - **Deadline:** January 15, 2027 - **Program Start:** June 12, 2027 - **Program End:** June 13, 2027 ## Contact **Contact:** Barbara Guttmann, Director of Arts & Operations, Old Town Triangle Association **Email:** info@oldtownartfair.org **Phone:** 312-337-1938 ## How to Apply Apply at: https://www.oldtownartfair.org/exhibit/