Arts on Sheridan Highland Park

Summary

We are proud to announce the return of a great art fair on Sheridan Road in Highland Park, Illinois this June! This festival takes place in Highland Park's Art and Design District. Artists working in all media are invited to show and sell their work. This is a great opportunity to show your new work on the closed streets of east Highland Park amid unique stores and restaurants. No buy/sell.

Held on Sheridan Road, from Central Avenue to Elm, in East Highland Park, Art in Bloom celebrates art of all kinds in the beautiful backdrop of spring in the North Shore. Art at all price points is invited at this spring fest. Painters, street artists, jewelers, photographers, mixed media artists and more are invited to apply.

General information

• Contemporary and traditional themes do well
• Suburban show
• Artist Sales: Artists keep all their sales income from the show
• Exhibitor Spaces: About 100 spaces
• Staff Support: Amdur Productions staff is present on site throughout the entire festival to assist artists from load in to load out
• Load-in: Friday evening and Saturday morning load-in available; artists can drive up to or very close to their booth space
• Artist Parking: close and free
• Booth Sitting: available throughout the festival
• Tent Rental: tents, weights, tables and chairs available for rent (fees apply)
• ProPanel Rental: limited pro-panel walls available, first come/first served (fees apply)
• Set Up/Take Down Help: available on a scheduled pre-reserved time (fees apply)
• Hotel Rooms: discounted local hotel rooms
• Awards: bestowed at the festival
• Marketing: digital and print advertisements, radio, posters, street banners, social media, direct mail; professional PR team
• Security: overnight security provided

Important dates and deadlines

• Through November 30, 2026: Early Bird Application Promo
• January 18, 2027: Application due
• February 19, 2027: Notifications of festival status online
• February 18, 2027 and thereafter: Late applications accepted
• March 18, 2027: Registration forms and show fees due (in full or half)
• March 19, 2027 and thereafter: Late payments apply, $20 per festival
• April 1, 2027: Last day for refunds (less $50)

Rules and regulations

• All artwork submitted to jury, displayed and presented for sale must be created, designed and made, or made under the direct supervision of, the accepted artist(s); all artwork shown must be for sale
• An artist may apply in more than one category, but not twice in the same category
• Jewelry created through fabrication and casting is allowed if the original casts are made by the artist; no commercial casts/molds allowed
• Photography/Digital art: original work made by the hands of the photographer, printed by the photographer or under their supervision
• Art collaborators (up to two artists total) producing a single body of work qualify as an exhibitor
• No work made solely by apprentices or employees is allowed; all artwork must be made in the country the artist resides in
• Buy/sell items are strictly prohibited from all or part of an artist's booth, in all categories at all shows
• Multiples: limited editions up to 500, hand-manipulated plates/stones/screens, numbered and signed; mechanical reproductions (giclee, iris) must be signed and numbered (up to 500) and displayed on up to 10 linear feet of booth
• AI art is accepted when clearly identified as AI-created; the applying artist must be the "author" and must attend in person if selected
• The Festival Committee reserves the right to change any requirements

Booth information and fees

• 12' Wide by 10' Deep Exhibit Space Fee: $550 + $60 permit fee
• 20' Wide by 10' Deep Exhibit Space Fee: $1,100 + $120 permit fee
• Only one artist's work, or the work of two approved collaborating artists, may be displayed per booth
• White tents only; all tables must be skirted to the ground
• Double and corner spaces may be requested but are not guaranteed
• Tents must withstand wind/rain, properly weighted (at least 50 lbs per leg), connected with rope or straps, not bungee cords

Refund and cancellation policy

Application fees are non-refundable. Cancellations must be submitted in writing by email. If an artist cancels on or before April 1, 2027, they are given a refund for the amount paid toward the booth, less a $50 processing fee. No refunds after April 1, 2027. Artists cancelling after April 1, 2027 can transfer the amount paid toward their booth fee to another 2027 Amdur Productions festival balance for a $125 transfer fee. Artists who have not checked in or notified Amdur Productions by 7:30 am on the first day of the festival are considered a NO SHOW and forfeit their space with no refund.

Jury details

• Average number of applications submitted each year: 120
• Average number of artists selected from the jury: 80
• Average number of jury-exempt artists invited: 10
• Returning artists are selected if they received an award
• Images are viewed by jurors on a computer monitor
• Applications are sorted and viewed by last name (ascending)
• Jurors score applications on a 1-7 scale
• A single jury panel scores applications for all medium categories, separately from various locations
• The jury process is closed to observation

Applications are reviewed by a single jury panel that scores all medium categories separately from various locations, using a 1-7 scale. Images are viewed by jurors on a computer monitor, sorted by last name. On average, about 120 applications are submitted each year, with about 80 artists selected and about 10 invited as jury-exempt. A wait list is drawn from jury scores by category, and wait-listed artists can resubmit images for reconsideration. The jury process is closed to observation.