---
title: East Lansing Art Festival 2027
description: >-
  Fine art & craft festival in East Lansing, MI; apply via Zapplication by Jan
  31, 2027. $35 jury fee, ~$6,000 in artist awards.
url: 'https://www.artsume.com/programs/e1411a14-a124-4e48-930f-7f86ad873402'
type: program
status: open
createdAt: '2026-10-06'
updatedAt: '2026-10-11'
programType: Festival/fair
organization: City of East Lansing
organizationUrl: 'https://www.artsume.com/o/city-of-east-lansing'
deadline: '2027-01-31'
entryFee: 35 USD
location: 'East Lansing, MI, United States'
isOnline: false
compensationRange: >-
  ~$6,000 in cash/purchase awards for site jury winners; award winners exempt
  from jury for the next three festivals.
---

# East Lansing Art Festival 2027

**Hosted by:** City of East Lansing

**Type:** Festival/fair | **Location:** East Lansing, MI, United States | **Deadline:** January 31, 2027 | **Entry fee:** $35

## About This Program

### About This Call

Established in 1964, the East Lansing Art Festival is an evolving outdoor celebration of fine art and fine craft which has grown to include an interactive artist demonstration area, poetry and live music. The free festival opens on Saturday morning and runs through Sunday evening. This highly anticipated mid-Michigan festival attracted over 66,000 knowledgeable art patrons from around the region and country in 2026 and is consistently ranked in Sunshine Artist Magazine's annual best 100 shows listing.

### General Information

The jury fee, before and on November 30, 2026, is $35.00. Beginning December 1, 2026, the fee is $45.00. The jury fee is nonrefundable. Deadline is midnight, January 31, 2027. The jury process takes place in February. Notifications will be sent to artists of status by the first week of March.

All booths, regardless of size, are assigned on a first paid, first served basis. There will be approximately 200 spots available in 2027, dependent on the number of exempt artists returning.

Artists wishing to jury in more than one category (i.e. glass and jewelry) are required to complete an application for each category.

### Artist Amenities

- ~$6,000 in Artist Awards. All award winners are exempt from jury for the following three consecutive festivals.
- Award certificates are presented to winning artists.
- Complementary promotional postcards sent to exhibiting artists.
- Friday drive-up load-in at booth assignment.
- Booth sitters available for artists to take breaks. Saturday and Sunday only.
- Green room access with snacks, water and restroom.
- Free Artist parking.
- Security patrols Friday and Saturday nights.

### Rules and Regulations

All work exhibited and sold at the ELAF must be original and of the artist's own creation. Applications must include a technical description of the artwork not to exceed 500 characters. Art that uses AI to create materials including, but not limited to graphics, pictures, art and images will not be accepted.

Buy/sell and manufactured items, representatives and large studio work, food items, beauty products, candles, T-shirts, tote bags and mass-produced reproductions are prohibited.

### Digital and On-Site Jurying

The jury, a panel of experts, participates both digitally and on-site. Images and statements are reviewed by jurors objectively. Each application is given a score between 1 (low) and 7 (high) and the artists with the highest scores in each category are invited to exhibit. On-site jurors visit each booth on Saturday and score each booth; the highest scores receive cash prizes or purchased art.

## Eligibility & Requirements

- **Geographic Eligibility:** National
- **Disciplines:** All disciplines
- **Age Requirements:** 18+ years old
- **Note:** Artists must be 18 years of age or older. All work must be the creation of the exhibiting artist: the original concept, design, style and execution must be attributable solely to the displaying artist(s). All work on display must be consistent with the images submitted. Art that uses AI-generated materials will not be accepted. Only artists accepted in the jewelry category may exhibit jewelry.

### Additional Requirements

- 5 images (a booth shot is required)
- Technical description of the artwork (max 500 characters)
- Jury fee: $35.00

## Compensation & Benefits

~$6,000 in cash/purchase awards for site jury winners; award winners exempt from jury for the next three festivals.

**Includes:** Prize

Approximately $6,000 in awards is presented to artists based on the quality of exhibited work as ranked by an impartial on-site jury. Winners are exempt from jury for the following three consecutive festivals and receive award certificates.

## Timeline

- **Opens:** October 6, 2026
- **Deadline:** January 31, 2027

## Contact

**Contact:** Heather Majano

**Email:** hmajano@cityofeastlansing.com

**Phone:** 517-319-6804

## How to Apply

Apply at: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=14905