Application Information

Which festival is right for me?

Each festival is juried and run by Amdur Productions, Inc., a professional and experienced management team. All outdoor festivals will have overnight security and artists MAY leave booths and tables in place overnight although Amdur Productions always recommends that artwork should be removed from booths at night. Discounted hotel rates will be offered to exhibitors. Live musical entertainment will be scheduled throughout each festival. Food will be available from festival food vendors as well as area restaurants.

Late Applications

Artists may apply after the application deadline. Late applications will be reviewed in house and artists will be applying for a wait list position. Artists are taken by wait list number and category openings. Questions can be directed to Caitlin by phone (847-926-4300) or email ([email protected]).

Deadlines

Make sure to apply on time to avoid late fees! Deadlines for all applications will be posted on Juried Art Services and Zapplication. You will also get notifications via email. Make sure you are a part of our email list to get these notifications.

Regular application period has passed. Late applications are accepted based on space availability.

Top Ten Image Tips

  1. Clear, sharply focused images are best.
  2. Represent a coherent body of work, by form, technique or concept in the four images.
  3. Show the work fully.
  4. Do not show the frames in the case of flat art.
  5. One piece of work per image.
  6. Bold color is viewed better than pastels, whites, grays or blacks.
  7. Well-lit, even exposure in all images is crucial.
  8. Images should not be digitally altered except to correct contrast or adjust brightness.
  9. High resolution jpeg files are best.
  10. Don’t let the background overpower or detract from your work.
  11. Any questions? Call or email Caitlin at 847-926-4300 or [email protected]

Digital Jury

We will utilize the skills of Juried Art Services (no additional fee to artists), a company well run by Paul Fisher. Paul and his company work with other well established high-end art festivals and share our high level of concern for art and artists.

Photographs

Black and white and color photographs must be either printed by the hands and/or under the direction of the photographer. Color and/or black and white reproductions of photographs by non-photographic, non-archival means, such as copy machine are not allowed. Giclees of photographs on canvass and/or paper must follow the rules for prints above. Each image may only be hung in one size in your booth.

Display Fees

Upon notification of acceptance, artists must remit at least 50% of their display fees to Amdur Productions by the registration due date. Balances are due on the first of the month proceeding the festival’s month. Artists not paid in full by the prescribed dates relinquish their invitation to exhibit. Display spaces accommodate tents of 10 x 10 feet.

Space fees vary by festival. Additional surcharges apply to corner spaces. Limited corner spaces are available. If an artist requests a corner, they must either have the corner open or use the outside wall to display art. Limited double booth spaces are available at two times the standard fee. Booths are assigned in order of show seniority followed by media needed for a given location and order of receipt of request.

For Port Clinton

Iris, giclees and other commercial prints may be shown only in flip bins and must be clearly identified as commercial prints. Only one flip bin is allowed per booth.

 

Image Suggestions

Deficiencies in images will put your work at a significant disadvantage in the juries. Artists are advised to submit images of professional quality. Keep in mind that your images are viewed simultaneously and you may specify the way in which they appear.

Prints

Art prints produced by the artist executed by monoprint, hand pulled serigraph, lithograph and similar, properly signed and numbered are allowed to be hung in the booth. In all shows except the Port Clinton Art Festival, framed commercial print multiples may be shown on not more than a 10×10 foot wall of a booth and must be individually labeled as such. Flip bins for commercial prints must fit within the artist’s booth and must be clearly marked to maintain clarity with the public.

Jewelry

Jewelers are divided into 3 different categories: Jewelry Makers, Jewelry Designers, and Jewelry Makers & Designers.

Jewelry Maker – Primarily assembling bought components such as beads to make strung jewelry. Repurposing objects, old jewelry, watches, coins.

Jewelry Designer – Designs jewelry and has others execute the jewelry. Typically work in gold, silver, cast and precious metals (fabricated or cast) and semi-precious and precious stones.

Jewelry Maker & Designer – Designs the work and executes the jewelry making process from start to finish. Includes artists making their own beads. Includes artists making needle-weaving complex pieces, wire wrapping, and chainmaille. Works in gold, silver, and precious metals (fabricated or cast), and semi-precious and precious stones.

If you have a question about which one you would apply for, call Caitlin at 847-926-4300 or email [email protected]

 

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Optional Payment Plans

Payment plans by cashier’s check, money orders, and credit card are available for all space fees. Contact Annette in our office at 847 926 4300 for more information. No personal or business checks will be accepted.

Sales

All proceeds go to the artists. All artists are responsible by law to pay applicable city, state and federal taxes on work sold. Tax forms are available by clicking here.

Awards

A Best of Show Award, Category Awards, and Outstanding Achievement Awards will be given at most festivals. All Festival Award Winners are invited to return the following year without jury for the festival they were an award winner in.

Refunds

Jury/Application Fees are nonrefundable in whole or part and are not a guarantee or promise that an artist will be accepted into a festival. Refunds for Space/Booth Fees paid in whole or part will be issued a full refund of the amount received, minus a $50.00 per show processing fee, if the request is made in writing such as an email, fax or certified mail on or before April 26, 2018. Refund requests made by phone, fax, email or certified mail after April 26, 2018 will not be processed and are ineligible for a refund in whole or part.

Throughout the summer festival season, full upgrade refunds will be made to artists on an ongoing basis if the artist request for a corner, double booth or electricity could not be met.

Wait List

After the initial jury, artists may be put on the wait list. If this occurs, artists will have to wait until a position opens up for them. Typically, we will not be able to tell if wait list positions will be open until after the registration deadline (March 26, 2018). We will start taking wait list artists by availability based on category and wait list number (1 being the first off the wait list). Once a position becomes available, we will notify artists through email or by phone. Any official festival wait list artist is welcome to show up the morning of a festival during set-up and register to see if any no-show spaces become available. Amdur Productions staff will make the final determination for adding any artists to the festival at that time. Any artist accepted into the festival must come prepared with a photo ID and booth fee in the form of cash, cashier’s check, money order or credit card.

Parking

We use our best effort to provide artists with free overnight and over-sized parking for all festivals. In the big city shows, such as Chicago and Evanston, parking is limited and therefore can have a cost. In these cases, we try to make arrangements for artists with a discounted rate at a nearby lot.

Open Access

All festivals attempt to be fully accessible. Special needs of artists are a continuing concern for Amdur Productions. Please advise us if we can help in any way.

Policies

The art festivals produced by Amdur Productions present artists’ hand original work, not the work of mass production studios. All work displayed must be presented in a finished manner; two-dimensional art should be framed or equivalent. The festival committee reserves the right to refuse exhibition of work not consistent with the quality and cohesiveness of submitted images and these guidelines.

You may not exhibit work purchased from other artists or groups for resale. Artists themselves, not spouses or other representatives, must be present at registration and throughout the entire festival. Artists provide their own tents, tables and chairs unless other rental plans are made. A maximum of two persons are suggested to work in a 10×10 booth at any time. Artists showing separately produced work under one name are not allowed to exhibit in the same booth. Exhibitors must check in with a photo ID.

Application to a festival does not guaranty participation. Dates, hours and specifics of each festival are subject to change. Should a festival date change be required and the artist is not able to participate, a full refund of fees paid will be made to the artist for that festival.

Acceptance into a festival does not mean participation. Artists MUST register by the registration due date or the rental space will be let go to an artist on the wait list.

To insure fairness for every artist, the rules contained in this application will be strictly enforced. Artists and their staff not complying with festival policies will be asked to leave the festival, without refund.

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Art Festival FAQs Some helpful hints for applying and selling

Can I Still Apply after the Regular Application Period?

  • Yes! You will need to submit a separate application found on the web site, any application fees, 4 images of your art, and 1 image of your display or what your booth will look like at the festival. Late fees may apply.

What are the Jurors Looking for?

  • Cohesive body of work, originality, and point of view.

What are My Chances of Getting Into a Festival?

  • Every year there are a new panel of judges and a new group of artists. The only artists that are invited back are the award winners. There’s always a new opportunity to be accepted into the festivals every year!

What if I Don’t have a Booth Image?

  • If you don’t have a booth image, you can create a mock set up of your art with two walls for 2D work. You can use skirted tables or pedestals for jewelry and 3D art.

What If I Don’t Have a Tent?

  • If you don’t have a tent, you can rent one through us! We coordinate tent rentals with a professional tent company that sets up the tent with weights and cover walls and they take the tent down for you at the end of the festival. The fee for this is $230 for a regular 10x10x7. Extra high tents are available for $275. The dimensions for this type of tent is 10x10x10.

Which Category Should I Apply for?

  • Paintings: All media
  • 2D: Flat art, not painting
  • Jewelry Maker: Primarily assembling bought components such as beads to make strung jewelry. Repurposing objects, old jewelry, watches, coins.
  • Jewelry Designer: Designs jewelry and has others execute the jewelry. Typically work in gold, silver, cast and precious metals (fabricated or cast) and semi-precious and precious stones.
  • Jewelry Maker & Designer: Designs the work and executes the jewelry making process from start to finish. Includes artists making their own beads. Includes artists making needle-weaving complex pieces, wire wrapping, and chainmaille. Works in gold, silver, and precious metals (fabricated or cast), and semi-precious and precious stones.
  • Photography: All techniques
  • 3D Functional: Art with function
  • 3D Non Functional: 3D sculptural work

What Makes Amdur Productions Art Festivals Special?

  • Professionalism: Every staff member is knowledgeable in event planning coordinating and loves what they do
  • Extensive and Professional Marketing and Advertising
  • Real People: Staff members are always present and readily available to help the artists
  • Top Rated and Longstanding Festivals
  • Organization: Every detail in our festivals, from planning to production is thought out, reviewed, analyzed and executed to make the best art festival experience for all

 

What Do I Get for My Booth Fee?

  • Professional and knowledgable staff
  • Organized load in and out
  • Discounted hotel rooms close to the festival grounds
  • Information before festivals on everything you’ll need to know
  • Guidance on applying, registering, preparing for a show, load in, load out, and anything else you need or want to know
  • A large multi-layered marketing plan supports this show with ads running in newspapers, advertisements, on television, radio, posters, street banners, and social media. Professional public relations insure high visibility for this festival.
  • Over night security
  • Artist break room with snacks, water, and coffee.
  • Close parking accommodations for free or for a discounted price.
  • Signage for your booth with your name, media and booth number
  • Amdur Productions staff is available to booth sit for artists throughout the entire festival
  • Working with a reputable, well established company with a reputation of putting on top rated art festival

 

Who Selects the Artists?

In 2018, there was a panel of 16 jurors who judged the artists that applied for the 2018 festivals. Jurors go through all of the images and assign them a point value. Then the scores are totaled and then artists are ranked according to their scores. We accept the first batch of artists depending on the number of available spaces. As space becomes available, we then go to the waitlist and invite artists in order of rank and media. The jurors for 2018 were as follows:

First Name Last Name Credentials
JOY BAUER PAINTER
ROBIN CARLSON CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN
JACKIE CHILOW THE ART CENTER HIGHLAND PARK
BERNADETTE ELENTENY ART CONSULTANT AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER
SCOTT FISHMAN PHOTOGRAPHER
JAMES FROST CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN
HAL KUGELER ART COLLECTOR
ALAN PEARLSTEIN GALLERY OWNER & ART DEALER
MIKE PFEIFER GRAPHIC DESIGNER
DANA REED JEWELER
Gabrielle Rousso ART EDUCATOR & COLLECTOR
JILL SCALES 3D- fuNCTIONAL- fIBER
MARK WANINGER 3D NON FUNCTIONAL- WOOD
STEVE WEWERKA PHOTOGRAPHER
DIANA WIDMAN JEWELER
JODI ZOMBOLO CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN
2018 Youth Artist Applications

Get the experience of exhibiting as a professional artist! Set up, take down and sell your art as a professional artist does. You can even ask them questions and get real-life advice from exhibiting artists!

Festivals with Youth Artists include