The Highland Craft Festival of Fine Craft is a two-day outdoor celebration of the visual arts. The primary focus of the event is the juried exhibition of gallery quality fine craft, giving our audience the opportunity to meet, interact with, view and purchase art from the individuals who have created it. Additionally, the Festival offers art activities for children, live musical performances, a silent auction and high-quality food offerings.

The Highland Park Festival of Fine Crafts benefits The Art Center, which is a non-profit school and gallery with a year round commitment to presenting the best in contemporary art and craft. The Art Center is an advocate for artists and builds appreciation through its educational and exhibition programs.

E-mail events@theartcenterhp.org or call Stacy at (847) 432-1888 for more details.

Online Application

The application process for the 11th Annual Highland Park Festival of Fine Craft has moved to the internet. Go to the ZAPP website at zapplication.org to register online and apply. Our new application deadline is Friday, February 15, 2008.

Jury Procedure

Images are reviewed by the 3-person panel in a blind jury process. The jury is comprised of both working artists and art professionals. Artistic excellence is the sole criteria for selection.

Applications

Artists must submit separate applications, unless applying as a team. Artists wishing to exhibit work produced in more than one media category must apply with separate online user ids, separate sets of digital images and a jury fee for each category. No advantage is gained by submitting multiple applications for the same body of work in multiple categories.

Application Fee

Each application must be accompanied by a $25 jury payment fee. Applicants may choose to pay by credit card or check. Checks are payable to The Highland Park Festival of Fine Craft (mailed to 1957 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, IL 60035). The non-refundable jury fee will be processed and deposited on receipt.

Five (5) images are to be submitted for each individual media category entered by the artist. Four (4) images must be of individual pieces of work. Image #5 must be a booth image showing overall continuity and presentation of your current body of work. The fifth image is mandatory. The purpose of the booth image is to ensure the artist has a complete body of work which is represented both in the first four images and also within image #5. It also helps identify the scale of the artist's work. If possible, please avoid submitting booth images with any identifiable sign, or photo of the artist themselves. Images must accurately represent the body of the artist's work to be exhibited at the Festival.

Upon Acceptance of Invitation to Exhibit

Artists selected by the jury must pay the booth fee and City Vendor Fee by May 1, 2008. Failure to respond by the deadline may result in revocation of the invitation and immediate invitation of an alternate from the waiting list.

Fees if accepted

Standard booth fee: $400
End of row or island: $175 extra
Canopy (rental available): $175
Table (rental available): $175
Award Dinner Guests (exhibitor fee): $17
City Vendor Fee: $50

Awards

All exhibiting artists are eligible for $5,000 in awards. Judging for awards takes place on Saturday morning (June 28, 2008). Three jurors will visit and evaluate each artist's work. Awards are determined by consensus and are presented at the Awards Dinner.

Booth Space

Each exhibitor will be provided with a 10' x 10' space. The booth fee is $400 for each space. Artists desiring end spaces or islands will be charged an additional $175 per space. Anyone desiring end spaces, island locations or other specific requests, will be assigned spaces on a first-come, first served basis based on request date.

Display

Artists must furnish their own display equipment. Each artist provides his/her own display: boards, tables, tents, stands and chairs. Exhibitors may rent 10' x10' tents, chairs and tables from the Festival. Rental includes tent delivery, set-up and take down from the space. Additionally, there is limited space behind each booth.

Booth Set-up and Take Down

Artists may begin setting up their booths at 6 p.m. Friday, June 27, 2008 according to a schedule determined by booth location. Take down begins at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 29, 2008. All booths must remain intact until that time. Early breakdown is not permitted. Artists may drive to the booth to unload and load work.

Sales

Artists retain all revenue from the sale of their work with no commission on sales due to the Festival. Highland Park sales tax is 7.5%.

Rules of the Show

1. All work must be original, handcrafted work. The artist guarantees the accuracy of the description of the works present and the authenticity of the work as the creation of their own hands.
2. Work done by a production studio is not acceptable. All work must be designed and executed by the accepted artist
3. Artists must be present for the entire two days of the Festival. Representatives may not attend in place of the artist.
4. Artists may only show work in categories and body of work selected by the Jury. All work must be of the quality, category and body of work of that shown in the images juried
5. No reproductions or castings from commercial molds are allowed.

Misrepresentation will result in being removed and barred from future shows.

Media Categories

Media categories are used by the Festival as a tool for organizing artists' images into logical, related groups for the jury's review. While a balanced show that equitably showcases works from all media categories is the objective, the Festival establishes no quota or entitlement by media category.

Ceramics

All original clay and porcelain work other than jewelry is accepted in this category. No machine-made or mass produced work is permitted. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed each piece must be signed.

Fiber Decorative

All work crafted from fibers including basketry, embroidery, weaving, and tapestry. No forms of mass production are permitted.

Fiber Wearable

All work created from fiber that is wearable. No factory produced wearable items, regardless of additions, modifications or enhancements by the artist.

Jewelry

All jewelry whether the work is produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plaster or other materials must be entered in this category. No commercial casts, molds or production studio work is allowed.

Mixed-Media

This category includes works, both 2 and 3-dimensional, that incorporate more than one type of physical material to produce.

Sculpture

Three-dimensional original work produced in any medium.

Wood

Original works in wood that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved will be accepted.

Leather

Work may be either wearable or decorative and produced primarily from leather. No machine-tooling or mass production is permitted.

Furniture

This category includes work made from wood, leather, metal, plastic, or other materials. Works should be functional.

Paper

Works must be made from paper, preferably handmade. No mass production is permitted.

Artist Services will include

• Air-conditioned restroom facilities and break room.
• Complimentary breakfast and beverages on Saturday and Sunday.
• Continuous availability of booth sitters.
• Helpful volunteers.
• Convenient free parking for artists.
• Hotel package discount.
• Awards dinner.

Questions?

Contact Stacy at stacyf@theartcenterhp.org or at (847) 432-1888 for more details.