Evanston Art Center Winter Arts & Crafts Expo 2025

About the Open Call

The Evanston Art Center's Winter Arts & Crafts Expo is one of the largest and most celebrated shows in the Chicago area. The Annual Expo showcases arts and crafts by over 150 selected artisans, featuring original, handmade works of jewelry, ceramics, fiber, metal, glass, painting, photography, mixed-media, and more. RULES/REGULATIONS: No CDs or prints will be accepted. All images have to be in JPG format. BOOTH INFORMATION: The Evanston Art Center has open gallery space available for this event. The Expo is a group show, and as such, there are no booth spaces. Each artist's inventory will be identified and displayed on an approximately 20x30 inches tabletop space or the equivalent area on the wall or floor. Extra inventory for each artist will be stored and then displayed as the merchandise is sold. The Expo staff will make all decisions regarding placement and display. Since this is not a booth show, artists will not be required to be present to conduct sales. The Expo relies on volunteers to run the show. We have found that the artists who are present during the show contribute greatly to the professional atmosphere of the galleries and increase the sales of their own work by being able to talk to customers about their craft and process. We encourage each participating artist (who lives in the area) to volunteer three, 3-hour shifts during the show. JURY DETAILS: Average number of applications submitted each year: 220. Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event: 150. Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event: 0. How returning artists are selected: Selected by on-site jury. Vendors that are excluded/ineligible: Vendors who do not create handmade artwork are ineligible to apply. How images are viewed by jurors: ZAPP® JuryBuddy™ high-definition projection equipment (provided by ZAPP®). Within a medium category, applications are sorted and viewed by: Random Order. Jurors score applications using the following scale: 1 - 5. Number of jurors scoring applications: 5. The show organizes the jurors for a: Single jury panel that scores applications for all medium categories. Jurors score: Separately from various locations. Am I allowed to observe the jury process? Jury process is closed.

What is Offered

Participation in a celebrated arts and crafts expo with opportunities for art sales and exposure.

Requirements

This application does not accept applications from emerging artists. No CDs or prints will be accepted. All images have to be in JPG format. Vendors who do not create handmade artwork are ineligible to apply.

How to Apply

Apply through the ZAPPlication platform by clicking 'Apply to this Show' on the event page. All images must be in JPG format.