FAQ - APPLYING TO EXHIBIT
Where can I find out more about Laguna Art-A-Fair?
Laguna Art-A-Fair showcases fine art in every medium for emerging and established artists. It also reaches out to the community with workshops taught by our artists who share their knowledge with aspiring artists. A limited number of spots are open to be part of Laguna Art-A-Fair’s two-month summer festival that provides an extended showing of art to a continually changing audience. Noted for high quality fine art, this exhibit of approximately 120 artists attracts tourists and patrons from throughout California, the United States, and the World. The beautiful festival grounds are located at 777 Laguna Canyon Road, just a few blocks from the Laguna Beach Village entrance.
What are the dates of the show?
Opening day is June 26. The show runs through September 6, 2026.
How and where do I enter?
You can find the online Exhibitor Application at https://www.art-a-fair.com/call-for-new-artists
What is the jury process and how does affect me?
Laguna Art-A-Fair is a “juried” show, which means that anyone hoping to exhibit must first submit samples of their work to be reviewed by a panel of judges in mid-February. There is no limit to the number of mediums submitted. The jury panel is comprised of seven jurors and two alternates. An Olympic scoring system is used that eliminates the highest and lowest scores, then adds up the remaining scores for a total jury score. The highest score available is 50; a minimum score of 35 is required for acceptance into the upcoming festival. Digital images of your work are to be submitted online (deadline January 31, 2026). Once the judging is complete, if there are more artists with acceptable scores than available exhibit spaces, some hopeful exhibitors will be placed on a Wait List, which is utilized in the event another artist must unexpectedly drop off the exhibitor list. You will be notified shortly after jury day of your status.
When is jury day?
Jury date is set for the middle of February 2026. The jury consists of professional fine artists. The jury members judge submissions based on look for excellence in conception, creativity, execution, presentation, technical competence, and a complete application submission. An appropriate balance of mediums for the entire show is considered when determining the number of artists invited in each medium. Anonymity is maintained during the jury process. All decisions regarding the selection process are made by Art-A-Fair, Inc. All such decisions are final. All submitting artists will receive an acceptance/non-acceptance by email shortly after jurying.
Does Laguna Art-A-Fair have any residency requirements?
No. We welcome applicants from around the world.
How much work do I need to submit?
You may submit three samples of each medium you plan to submit. If you work in watercolors, submit your three best watercolors. If you work in oil as well as watercolor, submit your three best oils under one application and your three best watercolors under a second application, etc. For 3-dimensional work, the artist may submit up to two additional images per piece, for a total of three different views of the same work. Each application requires the $45 fee.
If I am accepted, what are my fees and when are they due?
A non-refundable booth deposit of $200.00 and a $35.00 membership fee are required by the deadline date noted in the acceptance email. Balance of booth payments are due as noted on the webpage.
Current booth fees are as follows: 1/2 booth is $905, 3/4 booth is $1,250, full booth is $1,595, 1 1/4 booth is $1,940, 1 1/2 booth is $2,285. (half of a booth is 8 ft w x 10 ft h) (subject to change without notice)
My work is very unique and diverse. Can I submit more than three pieces to give the jury a better understanding of my scope of experience?
No. The jury will only look at three images per medium. (with the exception of 3-dimensional art - artists may submit up to three images per each sculpture/work). Select what you consider to be your three very best samples. Break up sets and groups if you must. Let the jury see your very best work.
I paint in oil and and I paint in acrylic. Sometimes I mix both oil and acrylic in the same painting. How many pieces do I submit and what medium should I label them?
Paintings that contain both oil and acrylic paint in one painting are juried under Mixed Media. Paintings using just oil paint or just acrylic paint will need to be separated into the two distinct categories of Oil and Acrylic. Submit three oils and three acrylics and their corresponding jury fees. Please do not submit one oil, one acrylic and one with both mixed...these will be considered an incomplete submissions and will not be seen by the jury.
I do sculptures in bronze, marble, and ceramic. Do I submit one of each type or three of each type?
For sculpture, each material comprises a separate medium, so submit three separate applications, and three jury fees as well.
I don’t have a lot of material at this point. Can I only submit one or two pieces to be juried?
Yes. While you can submit only one or two pieces, submitting three pieces is strongly recommended, as it gives the judges a broader and more complete view of your body of work.
If I enter 3D work, how many digital images may I enter?
You may enter up to three images per each three different sculptures - a total of 9 photos.
If I am accepted, do I need to decide to exhibit right away?
Accepted applicants will receive a link to detailed information shortly after acceptance, that discusses all aspects of the show, including costs, time requirements, what may or may not be exhibited, etc. Accepted applicants have a deadline noted in the acceptance email to read the materials and decide if Laguna Art-A-Fair is a good fit for them.
If I am not accepted, is there a chance I may get a spot later before the show opens?
After Jury Day all applicants will receive notice of their acceptance or non-acceptance status shortly thereafter. Some will be accepted, some will be placed on a waiting list, and those receiving an unacceptable score will be informed as well. Any exhibit space that becomes available later in the spring will be offered to applicants already placed on the wait list.
FAQ - GENERAL EXHIBITOR INFORMATION
What is the average attendance and where do the Laguna Beach festivals come from?
Attendance varies from approximately 30-50 thousand for the run of the show. About 70% of the visitors are from Southern California or nearby states such as Arizona. As Laguna Beach is an international travel destination, we also get many foreign visitors.
Is this an indoor show or an outdoor show?
Laguna Art-A-Fair is an outdoor show that has full canopy coverage protecting booths and exhibits from most of what Mother Nature has to offer.
How many artists participate each year?
Generally, we have about 115 exhibit spaces each summer. The exhibits remain up for the entire 9-10 weeks of the show and the fair is open 7 days a week.
Provided we are both juried in, may I share the booth with an artist friend?
Each artist accepted by the jury is required to purchase his/her own booth space, for the duration of the 9-10-week show. Booths may not be “shared with” or “sub-let to” other exhibitors. Booth sizes and costs vary considerably, so it’s easy to find a size and price that fits the needs and budget of the artist.
What may I display?
Only original work in the medium accepted by the jury, and good quality reproductions, can be displayed. Note cards are permitted as well. Merchandise such as posters, t-shirts, mugs, etc., are not allowed. All work must be the original concept of the exhibiting artist. No exhibited work may violate any state or federal copyright laws, nor the privacy, or other legal rights of any other person/entity at any level of its creation.
How much work should I plan to display at one time?
This depends on the size and style of your work, but the adage “less is best” is often applicable in this type of venue. To present a pleasing and attractive visual appearance it is suggested you do not overly crowd your walls; pay attention to the negative space. Presentation is just as important as the quality of your work, to both the visiting public (who will view thousands of individual pieces of art while they visit the festival) and the Laguna Art-A-Fair jury.
How are sales handled? Do I have to man my booth every day?
Laguna Art-A-Fair maintains a sales booth during the course of the show. Exhibitors are not permitted to collect payment directly from customers. Artists will create their own bar codes that must be affixed to all items for sale so the sales booth can properly process sales. Instructions for making these bar codes and the proper Avery labels will be given. All sales are handled through the sales booth relieving the artist of the need to always be in their booth. However, exhibitors spending more time in their booths typically show proportionately higher sales than those who do not, but the choice is up to each individual artist. While the sales booth handles the purchases, it is the artist who can truly discuss and describe the work to customers. Buyers enjoy a personal contact and connection.
Is a commission charged on sales?
Laguna Art-A-Fair employs a commission structure of 20% for all sales. All sales are handled through the central sales booth. The commission is in addition to your booth fee (dependent on the size of booth you occupy) and your annual dues ($35).
How are sales taxes handled?
Laguna Art-A-Fair collects and remits to the State of California all sales taxes.
What are the artist work shifts that are mentioned in the rules section?
Laguna Art-A-Fair is a cooperative art festival and in order to keep the show running, each artist contributes to the total operation by working a designated work shift once a week. In addition, each artist must attend the training session for their particular duty and if the artist is unable to work their shift on a particular week, the artist is responsible for having their shift covered by another approved and trained individual (this can be a trade of work shifts or paying the substitute directly for that shift. Artists who would rather not work a shift may pay Laguna Art-A-Fair to hire a staff member on their behalf for the duration of the show. The current cost to cover a weekly work shift for the duration of the show is $850.00 (this may increase in 2026…TBD). Available duties include ticket taking, sales booth wrapping, light maintenance, street kiosk, and security, etc.
I represent one or more artists. I’d like information for entering them in the Laguna Art-A-Fair.
Laguna Art-A-Fair is a summer venue for emerging and established individual artists. Commercially produced items are not allowed, nor are commercial representatives. Commercial representatives are those who profit monetarily from sales of the artist’s work, such as (but not limited to) receiving a direct fee, by collecting commissions on sales, or by reselling purchased artwork not of their own creation.
If it is discovered that any of the above information has been misrepresented to Laguna Art-A-Fair, the artist will forfeit all monies paid to or received by Laguna Art-A-Fair, and will be asked to leave the festival. Additionally, the represented artists will have lost their individual right to jury into future Laguna Art-A-Fair festivals, which could lead to legal action by the artists, against an alleged commercial representative.
