In- Person 2021 Fair Canceled
The 57th Street Art Fair Committee has made the final decision after much deliberation, and considerable sadness, to cancel the in-person event June 5-6.
There are many considerations behind this difficult decision. Concerns for the health and safety of our artists, visitors, volunteers and community remain a primary focus, but the additional time and cost to implement a safely modified in-person event this were also factors in our decision making.
While remaining optimistic, it has been an overwhelming challenge to plan for a physical event with all the uncertainties and unknowns that still remain due to the ongoing pandemic. Although the city has begun accepting permits for special events such as ours, and we have applied for a permit, we still have not received permission to hold the fair at this date. In addition, we do not currently have permission from Ray School and the Chicago Public School system to use any of the school building or blacktop areas that we would need.
State guidelines for outdoor events stipulate strict limits on crowd density. This presents a large number of logistical issues and related financial expenses for us. Currently, the limit is 15 people total per 1,000 square feet— this includes all artists and their helpers, volunteers, committee members, and visitors. It would be up to us to control the access and traffic flow in order to maintain this density at all times.
Without the city permit and permission from CPS, and with only a month to go before our early June fair date, there is not enough time to implement any of the plans we have considered for 2021’s 74th Annual 57th Street Art Fair.
At this time, we will focus on our ongoing 2021 57th Street Art Fair virtual event at https://www.57thstreetartfair.org/virtual-fair
Our 2021 Virtual Fair will be live through May, 2022 and features more than 100 incredible artists selling original works of art.
The committee and the neighborhood will miss seeing everyone again this year, and are looking ahead to next year, when we hope to see everyone in-person to celebrate our 75th Anniversary!
Thank you again for your patience, optimism, and understanding,
the 57th Street Art Fair Committee
Chicago's 57th Street Art Fair Names William Ortman As The 2021 Newcomer Award Winner
74th Annual Virtual Fair Now Live, In-Person Fair Tentatively Scheduled for June 5-6
CHICAGO, IL (April 19, 2021) – The 57th Street Art Fair committee of jurors is pleased to award their coveted “Newcomer Award” to glass artist, William Ortman. Ortman a Columbus College of Art and Design Fine Art graduate, creates unique works of art using incredibly rich glass colors and textures. The Newcomer Award comes with a cash prize and a prominent booth space.
Each year the Newcomer Awards are chosen from the jury’s top scoring new artists from a total of almost 300 applications. In the first stage of jurying each jury member carefully and independently reviews each of these applications, composed of artists’ images, statements, and descriptions of their work.
“While the pandemic has posed many challenges this year, we want to honor and celebrate the amazing art community and honor William Ortman with the 2021 Newcomer Award. Every year after the first stage of jurying is complete, the committee looks forward to our meeting where we gather and the jurors review the highest scoring new artists to determine our Newcomer Award or Awards,” said Cate Slighton, 57th St. Art Fair Committee Member. “Ortman is part of our robust and interactive Virtual Fair, which is currently live on our website. We remain hopeful that we will also be able to host an in- person event June 5+6.”
For Ortman, glass allows for variations of intensity of hue, tone and depth and is captivated by the way colors come to light on a glass surface. Glass can do everything that other sculptural media can; in addition, the ways in which color can be layered on glass provides a unique three-dimensional quality of depth. Currently Ortman is exploring the incalmo technique and has been incorporating cane working and complex Murine in his designs. Using traditional Italian techniques, he draws inspiration from Asian cultural art. According to Ortman, “Glass making is what I love and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. It is a pleasure for me to share what I do.”
Considered the Midwest’s oldest juried art fair, currently celebrating the 74th year, the 57th Street Art Fair is pleased to promote nearly 100 artists part of their 2021 Virtual Fair. Please visit and shop the 2021 Virtual Fair at www.57thstreetartfair.org. Updates regarding the in-person event will also be posted regularly to the website.
Please note: The 57th St. Art Fair is a juried art fair and features ONLY original works of art by the country’s most talented group of artists. All work is designed and handmade by the artist, and we do not accept or promote reproductions on-site. However, some artists do sell production studio work on their websites so please work with each individual artist featured HERE if you have questions.
Enjoy!
2021 Virtual Fair
While we continue to wait for the city to grant permits for summer events, we are excited to invite you to visit our virtual event, currently available on our website and social media accounts!
The tab for 2021 Virtual Fair, on the menu bar and at https://www.57thstreetartfair.org/virtual-fair features a gallery view of participating artists, directing consumers to their personal websites to purchase art. Artists are still being added, so please visit often!
In addition to this online gallery, we are also highlighting individual artists via our Facebook and Instagram accounts. Please follow our daily postings at:
https://www.facebook.com/57thstreetartfair
https://www.instagram.com/57startfair/
Our team continues to actively monitor the situation, and plans for a safely modified in-person Fair scheduled for June 5-6, 2021 in Hyde Park (on 57th Street, between Woodlawn and Kenwood Avenues) when guidance from the City becomes available.
All participating virtual artists will have the opportunity to exhibit on-site.
Please note: The 57th St. Art Fair is a juried art fair and features ONLY original works of art by the country’s most talented group of artists. All work is designed and handmade by the artist, and we do not accept or promote reproductions on-site. However, some artists do sell production studio work on their websites so please work with each individual artist featured HERE if you have questions.
Enjoy!
2021 poster by Edwin Mighell https://alaska-native-tile.com
Update on the 74th Annual 57th Street Art Fair
The 2021 74th Annual 57th Street Art Fair will happen, rain or shine, despite the COVID pandemic.
Our current plan features a robust virtual fair with hopes of producing a safe in-person event on June 5-6, if the City of Chicago determines it is safe to issue the special event permits that would allow this.
We are actively monitoring the situation for any changes to the city’s permit policy, and are currently working on plans for a physical fair with a modified footprint that considers booth spacing, traffic flow, visitor access, and any resulting impact on the neighbors and local businesses within our usual footprint of 57th Street between Kenwood and Woodlawn Avenues, and on Kimbark Avenue between 57th and 56th Streets.
Our decision to hold the 2021 57th Street Art Fair with or without a physical fair is based on our belief that, while a virtual fair will never be able to replace 'the real deal,' we can at least provide our artists some publicity and connect them with potential buyers through the virtual event should a physical event not be possible.
We envision the 2021 Virtual Fair as a fully interactive online art fair where artists will be able to promote and sell their original artwork via the 57th St. Art Fair website cultivated by our team. Shoppers will be able to browse artists by category, click on an artist to see more images and their bio and will be directed via a hyperlink to access the Artists's personal website and/or email address for queries and purchasing.
We are currently building our virtual event, and the anticipated launch date for the 2021 Virtual Fair will be early April.
Please check for the 2021 Virtual Fair tab on our website, and our social media platforms of Instagram and Facebook— linked at the top right corner— for features such as "Meet the Artist,” Gift Guides, Artist Demonstrations from their Studio, and Video Interviews
A statement from the 57th St. Art Fair Team in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement
At 57th. St. Art Fair, our hearts ache with the black community and we stand in firm solidarity against racial insjustice. The 57th Street Art Fair has been a free event open to ALL since its inception nearly 74 years ago in our beautiful and diverse community, Hyde Park. Our Fair celebrates creativity, which has no racial or gender boundaries. Artists come from all over the country and our attendees reflect the diversity of the South Side, City, and beyond. While we have hosted many artists of color over the years, it's never enough and we will continue to work to recruit a more diverse artist base for 2021 and beyond.
The 73rd Annual 57th St. Art Fair is now virtual!
While the 57th Street Art Fair Committee officially canceled the 73rd annual IN PERSON Art Fair, the show will go on… online that is!
Please visit our Virtual Art Show to view some of our artists work for purchase. More will be added, so please visit often!
Please note: The 57th St. Art Fair is a juried art fair and features ONLY original works of art by the country’s most talented group of artists. All work is designed and handmade by the artist, and we do not accept or promote reproductions on-site. However, some artists do sell production studio work on their websites so please work with each individual artist featured HERE if you have questions.
Enjoy!
57th St. Art Fair goes VIRTUAL in 2020!
The 57th Street Art Fair Committee has been monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic with great concern and we have come to the conclusion that the prudent decision is to cancel this year. This is not an easy decision to make, and we are saddened by the need to do so.
Our artists come from around the country to exhibit their work and we take responsibility for the health and welfare of those artists, our volunteers, crew, food vendors, attendees and neighbors who help make our fair a success each year, and also to the larger community of our city, state, nation, and world.
We are working to come up with an online plan to promote accepted artists to the Fair with a virtual exhibit of their work and to encourage people to continue to support artists by making purchases directly from the artists. Please check back later for updates as we finalize these plans.
2020 Art Fair under review
The 57th Street Art Fair Committee has been monitoring the COVID-19 situation with great concern. Since our artists come from around the country to exhibit their work, we feel a responsibility in regard to the health and welfare of these artists, the food vendors, and neighbors who help make our fair a success each year, and also to the larger community of our city, state, nation, and world.
While we are tentatively going ahead with plans for for hosting the 73rd annual fair on June 6 and 7, we intend to follow all recommendations from the CDC, the Mayor of Chicago, and the Governor of Illinois for how and whether to proceed with these plans.
We will update this information as we continue to monitor the latest news from around the world, and thank you in advance for your patience
2019 57th Street Art Fair
Please join us in congratulating the winners of this year's 57th Street Art Fair awards:
Newcomer Award: Neil Estrick, ceramics
Mary Louise Womer Award for Excellence: Taylor Mazer, drawing
Katrina Hadley Award for Painting, Sculpture or Photography: Clifton Henri, photography
Nettie Hart Award for Crafts: Xavier Nuez
Vi Fogel Uretz Award: William Oisted, painting
57th Street Art Fair Committee Award: Sevim Surucu, printmaking
Ruth Kaplan Award: Meghan Riley
Honorable Mention: Edwin Mighell, ceramics; Sebastian Sparenga, photography
Art Fair Volunteers are wonderful
Watch a new Youtube video featuring volunteer Enid Rieser. It takes a village to make the art fair a big success each year and people like Enid essential.
WFMT is once again a media sponsor for the art fair
We are proud to have WFMT as a media sponsor.
Top 50 Art Fairs in country
Hot off the press
The 57th St Art Fair was selected as one of the top 50 Art Fairs in the country by readers of Art Fair
Calendar! Visit http://www.artfaircalendar.com/art_fair/americas-best-art-fairs-the-top-50.html to
see who else made the list and mark your calendar for June 3+4.
2017 Art Fair Poster
Sabrina Zhou created the poster for this year's art fair. Sabrina, a pastel artist, has exhibited at the
57th Street Art Fair for numerous years and we are delighted by her beautiful art work represent the fair
this year.
Join the Art Fair Organizing Committee
The 57th Street Art Fair is seeking volunteers to join the Art Fair organizing committee. This hands-on committee needs you!
Find out more on Wednesday, October 26th 1pm or 7pm at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club at 5480 S Kenwood Ave,
Chicago, IL 60615.
Visit www.57thstreetartfair.org. or contact info@57thstreetartfair.org.
We promise to provide you with a 57th Street Art Fair t-shirt and a floor to collapse onto when it's all over! (just kidding,
it's a really lovely experience, we promise.)
Calling All Volunteers
The 57th Street Art Fair Committee is looking for volunteers to help the days of the Fair: Saturday and
Sunday, June 4th and 5th, 2016. We need people to help at our 4 information booths (answering
questions, giving directions, etc.), to be booth sitters for artists needing to take a break, to help with
volunteer recruitment, and to supervise the loading and unloading phases of the Fair. Whether you can
give a whole day or 2-4 hours of your time, we can use your help! You must be 16 or older to volunteer.
Please visit www.57thstreetartfair.org, click on the "Get Involved" tab, then click on the "2016 Fair
Volunteer Application" button where more details about applying are available.
Limited edition signed lithographs by Anastasia Mak available
This is a limited edition of the 57th Street Art Fair's annual poster created by artist Anastasia Mak for
the fair which is held in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood on June 4-5 2016.
The run is extremely limited to 57 numbered giclee prints on archival paper, signed by artist
Anastasia Mak 14"x18".
Visit the Shop/Support on the art fair webpage or go to
https://www.etsy.com/…/limited-edition-2016-57th-street-art…
Artwork will ship in protective tube.
Musical Line Up For the Fair in partnership with Buddy Guy's Legends
These talented musicians will provide further entertainment and ambiance among the artists of 57th
Street Art Fair.
Saturday, June 4 lineup:
12:00pm – 1:45pm Anthony Moser
2:00pm – 3:45pm Nicholas Barron
4:15pm – 7:00pm Tracye Eileen
Sunday, June 5 lineup:
12:00pm-1:00pm Blaze Triptych
1:15pm – 2:45pm Mike Wheeler Band
3:00pm – 4:30pm Matt Hendricks
CHICAGO’S 57th STREET ART FAIR ANNOUNCES THREE RECIPIENTS OF THE NEWCOMER AWARD
The 57th Street Art Fair judging committee is pleased to announce the recipients of their coveted “Newcomer Award,”
including jewelers, Aaron Sault and Debra Dembowski and woodworker, Marc Lamm. The three newcomer award-winning
artists for the 2016 Fair will receive complimentary booth space and will also have prominently displayed booths.
The process is certainly not taken lightly. Six members of the jury and nine members of the Art Fair committee reviewed
the work of 25 artists. They poured through images, artist statements and descriptions, in addition to having lengthy
discussions and implementing a several step voting process.
Jeweler Aaron Sault first fell in love with the twisted creations of Juniper trees while living in Durango, CO., and it was this
new affinity that sparked his desire to carve, to work with his hands, though he had no experience. Sault’s curiosity led him
to Northern Michigan University’s furniture design program, but it wasn’t until a blacksmithing course that everything
clicked for the artist. It was then that Aaron changed his major to Metal Smithing. Unfortunately, a diagnosis of nerve
damage and carpal tunnel sentenced Sault to alter his senior show from a series of sculpture furniture forged from steel
to a body of precision jewelry pieces, primarily using his left hand. He has created jewelry ever since.
The focus of Debra Dembowski’s jewelry is predominately figurative. She hand fabricates her stylized people using small
chasing and repousse tools to create arms, legs and other dimensional details. She fashions her faces from polymer clay
using a hybrid molding / sculpting technique, then further defines the details with washes of acrylic paints and chalks to
achieve the doll like appearance that she desires. After polishing the metal and setting any necessary stones she then
constructs the beaded hair by sewing each and every strand. When completed she attaches it to the metal using a
technique that she developed and has become her signature look.
Marc Lamm started building furniture and experimenting with simple but uncommon shapes in 1973. In 1996, Lamm
developed a new technique in woodworking he named curved joinery- solid wood joined along curves with solid wood
strips inserted between all sections. In 2012, he began making wood wall sculptures. His work is in hospitals - including the
Mayo Clinic - colleges, corporate offices and more than 180 homes all over the country.
Raise A Glass for Ray
The 57th Street Art Fair is proud to work with the Ray School and the Ray School PTA!
Bachor's Pothole Installation Project
Do you think Bachor's Pothole Installation Project is as cool as we do? If so, you can help fund it via Kickstarter.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1940114350/the-2016-pothole-art-installation-project
This is so cool. Our 2015 poster mosaic artist Bachor and is patching more potholes around the city and beyond. Have you seen them? He calls them "Bomb Pops" and we think they are brilliant!
Here is a recent story in the Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-pothole-artist-kickstarter-met-0227-20160229-story.html
Marc Lamm, Debra Dembowski and Aaron Sault awarded the 2016 Newcomer Award Winners
Jewelers Aaron Sault and Debra Demowski and woodworker Mar Lamm are the 2016 Newcomer Award Winners.
Applicaiton for the 69th Annual Fair has now closed
Best wishes to all artists applying to the show!
69th Annual 57th Street Art Fair Poster
Poster by Anastasia Mak
Anastasiamak.com
New Mailing Address
57th Street Art Fair has a new mailing address. P.O. Box 15371, Chicago, IL 60615