Holiday Market vendors are selected by a jury of 3-5 local artisans and arts-related professionals.
The following criteria will be used to select artists for The Holiday Market.
1. Product Guidelines (listed below)
2. Style of Work (Category)
3. Quality of Work
4. Price Range of Art
5. Variety of Artists
Product Guidelines:
• All work must be original and made by the applicant.
• Significant alteration of any commercial components in all work is required.
• Work must be safe, be a durable (not consumable) good, have a decent life expectancy, and exhibit a quality of craftsmanship.
• If work is made from or includes dried flowers (plants, herbs, mushrooms, etc.) the flowers must be grown and/or wild collected by the applicant.
Unacceptable work includes:
- Work made from kits.
- Work made from molds not made by the applicant.
- Work made by someone other than the applicant (including commercially made products, imports, and products bought for resale).
- Work that would be considered drug paraphernalia.
Criteria for Selecting Artists:
• Product meets the guidelines established above.
• Quality of work: Works will be juried based on application materials submitted.
• Price range: Pieces available for sale should be reasonably priced.
• Style of work: Applications will be divided into 10 categories:
- clay
- metalwork/woodwork
- drawing/painting/photography
- natural materials
- fiber arts
- personal care (includes candles)
- glass
- recycled art
- jewelry
- surface decoration
Artists must choose ONE category which best represents the majority of the product created and sold. This is the category in which artwork will be juried. Provide images of sample products only in this category. A minimum of 80% of the product you sell must be within this category. If you wish to sell equally in multiple categories, please submit a separate application for each including separate photos and application fees. If you plan to share a booth space with another artist, that artist must apply to the Holiday Market and jury in with their own work.
Personal Care artists must submit a product sample to the jury by the application deadline to the address below if they did not participate in the 2024 Holiday Market or the 2025 season of A Fair of the Arts.
Attn: Bill Ream
Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department
401 N. Morton St., Suite 250
Bloomington, IN 47404
Site Information:
• Fernandez Plaza is located at 401 N. Morton St. It is an outdoor event space at the corner of Eighth and Morton Streets. Bloomington's City Hall is the indoor government center for the City of Bloomington, Indiana.
• Water is available at the site.
• A staff member (who is certified in CPR/AED and first aid) will be available to answer questions, assist with traffic control and ensure the smooth operation of the Holiday Market.
Booth and Sales Information:
Outdoor Booth Spaces:
Outdoor booth spaces are 10' x 10' or larger and located outside of City Hall in the parking lot. Some spaces will be located under a provided tent in the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market vending area. Some spaces will be located under a permenant canopy structure that covers the vendor spaces at the Bloomington Community Farmers' market. Cost is $60.00.
Indoor Booth Spaces:
A limited number of indoor spaces will be available in the atrium, in council chambers, and in the hallways at City Hall. Indoor booth spaces will be assigned based on jury scores.
Indoor booth spaces are 8' wide 6' deep for $70.00.
Electricity:
Electrcity access is available at some booth locations for an additional $15.00. Electricity requests must be made in advance on this application or in writing via email to artintheparks@bloomington.in.gov and cannot be accommodated on the day of the event.
Additional Booth Information:
- Commissions are not collected on sales.
- Public wifi is available on site.
- Although exhibitors are required to be present in their booths, booth sitters are available for restroom breaks.
- Demonstrations by exhibitors are encouraged with prior approval.
- Service animals ONLY are allowed in artist vendor booth spaces.
- Exhibitors wishing to share a booth must submit separate applications, noting that they wish to share one booth.
- All displays must be set up by 9:30 a.m. and exhibitors may not tear down until 3 p.m.
- An optional but encouraged setup time will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, November 27 for indoor booths only.