EAST LANSING, MI — The 63rd annual East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF) is seeking fine artists and craftspeople for next year’s event. The festival, set for the weekend of May 16-17, 2026, annually welcomes more than 175 talented artists from across the United States to the streets of downtown East Lansing.
Rated as one of the top 100 art festivals in the country, ELAF draws an estimated attendance of 40,000 visitors. In addition to more than 175 artist exhibitors, the, festival features an emerging artist program, free performances on one stage, an international-style food court and a hands-on artist demonstration area. A qualified on-site jury awards exhibiting artists with cash awards, totaling an estimated $6,000.
Artists and craftspeople interested in participating in ELAF can showcase the following accepted media at the event: paintings, printmaking, drawings, photography, digital art, 2D and 3D mixed media, sculptures, functional and non- functional ceramics, metalsmithing, glass, wood, fibers and jewelry.
Four imagesof an artist’s work and one image of an artist’s booth must be submitted with an artist application by Jan. 31, 2026, for consideration. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of art experts for inclusion in the festival after the deadline.
Artist participation guidelines are available at https://www.elartfest.com/artists. Artists interested in ELAF can apply online at https://www.elartfest.com/artists ($30 application fee required; $35 after Nov. 30). Artists wishing to jury in more than one category must complete an application for each category.
Accepted artists must have original work for sale and must be on site the entire weekend of the festival. No representatives, brokers, imports or commercially- made items or forms are permitted. This free-to-the-public event will run from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Artist booth fees start at $350.
For more information, visit the ELAF website at www.elartfest.com or call (517) 319-6804.
