Riverwalk
Fine Art Fair 2008
To be Held Saturday & Sunday September 20th and 21st, 2008
The Naperville Art League proudly
announces the 23rd Annual Riverwalk Fine Art Fair. We invite you to apply to our
juried art exhibition and sale, which is held along the renowned Naperville
Riverwalk and downtown city streets. The Riverwalk, considered to be one of the
most beautifully maintained park grounds in the Midwest, features plants, trees,
fountains and covered bridges along side a winding brick walkway. This paved
path is a natural showcase for many of the sculptures and artwork commissioned
by Naperville’s Century Walk committee. As the focal point of downtown
Naperville, it is a delightful setting for a Fine Art Fair. Visitors travel from
far and near to enjoy the splendor of the Riverwalk and the quaint restaurants
and shops in downtown Naperville. On the third weekend in September we add to
the ambiance with an outstanding display of the finest in visual arts.
The Riverwalk Fine Art Fair is in the center of a sophisticated, art conscious
community, with highly educated, affluent patrons. The show is heavily promoted
through newspaper features, billboards, posters, and paid advertising. Thousands
of postcards are sent to previous and potential buyers.
ELIGIBILITY
Participation is open to artists working in painting (acrylic, oil, water
media), drawing, sculpture, fiber, graphics, mixed media, jewelry, photography,
pottery, metalwork, glass, wood, digital art and enamel. We seek to maintain the
highest standards for both artist and the viewing public. We enforce an
“ORIGINALS ONLY” policy. No copies, kits, signed offset, laser, ink jet, giclee
or photocopied reproductions, commercially made products, fabricated forms or
settings in lapidary work will be accepted. Exceptions are made for those
applying under the heading of Printmaking wherein prints must be produced by the
artist using printmaking techniques and in Photography and Digital Art where
prints must be printed by the creator, signed and numbered. Artist must be
present for the duration of the show.
SHOW DATES AND HOURS
The Riverwalk Fine Art Fair is annually on the third weekend of September. This
year the show will be on September 20th and 21st, 2008. We are open to the
public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. Optional setup will be available on
Friday, September 19th from 4:00 p.m. to dark.
APPLICATION SUBMISSION AND ENTRY FEES
To enter, simply complete the application process online at Zapplication.org and
submit a non-refundable payment of $35 for the jury fee, $65 if applying after
the deadline of April 2 and before April 9, 2008. No applications will be
accepted after April 9.
BOOTH FEES
Booth Fees are $350. Payment must be received from invited artists by June 4 to
ensure participation in the show. All payments are to be made directly to the
Naperville Art League and not through the Zapp system. Checks, made payable to
the Naperville Art League should be sent to the Naperville Art League, 508 North
Center Street, Naperville, IL 60563.
JURY PROCESS
Submitted images must be representative of the work to be exhibited and should
be sharply focused. All 5 images will be simultaneously projected and juried by
professional art experts. Artists will be ranked numerically in their category
based on jury scores. Exhibitors are selected by ranked point total. A brief
artist statement may be read while your slides are being projected. Booth fees
are $350 for a single booth. Notification of status will sent by May 15, 2008.
Due to unexpected circumstances which occur every year, the director may be
involved in artist selection after the jurying process.
100 CHARACTER JURY STATEMENT
Artists must include a brief statement about their materials and how they are
used in the application form. This statement may be read aloud while their
slides are being projected.
DISPLAY SPACE/FEES
Standard booth size is 10 X 13. Booths run along the Riverwalk and adjacent
downtown city streets. Exhibit areas have both sun and shade and possible uneven
terrain. Some booths are on the grass and others will be on the street or brick
walkway. Tents are required. Tents must be weighted down and not staked into the
ground. Artists must provide their own tents, display boards, tables, chairs,
etc. Booths will be assigned by show management to provide media variation
throughout the show.
AWARDS
One Best of Show with a $1000 cash prize will be awarded. Ten first place
ribbons will be awarded with a cash prize of $250 each. Up to five honorable
mention ribbons with a $100 cash prize will be awarded. Ribbons are awarded
where excellence is determined regardless of media categories. Numerous purchase
awards will be available.
ABOUT NAPERVILLE
Naperville is located 30 miles west of Chicago, Illinois in affluent DuPage
County. Known for its nationally-acclaimed schools and library system,
Naperville is consistently recognized as a top community in the United States in
which to raise children or retire. In December of 2003, Naperville earned the
top honor in Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live” rankings. Home to over
140,000 citizens, Naperville is a booming suburb with a concentration of high
tech firms. The most recently recorded estimated median family income was
$95,000.The community works hard to maintain its small town character. The
quaint downtown area is populated by several national retail chains, small
shops, and several fine restaurants making it a favorite destination of area
shoppers. For more information about the City of Naperville, area events and
attractions visit the Naperville Visitors and Convention Bureau web site at
www.visitnaperville.com or call toll-free at 1-877-23NAPER.
SHOW DIRECTION
The Riverwalk Fine Art Fair is sponsored by the Naperville Art League and
professionally directed and produced by Debbie Venezia. The expressed intent of
the Naperville Art League is to keep the Riverwalk Fine Art Fair a high quality
yet intimate art fair. We make every effort to prevent the loss or damage of
artwork, however, Debbie Venezia and/or The Naperville Art League, is not
responsible for such occurrences. We reserve the right to alter details
associated with The Riverwalk Fine Art Fair.
REFUND POLICY
Accepted artists wishing to cancel must notify Debbie Venezia at the Naperville
Art League in writing by July 31, 2008 in order to get a refulnd (minus a $25.00
handling fee). NO refunds will be given after that date.
Top of Page
How
the Fair Began
The inaugural Fair, a juried event, hosted 130 artists. To distinguish itself among other shows, the RFAF developed a theme around famous art and artists for the first twelve years. One year the Riverwalk was covered with soft-sculpture people such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec with one of his models, a mermaid and a bag lady bearing a sign asking for support of the Great American Garage Sale. Another year, the League floated hula-hoop water lilies in the quarry to emulate Claude Monet’s well-known work.
The Fair has continued annually each fall and has retained recognition as one of the best art fairs in the United States.
Date/Location
The 2008 Fair will be held on Saturday & Sunday September 20th and 21st, 2008 at the Naperville Riverwalk, Jackson and Main, Naperville, Illinois.
Admission and parking for the Riverwalk Fine Art Fair is free. Parking is available on most of the side streets north of W Jackson Ave, in the Park District lot on W Jackson, in Centennial Park. There are two city parking garages in easy walking distance from the Fair, one across located east of Washington Street, entering from E Chicago Ave or E Jefferson and the other west of Washington Street on W Benton or W Van Buren.
Directions
to the Fair:
From Downtown Chicago:
- Take the I-88 WEST/E-W TOLLWAY ramp towards AURORA.
- Merge onto E WEST TOLLWAY/I-88 W (Portions toll).
- Take the NAPERVILLE RD exit.
- Turn RIGHT onto NAPERVILLE RD.
- NAPERVILLE RD becomes N NAPER BLVD/N NAPERVILLE RD.
- Turn RIGHT onto N NAPERVILLE RD.
- Turn RIGHT onto E OGDEN AVE/US-34.
- Turn LEFT onto N WASHINGTON ST.
- When you reach downtown NAPERVILLE, proceed to Main Street [1 block West] and Jackson then along the Riverwalk.
Get Yahoo driving directions from your location.