Wausau Festival of Arts 2026

The Wausau Festival of Arts is an open call for entries for the 59th annual festival, celebrating its 61st year of sponsoring an outstanding arts event in North Central Wisconsin. The festival takes place in downtown Wausau and draws over 45,000 patrons from Wisconsin and beyond. The festival features over 120 exhibiting artists displaying their work on Wausau's Downtown Pedestrian Mall, along with three stages of performing artists, food stands, hands-on children's art area, silent auction, and cash awards.

Registration opens January 5, 2026, with a registration deadline of March 31, 2026. Notification of acceptance will be sent May 1, 2026. Artists must accept or decline the invitation by June 1, 2026. Jury fees are $40 per medium entered (non-refundable). Booth fees are $180 for a 10x10 booth or $230 for a 10x15 booth (twenty available on a first come, first served basis). All fees are due by June 1, 2026. Each artist receives approximately 100 square feet of display area and must provide their own tent, props, and display materials. Only one booth per artist is allowed.

The festival awards $6,800 in total prize money: $1,800 for Best in Show, five Merit awards of $600 each, nine Honorable Mention awards of $200 each, and $100 each for best work donated to the Silent Auction and Young Collector's Mart. All exhibiting artists are eligible. Award winners from the previous year are invited back with jury fee waived. Artists must submit four images of current work and one booth shot for jury consideration. The festival presents hand-original work only; no work utilizing commercial kits, molds, patterns, or prefabricated pieces is allowed. Artists may sell a limited number of mechanically reproduced prints of original work, but the majority of work displayed must be original. All work must be for sale with prices clearly marked. Additional benefits include complimentary breakfast both Saturday and Sunday mornings, reserved parking, booth sitters during festival hours, and security.