SHOW DATES  NOVEMBER 18-20, 2016
FRIDAY  Preview Night
November 18, 2016

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 
November 19-20, 2016
10am - 5pm, both days

SHOW LOCATION
Architectural Artifacts
4325 N Ravenswood Ave • Chicago
*one block east of the Montrose Brown Line El Stop

applications are now closed

APPLICATION DEADLINE
SUNDAY  July 31st 2016
*applications submitted after this date will not be considered

APPLICATION NOTICES SENT by end of day
MONDAY  August 8th 2016

HOLIDAY 2016 VENDOR LIST POSTED
TUESDAY  September 6th 2016

what to expect from the show

TOO LEGIT TO QUIT

For our 4th Annual Holiay Show, we're looking for quality artists, designers & craftspeople to sell their goods to an estimated 5,000+ shoppers. This 3-day show will take place this coming November at the amazing Architectural Artifacts, just one block from the Montrose Brown Line El Station.

To get a feel for the type & caliber of vendors we're looking for, please check out our list of vendors from last year's Holiday Show. These are top-notch designers & business owners who all individually added something amazing and unique to the show as a whole.  While applicants don't necessarily have to be individuals who only sell high-end items, or who have long-established businesses, we are looking for all of our vendors to possess some very specific qualities:

GOOD DESIGN • PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION • CONFIDENCE IN YOUR WORK

AND THE QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP TO BACK IT UP

That said, we're also extremely careful not to over-saturate any one product category at the show. Show of Hands is a smaller event as far as craft shows and art fairs go (our upcoming Holiday Show will boast a highly-curated group of under 100 vendors), and we don't want shoppers to feel like there is too much of any one thing.

BOOTH FEES + PARTICIPATION LEVELS

• Vendors applying for a STANDARD BOOTH SPACE will placed in one of two booth space sizes:  6x8ft -or- 5x9ft
  *double booth spaces are also available at an additional cost (see below)
• Vendors may also apply with another maker for a SHARED BOOTH SPACE = 2 Vendors in 1 Standard Booth
  *See "PARTICIPATION LEVELS" below for additional information on Shared Booth Spaces.
• All booth spaces include (1) 6ft table and (2) folding chairs;
  
• There are a select number of booths with wall space and/or access to electricity. In the months leading up to the show, we will contact vendors regarding these (or other) special requirements;
  *while meeting all requests is often impossible, we will always do our very best to accommodate everyone
• Prior to the show, there will be a walkthrough of the space and an informational Q+A held at Architectural Artifacts to help vendors prepare (and get psyched!) for the big event.
• Since Architectural Artifacts is also a retail store, open 7 days a week (10am-5pm), we encourage you to visit the space on your own time, as well. Seeing the space in person and browsing their 80,000 sq.ft. warehouse is an experience like no other.
• Promotional postcards & posters will be provided to all vendors in advance for mailing, handing out + posting all over town!
• Other promotional tools include (but are in no way limited to) a dedicated Show of Hands website and blog, dedicated Instagram feed (@showofhandschicago), Twitter feed (@showofhandschi) and Facebook Page (facebook.com/showofhandschicago), a CTA Ad Campaign and printed programs handed out to all attendees of the show.
• PLUS a SPECIAL FRIDAY NIGHT PREVIEW EVENT, Vendor Goodie Bags, a Vendor Lounge, free coffee + other refreshments all weekend & much, much more!

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES for VENDORS

In addition to regular vendor spaces, we are also offering a handful of VENDOR/SPONSOR spots to those businesses who would like both a booth space and the additional promotion that comes with being a sponsor.  More info below...

participation levels

standard vendor booth $400

Returning Vendor Standard Booth $375

shared vendor booth $225

Returning Vendor Shared Booth $200
see note below about sharing booths*

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double vendor booth $800

Returning Vendor Double Booth $750

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+ADD SPONSORSHIP $350

Upgrade your vendor participation to include
Shout-Out Sponsorship**
note: Sponsorship cannot be added to "Shared Booth" Applications

PLEASE NOTE:  Returning Vendor discounts apply ONLY to those Vendors who participated in our Holiday 2015 Show.

NEW SHARED BOOTH INFORMATION

This year, we ask that all vendors applying for a SHARED BOOTH SPACE, please apply & submit payment individually.
We highly encourage you to pair up with someone before applying; you'll be asked to enter your boothmate's name on your application.
If you are interested in applying for a SHARED BOOTH SPACE, but do not have a 2nd vendor to share with, we will do our best to pair you up with another, complimentary maker who has also applied for a shared space.
IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that applying alone for a shared booth increases your risk of not being accepted if we're unable to pair you up.

wanna be a sponsor, too?

While all participating vendors will be extensively promoted simply by participating in the shop, VENDOR/SPONSORS will receive everything included with our SHOUT-OUT SPONSORSHIP LEVEL > your business info & logo in all promotional print materials (postcards & posters, etc.), logo on all ads for our 6-week CTA Ad Campaign, mention all press releases, a highlighted listing in our show directories, additional press opportunities and much, much more!

THE APPLICATION

In order to be considered for participation in SHOW of HANDS Holiday 2016, you will need to submit the online application and pay the full booth fee by Sunday, July 31st, 2015 at 12 midnight CST.

a $25 application fee is included in all booth costs

This fee covers administrative costs associated with receiving, managing & reviewing hundreds of vendor applications prior to each show
APPLICANTS NOT ACCEPTED TO THE SHOW WILL HAVE THEIR BOOTH FEE LESS THE $25 APPLICATION FEE REIMBURSED BY AUGUST 9th 2016 @ 9AM

please do not contact us before August 9th asking about the status of a reimbursement

please do not contact us before August 9th to ask whether or not you've been accepted to the show

any application submitted with incomplete information will not be considered

any application submitted after the deadline date/time will not be considered

any application submitted without an accompanying application fee will not be considered

The online application (link at the bottom of this page) will ask for your company information and contact details. In order to see your work and evaluate whether or not you'd be a good fit for our show, we ask that you provide us with a link to your website*, as well as a brief description of your work.

*ALL APPLICANTS MUST HAVE A WEBSITE IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PARTICIPATION IN OUR SHOW.
Please be sure that the website you submit has clear, easily accessible images & information that represent your most current work, and the work you plan on bringing to the show.
NOTE:  Etsy shops and other online shopping platforms are acceptable; however, a Facebook page or Twitter feed is not.

If you have any questions about the application process, please let us know!

CANCELLATION POLICY

If you choose to (or are forced to) cancel, you will receive a full refund, less the $25 Application Fee, if and only if we are notified of your cancellation by September 12th 2016.  Cancellations made after this date will NOT receive a refund.
*Vendors are not permitted to sell, trade or give away their booth space for any reason.

LICENSES, PERMITS & WAIVERS

As either a business or an individual selling goods to the general public at this event, you will be required to charge & pay IL Sales Tax (10.25%) regardless of where you/your business resides. Don't worry if this is a new thing for you. If accepted, we'll provide further information and answer any and all questions that Vendors have about selling, licensing, paying taxes, etc.

All participating vendors will be asked to provide one of the following:

a Certificate of Insurance for their business, or

a signed waiver provided by Architectural Artifacts (i.e. Atrium Events, Inc.) in order to release liability for any damage you may cause to the space, the antiques in the space, if you are injured while in the space, etc.

Don't let this scare you... it's common practice for an event space to insure that they're not liable if something unforeseen happens.

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

Please use the links below to begin your application. All applicants will fill out the same application form, which will ask for some information about you, your business, your products, etc. Once you have completed the form, you will be taken to a payment page where you must submit the full booth fee in order to complete your application.
NOTE: If you participated in our Holiday 2015 show, please be sure to choose the option marked (Returning Vendor) on the payment page.

APPLICATION NOTICES WILL BE SENT MONDAY, AUGUST 8TH

to the email provided in your application

If you are ACCEPTED, you will receive follow-up information regarding the show and be included in all updates, events & promotions in advance of, during, and after the show!

If you are DECLINED, it either means that we've run out of spaces (in a specific category, or in total) or that we don't feel that your work is the right fit for our show at this time.   Again, those applicants who are not accepted will have their booth fee reimbursed - less the $25 Application Fee - by 9am, Tuesday, August 9th 2016.

ANYTHING ELSE?
If you have any additional questions or concerns not addressed above, or elsewhere on this site, please don't hesitate to contact us any time. We're here to help!