East Lansing Art Festival

09/14/2026

The East Lansing Art Festival is taking artist applications for 2027. Check out the dates and guidelines and find the application link at our website. Emerging artists--check out the guidelines for the Emerging Artists program. It's a great program! https://www.elartfest.com/artists

09/09/2026

We have begun taking artist submissions for the 2027 East Lansing Art Festival. Apply on Zapplication. Visit us here for the link: https: https://www.elartfest.com/artists
😊

09/08/2026

FY27 CULTURAL ARTS GRANT APPLICATION

The East Lansing Arts Commission is accepting applications for its FY27 Cultural Arts Grant program. A total of $49,000 is currently available for grants and applications must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026.

The East Lansing Arts Commission distributes grant funding for public art projects and events in East Lansing.

09/03/2026

Perhaps the long weekend ahead might be a good time to check out the East Lansing Art Festival website and get that application in for 2027 while the Early Bird Discount is in effect. The application window is open! You can use the following link to apply for the 2027 ELAF at Zapp. We hope to review your work.

https://www.elartfest.com/artists

Image: artwork by local artist Steph Joy Hogan

08/31/2026

Calling all artists! The 2027 East Lansing Art Festival begins taking applications for artist vendors tomorrow! You can use the following link to apply for the 2027 ELAF at Zapp. We hope to review your work.

Read more about East Lansing Art Festival 2027 on ZAPPlication

08/26/2026

We're looking for sponsorship for the 2027 East Lansing Art Festival! If you are interested in contributing to this amazing community event, please visit our website for more information: https://www.elartfest.com/sponsorsnew

08/21/2026

Interested in Being a 2027 Sponsor? https://www.elartfest.com/sponsorsnew

The East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF) is celebrating 64 years of art and culture in 2027 and is consistently ranked in the top 100 fine art festivals in the country. The ELAF is managed by two part-time paid staff people and relies on the generosity of community volunteers.

Your gift, no matter the size, will have a lasting impact on the ELAF and our community in 2027 and beyond. Your donation helps to support festival activities:

--12 free live musical performances featuring local and regional talent

--fun, educational art activities for kids and families

--an Emerging Artists Program, which cultivates new talent and provides an opportunity for new artists to participate

--an Artist Demonstration Area that features local artists and workshops

AND of course, nearly 200 artists!

The East Lansing Art Festival offers businesses of all sizes excellent local and regional exposure to the tens of thousands we reach through our promotional efforts, as well as the 77,000+ who attend this event.

*All donations are tax-deductible.

Photo credit: Cameron Washington

08/03/2026

Make Sara Pulver’s 2026 community paint project a destination for a great photo op. These paintings are on the 2nd floor of the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, and they are gorgeous! Tag us in your photos 🙂

07/30/2026

City Seeks RFQs for 2027 East Lansing Art Festival Poster Design

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The City of East Lansing has released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for graphic designers and/or artists interested in designing the poster and other deliverables for the 2027 East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF).

The ELAF will be held on Saturday, May 15, and Sunday, May 16, 2027, in the heart of downtown East Lansing. The popular annual event, now in its 64th year, draws more than 60,000 individuals and features approximately 200 juried artists from across the country, as well as live music, a food court, artist demonstration area and more. The festival is consistently ranked in the top 100 best fine art festivals in the nation by Sunshine Artist magazine.

The design will be used to develop corresponding printable pieces for advertising and promotion. The design should encapsulate the ELAF and showcase its fine art atmosphere, while also inspiring excitement in the community and being easily transferrable to other mediums such as billboards, T-shirts, coffee mugs and more.

Qualifications are due no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. The ELAF is interested in considering qualifications from all artists/designers, including those from the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities and those with disabilities. Michigan-based applicants are preferred and applicants from Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties will be given priority consideration. Additional details can be found at www.cityofeastlansing.com/bids.

https://www.elartfest.com/

For questions, contact Art Festival Coordinator Heather Majano at (517) 319-6804 or [email protected].

Image: painting by artist Taylor Mouroufas.

07/14/2026

Just sharing some more nice pics from the 63rd East Lansing Art Festival. Photo credits: Cameron Washington