Art Fair On the Square

The art fair is a great Madison tradition. Instead of the farmers market around the capitol there are local and faraway artist. To be honest it is probably too much art with 100’s of exhibitors. You can definitely find that art that your like– if you can afford it. There is jewelry, photos, mixed media, metal art, many food vendors. Prices do vary, but many of the pieces are $ 200, $ 450, and $ 1500+, although there are some unframed prints and postcards available for $ 40+
Really I would call it more of an art show. I had a nice morning with my friend walking and rating the art. It will take about 2.5 hours to get around the square if you stop and look.
If you don’t like crowds, this is not for you. I would also suggest NOT bringing children, too much to break. There were also wine slushies, water, soda and beer if you choose.
We did stop at the Dream Bank where they had make your own coasters and other fun art to make that was free.

I look forward to Art on the Square every year. Its a fun day filled with art, food, and inspiration. The last two years we have taken the kids and they faired well. Doing so just means taking a break on the grass a bit more often then the shopper in me wants to, but they love the children’s art tent. If you have kids, it is a must see. The art is amazing, there is something there for everyone, paintings, sculpture, clothing, furniture, pottery, the list goes on and on. It is on the pricy side, we have had our eye on a particular coffee table for a few years now, it is still a few years out from our budget, but window shopping can be just as fun. We like to dream and gather ideas for the future. There are plenty of food and drink vendors. The Greek vendor was the winner of the day, a must try if they are there next year. Be prepared, it is usually HOT, bring plenty of water and dress cool.

Art Fair on the Square is an annual event that I look forward to every summer in Madison, although I often feel like a little kid in the glassware section of the department store where I can look but I can’t touch (or afford).
Honestly, this event is more a display of artwork than an opportunity for art enthusiasts to purchase pieces. The prices are way out of the range of a casual art collector… There are a few artists who make cute knickknacks (tea bag holders, micro bowls, etc.) that are a little more affordable, but still nothing that I would realistically drop $ 10 – 20 on.
Even then, I love seeing the diversity of the artists and the mediums they choose to use to convey their message. I amused myself by trying to pick out the pieces that I thought would be chosen for the Epic campus. :P
It’s also just nice to see all of Madison out and about wandering around the Capitol. That’s something I always look forward to during all of these city-​wide events!
Tip: The farmer’s market still takes place on the Saturday of the art fair! The selection is sparse, and their location is different (most likely pushed off into a side street), but keep an eye out for the fresh fruit and veggie stands! They will be there!

Hmmm… I was not impressed for the 2014 version of the AFotS. I don’t think the quality of the artists were of the same level as year’s past. This year, it seems to focus on lower price points and more home furnishings. While I understand you want to attract a larger cross-​section of the public, bringing in artists and items that look they should appear at a Homegoods store is disappointing.
And while on the subject of disappointment, I still am confused why they bring in «carnival» foodstands versus local foodtrucks and stands? Enough already with baja smoothies and generic gyros.
Newbie tip: As like the Farmer’s Market, be a peach and walk with the traffic flow (counter-​clockwise) to avoid me mean-​mugging you.

Best art fair I’ve ever been to. Artist come from all over the country with amazing work and amazing prices. I read the review from Deb F and she has no idea what she is talking about. The vendors do very well. I ask them every year.

2014 marks my 5^th consecutive AFOTS visit, and aside from the perfect weather earlier today, I’m unable to discern any difference between the five years.
+ Logistics for the win. Beverage stands/​food stations on each «corner» of the square.
+ Fair pricing for beverages and food
+ Larger «food court» located along MLK, between DLUX and City Buildings
+ Free admission
— Dogs not allowed (some may like this; some may not)
— You can be ticketed for bringing your dog (I haven’t seen this, but was told it’s possible)
— I wish they’d ticket for strollers and obtuse people…
+ Tons of exhibitors; almost too many to really «see» and «explore» them all
— Many of the styles are very similar — it seems to have become a mixture of: digitally-​enhanced panoramic cityscape photos, wood bowl art, jewelry, and «dream-​like» art (think Alice in Wonderland meets Tim Burton).
— Most art prices are quite high
(For comparison, I walked through a similar art show in Minneapolis a few weeks ago, and most prices were about 50% less than what the AFOTS offered)
It’s well managed, the exhibitors are cool, and it’s in a great location. 3-​stars.

I went to the Art Fair on the Square this past weekend. It’s the first time I’ve been in about three or four years.
It’s a pretty large art fair with over 450 exhibitors, but unfortunately, a lot of them were not the quality of art we were interested in buying. We went to the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Lakefront Festival of the Arts, and there is a vetting process, allowing only the best of the best exhibitors there. I’m not sure if Madison has this type of process, but I would guess they are not as selective.
The tents are set up all around the state capital, so not only easy to navigate around, but a really lovely view of the capital, and the nearby lakes.
There is no admission charge, which is nice, but honestly probably pulls in a lot of people there for cheap entertainment, and not serious buyers. So, perhaps good for customers, not so good for exhibitors.
The art fair was a bit too pedestrian for us. We could not find a single beverage tent that sold wine… but there was plenty of Leinenkugel’s, MGD, or Spotted Cow. But to make up for it, there are plenty of restaurants on State Street, or around the square.
We only came home with one $ 200 metal sculpture. All in all, I can see going again if there is a particular artist exhibiting that we want to check out, or if we just want a nice out-​of-​town day trip.