Laguna Art-A-Fair

In the mid 1960s a group of artists, dissatisfied with the Festival of Arts jury system, started the Laguna Beach Fine Arts Association.  The group launched its first show in 1967, on North Coast Highway’s Gallery Row. In 1968 a friendly rift had developed between the traditionalists and the avant-garde of the rapidly expanding organization.  This gave birth to the ‘Splinters’, the traditional artists, who continued their show on Gallery Row, while the 'Sawdust', a more contemporary group, opened their own show in Laguna Canyon.

In 1969 the Splinters produced a highly successful exhibition called “Art-A-Fair ‘69”.  Subsequently, they renamed their festival, elected officers and jurors, and established the Art-A-Fair Festival.

Art-A-Fair has been located on numerous properties in Laguna Beach. Today, and since 1988, 125 artists and master crafts people exhibit their work in the heart of the festival district, located at 777 Laguna Canyon Road.

Laguna Art-A-Fair is a juried art show recognized nationwide as one of the premier exhibitions of artwork by local and national artists.  The organization is an artist cooperative, run by and for its membership.

In 2016, Art-A-Fair updated its name to Laguna Art-A-Fair to commemorate 50 years of fine art in the city of Laguna Beach.

Laguna Art-A-Fair Website

(Information received from Laguna Art-A-Fair February 2016)