Arts & Crafts Vending

Arts & Crafts vendors on the Mall / Concourse must make everything they sell. No manufactured goods or imports may be sold by Mall / Concourse street vendors. The vendor must be the person who made the goods. New applicants and returning Arts & Crafts vendors changing their product lines must bring samples of the products to the Street Vending Coordinator to examine. Returning Arts & Crafts vendors not altering their product lines are not required to do so. If interested, please call ahead to make an appointment at (608) 261-9171.
 

How to Apply for a Mall / Concourse Arts & Crafts Vending License

Mall / Concourse Arts & Crafts vending licenses are available on an annual or monthly basis. If a vendor first purchases monthly licensing during a vending season, then chooses to purchase annual licensing later during the same season, fees are not prorated. An annual license may be used every day from April 15th, or from the date of purchase, through the following April 14th. A monthly license is good for thirty days, the first day of which may begin on any day of the month.
 

FEBRUARY 1 - APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR EXISTING LICENSE HOLDERS 

You must obtain the following before you can apply for the Arts & Crafts License:

Applying for an Arts & Crafts License Online 
The application for this license can be completed on the City of Madison Licenses & Permits portal.
  • If you do not have one already, you must create an account on the Licenses & Permits portal to fill out the application. HINT: once you have submitted your registration you will be sent a confirmation email.  Check your junk mail if you do not see it in your inbox. You must click on the link provided in the email to activate your account before you can sign in.
  • Please note that you must obtain a City of Madison Basic Street Vendor License before you can apply for the Arts & Crafts License.
  • Once you login to your account go to the Licenses/Registrations section, select Apply for a License/Registration and then choose Vending - Arts and Crafts.

Site Assignments

  • Regular Site Assignments: Regular site assignments ($100/year) are available only to Arts & Crafts vendors who have purchased both annual Street Vendor Licenses and annual Mall / Concourse Arts & Crafts Vendor Licenses.
  • Site Assignment by Seniority: Sites are assigned by current consecutive chronological seniority based on the date licensed.
  • A maximum of two licensed Mall / Concourse Arts & Crafts Vendors may share the same Arts & Crafts Vendor License, the Wisconsin tax number, general liability insurance, and the same site. Each vendor must have her/his own separate Street Vendor License.
  • "Floaters": At 7:30 a.m. each Saturday of Dane County Farmers Market season, licensed Arts & Crafts Vendors, whether they have an assigned site or not, may use the unoccupied assigned sites of other Arts & Crafts Vendors for that day. Again, site use is determined by the rank-ordered seniority list.
  • There is no attendance requirement. It is common in the course of the season for vendors to attend other art or craft shows, Renaissance fairs, etc. Based on seniority, other vendors may use their assigned sites until they return.

 

Last Updated: 12/07/2022

Contact Meghan Blake-Horst, Street Vending Coordinator

  • PH: 608-261-9171
  • FAX: 608-261-6126
  • EMAIL: streetvending@cityofmadison.com
  • MAIL ADDRESS:
    Department of Planning & Community & Economic Development
    Economic Development Division
    Office of Business Resources
    P.O. Box 2983
    Madison WI 53701-2983
  • PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
    215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, 3rd Floor
    Madison WI 53703

Vendor Fees

Important Dates

Maps

The Capitol Square map and the State Street map combined make up Exhibit One of the Vending Oversight Committee's Regulations Governing Vending on the State Street Mall/Capitol Concourse.

Bike Path Vending Prohibited

It is illegal to vend on any Madison bike path, bike way or recreational trail.

Art Opportunities Resources