Application Process
(Applications are now OPEN!)
Competition Artists and Eco-Art Booth Artists must apply online using the link at the bottom of this page. 👇
Competition Applications are due at 11:59PM on Saturday March 15, 2025.
Eco-Art Booth Applications are due by 11:59PM on Saturday March 29, 2025 or until filled (notifications of acceptance will be emailed on a rolling basis). Maximum of 30 booths.
For Competition Artists/Teams
After filling out the application, be sure to go through checkout so that your form is submitted and application fee(s) are collected. If you are applying for a booth as well, you must apply for them individually, and pay the application fee for both applications.
Applications will be reviewed and applicants will be contacted to confirm whether they have been accepted to compete in ScrapFest 15 or not. Applying does not guarantee a spot in the competition. Artists must also review and agree to the Artist Agreement (this will also be a part of the application process).
If you do not get accepted to the competition, your application fee will be refunded in full.
For Eco-Art Booth Artists
Please make sure your craft fits the criteria prior to applying, and please read all of the guidelines before applying.
Upcycled Art: Art must be created from a minimum of 75% repurposed materials. In other words, upcycling and repurposing material must be a central part of your craft.
Sustainable Business: Products are made using eco-ethics and sustainable practices.
Please be sure to check out after filling out the application.
If you do not get accepted to have a booth, your application fee will be refunded in full.
Questions? Email us at info@scrapfest.com
rules, guidelines, and additional information
Competing scrap Metal Art Teams
A "team" consists of 1 to 4 members but teams may have anyone help with their sculpture during build-time. Each team must appoint one team leader who will act as the team's main contact. T-shirts are provided for up to 4 team members. You will need to pay for any extra t-shirts.
Material Collection
Saturday May 3, 2025
Check-In: 9:30am ET
Collection: 10am-11am ET
Weight check: 11am-12pm ET
Allotted Build Time: One (1) Month (See drop-off date below)
Each Team will select 2 members to collect scrap material. Teams will have one hour to collect up to, but no more than 500 lbs. of scrap material for the Large Piece category, or 250 lbs. for the Small Piece category.
A variety of material types (mostly ferrous metals) will be available. All collectors will enter the scrap facility at the same time and are required to use the transportation bins provided by Friedland Industries.
Teams may not climb on the scrap piles in order to reach materials, or enter the scrap yard before the official start date and time. Friedland employees will be available to assist in the facility.
Closed toe shoes and long pants are required. Teams are encouraged to bring their own safety gloves (industrial leather) and safety glasses (Z87 classification) as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) if they have them, but PPE will be provided to those who do not have them.
Materials Used / Finishes
Each team may be allowed a base, which will be a roughly 36”x36” steel plate. For teams that choose to use a base, the sculptures must be securely adhered to the base to be deemed acceptable in the competition.
We highly recommend you use a base, especially if you are entering the competition for the first time, or are newer to the competition. It is EXTREMELY important that final pieces are stable enough to display at the event and can be easily transportable. On Drop-off Day, if we determine that your piece is not stable enough to display, you will be disqualified from the competition and we can’t display your sculpture. The bases do not count toward your total weight of 500 lbs.
For the Large Piece category, sculptures must be built entirely from the materials collected at Friedland, with the exception of materials used for assembly.
For the Small Piece category, the rules are more open on the material you can use to build. You must include metal collected from Friedland, but you can also use other scrap materials (e.g. wood, glass). The spirit of the Small Piece category is to create something people can envision in their homes, so teams have made functioning lamps, for example. Please contact us if you are unsure about your idea and want to confirm whether it is allowed for the Small Piece category.
Finished pieces must be structurally sound. Assembly methods may include, but are not limited to welding, brazing, forging, or bolting. Unless collected on ScrapFest collection day, bolts or other mechanical fasteners will only be allowed to ensure structural stability.
Surface treatments such as paint, stain, polishes do not have to be from scrap, and are left to the artistic vision of the team.
Please email us with any questions at info@scrapfest.com.
Size and Weight
Finished Large Piece category sculptures must not exceed 6’ W x 6’ L x 10’ H and 500 lbs. in weight.
Finished Small Piece category sculptures must not exceed 3’ W x 3’ L x 5’ H and 250 lbs. in weight.
If a team uses a base, finished pieces must be securely attached to the base.
Finished pieces must be able to be safely displayed at outdoor venues.
Any piece that is deemed unstable and/or unsafe may be disqualified.
Drop-off Date
Saturday May 31, 2025
Time: 10am - 12pm ET
Location: Struk Studio (2916 Turner Rd, Lansing, MI 48906)
You must drop your piece(s) off within the 9am - 12pm ET time window or you will be disqualified from the juried portion of the competition.
You can drop off your piece ahead of time by contacting David Such at Struk Studio. (Contact info provided to accepted participants.)
Logistics & Transportation
While ScrapFest and Friedland industries will have forklifts available to assist in the loading of sculptures, teams are responsible for transporting their pieces to:
the drop-off location on Drop-off Day
from the Drop-off Day location to the festival on Turner St.
from the festival to the team’s property if the piece is not purchased during the festival
the chosen location of any buyers of their pieces if the buyer doesn’t have the ability to transport it (whether a team chooses to do this for free or not is something the team can work out with the buyer directly)
FESTIVAL Date
Friday July 11, 2025: 5pm - 9pm ET
Saturday July 12, 2025: 11am - 7pm ET
Judging Criteria
Scale of 1-10, 1=low 10=high
1. How well is piece fabricated structurally?
- How well constructed are seams, joints, cuts etc. and do they reflect the nature of the piece?
2. Unique interpretation of materials?
- Some teams choose to have the scrap component highly visible/noticeable in their sculpture, while other teams choose to appear reform the scrap in such a way that the viewer would never know their sculpture was made from scrap material. We respect both methods and encourage them to be judged equally.
- If the team highlights the scrap component of their sculpture, how well and/or uniquely did they stretch the usage and of the scrap in their design?
- If the team doesn’t highlight the scrap component as much, how well and/or uniquely did they reform the material to create their sculpture?
- Did the team have and successfully express a unique concept or approach to their project?
3. Do the proportions and design element create an appealing and balanced aesthetic?
- Are the lines, shapes, colors, and proportions aesthetically pleasing and/or appropriate to the piece?
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Disqualification from jury process for: Not adhering to stated criteria, late delivery times, if the finished sculpture is not sufficiently stable, or if the finished sculpture not being within the following dimensions: 6’ Diameter x 10’ Height
In case of a tie: If there is a tie in scoring, jurors will re-score the tied pieces, then discuss and agree on the final prize order of the three overall highest-scoring pieces. This may or may not agree with the point scores.
Zero Discrimination Policy: We don’t tolerate discrimination of any kind at ScrapFest. This includes discrimination that masks itself as a political statement. If we feel that your work is discriminatory in any way, you will disqualified from the competition and not allowed to display your sculpture.
Prizes
Cash prizes and trophies are awarded for First, Second, and Third places for the Large Piece and Small Piece categories. A People's Choice award trophy will be presented with no cash prize.
Large Piece
First Prize: $2,000
Second Prize: $1,000
Third Prize: $500
Small Piece
First Prize: $1,000
Second Prize: $500
Third Prize: $250
Selling The Sculptures - Silent Auction
The sculptures will be sold via a silent auction. The artist will decide a minimum bid price, along with a Buy-It-Now price.
70% of proceeds will go to the artist, 20% will go to ScrapFest to help put the festival on each year, and 10% will go to the local charity ScrapFest supports for that year (TBA).
Disqualification from judging
Teams will be disqualified from judging if their piece breaks, is deemed unstable to display, exceeds size dimensions or weight limit, is made from materials outside of scrap, or is turned in late or without a team statement. ScrapFest reserves the right to refuse any sculpture it deems unacceptable or not in good taste.
Zero Discrimination Policy: We don’t tolerate discrimination of any kind at ScrapFest. If we feel that your work is discriminatory in any way, you will disqualified from the competition and not allowed to display your sculpture.
Eco-art Booth information
Eco-Art Booths are available to craft-persons and artisans who produce their own handmade items that have a repurposing focus.
The cost is $100 for a 10' x 10' booth.
We have three (5) double booth spaces (20’ x 10’) available as well for $200.00. These are first come first serve.
The maximum amount of booths will be 30 total.
The booths will be on Turner St. in Old Town Lansing.
Booths will be open On Friday, July 11th from 5pm - 9pm, and on Saturday July 12th, from 11am - 7pm.
Set up will be on Friday, July 11th from 12-4pm.
Booth Eligibility
• Upcycled Art: Art must be created from a minimum of 75% repurposed materials. In other words, upcycling and repurposing material must be a central part of your craft.
• Sustainable Business: Products are made using eco-ethics and sustainable practices.
• Zero Discrimination Policy: We don’t tolerate discrimination of any kind at ScrapFest. If we feel that your work is discriminatory in any way, you will not qualify for a booth. If we do not see discriminatory work on your application but then, should you be accepted, see it in your booth at the festival, you will be asked to tear down and leave.
We encourage anyone to contact us with questions if you aren’t sure whether your work meets the criteria or not. We’re happy to discuss it with you. Please email Mike (mike@scrapfest.com) and/or Heather (heather@scrapfest.com) with any questions.
BOOTH Application deadline
Applications will be accepted until 11:59PM on Saturday March 29, 2025 or until filled. (30 max booths) Notifications will be emailed on a rolling basis.
Security
We will have security on Friday during the day, overnight, and Saturday during the day (Friday being the only day applicable to eco-art booth artists), but booth artists are responsible for keeping their items secure and out of sight at night.
ScrapFest does not take responsibility for any lost or stolen items during the festival.