Art licensing trade shows give artists, surface designers, licensing agents, manufacturers, retailers, and product developers a place to meet face to face and discuss artwork for commercial products. The right show can put your portfolio in front of people looking for designs for textiles, greeting cards, home decor, stationery, gifts, and other licensed products.
They can also be expensive. Before paying for a booth, airfare, hotels, displays, samples, and printed materials, I would make sure the show’s buyers actually match the kind of artwork I want to license.
Below are the current trade shows I would look at first for 2027, along with the type of artist each one makes the most sense for. Some are dedicated licensing events, while others are broader textile, stationery, gift, or design markets where licensing relationships can develop.
If you are still learning how the business works, start with my art licensing guide for beginners or the main art licensing resource before investing in a trade show.
Art Licensing Trade Shows at a Glance
| Trade show | Next scheduled event | Best fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Printsource New York | January 19–21, 2027 | Surface pattern, textile, stationery, paper goods, and home design |
| Heimtextil | January 12–15, 2027 | Home textiles, fabric, wallpaper, and textile design |
| Maison&Objet | January 14–18, 2027 | Home decor, lifestyle, gift, and design markets |
| London Stationery Show | May 11–12, 2027 | Stationery, paper goods, gifts, notebooks, and related products |
| Licensing Expo | May 25–27, 2027 | Broad licensing, brands, characters, agents, manufacturers, and retailers |
| Progressive Greetings Live | May 25–26, 2027 | Greeting cards, illustration, publishers, and card licensing |
| Licensing Expo Shanghai | July 14–16, 2027 | International IP and licensing opportunities in the Asian market |
Dates and admission rules can change, so I would always confirm the current exhibitor or visitor information with the organizer before booking travel.
1. Printsource New York
Printsource is one of the most directly relevant shows for independent surface designers and artists whose work can be applied to products.
The show describes itself as a market for surface and textile design and showcases collections from international design studios and agents. Industries represented include apparel, bedding, kitchen and tabletop, stationery, wallcoverings, and other surface-design applications.
The next scheduled Printsource New York is January 19–21, 2027 in New York City.
You can check the current schedule and exhibitor information on the official Printsource New York website.
I would look particularly closely at Printsource if your portfolio contains repeating patterns, florals, children’s art, geometric designs, decorative illustration, or artwork intended for textiles and paper goods.
If that is your direction, my guide to art licensing for surface pattern designers explains how that market differs from simply selling standalone illustrations.
2. Licensing Expo
Licensing Expo is much broader than an art-only trade show.
It brings together entertainment properties, character brands, corporate brands, art licensors, agents, manufacturers, retailers, and other businesses involved in licensing. The organizer says the event has been connecting brand owners and agents with manufacturers, licensees, and retailers for more than 40 years.
The 2027 Licensing Expo is scheduled for May 25–27 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Current details are available through the official Licensing Expo website.
I would consider Licensing Expo if I wanted a broader understanding of the licensing industry, represented a recognizable art brand, worked through an agency, or had artwork that could expand across several consumer-product categories.
It may be less targeted than Printsource for an individual artist with a small pattern portfolio. Before exhibiting, I would research the companies attending and identify exactly who I hoped to meet.
You can begin that research through my lists of art licensing companies, art licensing agents, and art licensing agencies for artists.
3. Progressive Greetings Live
If your work belongs on greeting cards, Progressive Greetings Live is much more specialized.
PG Live describes itself as the UK’s only trade exhibition dedicated to the greeting card industry. Buyers, distributors, publishers, licensees, agents, independent retailers, and larger retail groups attend the show.
It also operates a Licensing Friendly initiative that identifies exhibitors offering design, image, and art licensing opportunities.
The next event is scheduled for May 25–26, 2027 at the Business Design Centre in London.
Visit the Progressive Greetings Live website for current visitor and exhibitor information.
If greeting cards are a major goal, I would also research publishers directly instead of assuming a trade show is the only route. My list of greeting card companies accepting art submissions gives you another way to approach that market.
4. London Stationery Show
London Stationery Show is not strictly an art licensing event, but it can be useful if your artwork fits notebooks, planners, greeting cards, paper products, desk accessories, gifts, or other stationery categories.
The show brings together established stationery brands, smaller design-led companies, buyers, retailers, dealers, and resellers.
The 2027 event is scheduled for May 11–12 at London’s Business Design Centre.
If I were considering it specifically for licensing, I would study the exhibitor list first and identify companies that actually work with outside artists rather than treating every stationery brand as a licensing prospect.
That same principle applies to cold outreach. My guide to art licensing submissions explains how I would research a company before sending artwork.
5. Heimtextil
Heimtextil is a much larger international textile trade fair rather than a dedicated art licensing show.
It is relevant because textile design is a major part of the event, with manufacturers, designers, buyers, interior businesses, and international textile companies coming together in Frankfurt.
The next Heimtextil is scheduled for January 12–15, 2027 in Frankfurt, Germany.
You can check current information on the official Heimtextil website.
I would consider this more relevant for artists already focused on fabrics, wallpaper, home textiles, interiors, or surface pattern design than for an illustrator hoping to license individual editorial-style images.
If fabric is your target market, see my separate list of fabric companies accepting art submissions.
6. Maison&Objet
Maison&Objet is another adjacent event rather than a dedicated licensing show.
The Paris event focuses on home decor, design, crafts, gift products, lifestyle products, hospitality, retail, and related creative industries. That can make it useful for artists interested in seeing how artwork and pattern are being used across home and lifestyle products.
The next Paris edition is scheduled for January 14–18, 2027.
Current event information is available through the Maison&Objet website.
I would not pay to attend solely because someone described Maison&Objet as an “art licensing show.” It is much broader than that. Its value depends on whether your licensing goals overlap with home, gift, lifestyle, or interior products.
7. Licensing Expo Shanghai
Artists or licensors seriously interested in the Asian licensing market can also look at Licensing Expo Shanghai, also known as LEC.
The event covers a broad licensing market that includes animation, film, games, publishing, corporate brands, cultural and museum properties, fashion, entertainment, and art-related intellectual property.
The next event is scheduled for July 14–16, 2027 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.
You can find current information on the Licensing Expo Shanghai website.
This is a much larger commitment for a U.S.-based independent artist, so I would want a clear reason for attending: existing Asian licensing contacts, representation, serious international distribution goals, or scheduled meetings with companies that fit the portfolio.
What Happened to SURTEX?
SURTEX appears on many older lists of art licensing trade shows because it was historically one of the best-known U.S. events for surface design and art licensing.
I would not currently plan around SURTEX as an active standalone show. As of September 2026, the former SURTEX website redirects to ASD Market Week rather than providing dates or exhibitor information for a current SURTEX event.
This is exactly why I would verify any trade-show list before spending money. The licensing and wholesale event landscape changes, and articles written several years ago can continue ranking long after a show has changed or disappeared.
What About the National Stationery Show?
The National Stationery Show is another name you may still see on outdated lists.
NY NOW announced in 2020 that the standalone National Stationery Show brand would be retired and stationery would instead become part of NY NOW’s broader Gift + Stationery offering.
I would therefore research NY NOW, London Stationery Show, Progressive Greetings Live, and other current stationery markets rather than planning around old references to NSS as a separate event.
Which Art Licensing Trade Show Should You Choose?
I would choose based on the products I actually want my artwork to appear on.
- Surface patterns and textiles: Start by researching Printsource and Heimtextil.
- Greeting cards: Look closely at Progressive Greetings Live.
- Stationery and paper goods: Compare Printsource, London Stationery Show, and greeting-card events.
- Home decor and lifestyle products: Research Heimtextil and Maison&Objet.
- Broad licensing and brand partnerships: Licensing Expo is the most directly focused event in this group.
- Asian licensing markets: Research Licensing Expo Shanghai.
The show should match the portfolio. I would not redesign an entire body of work around a trade show simply because it is large.
If your portfolio itself needs work first, start with my art licensing portfolio guide.
Should a Beginner Exhibit or Just Attend?
For many beginners, attending first makes more sense than immediately paying for exhibition space.
Walking a relevant show lets you see which artwork is being presented, how studios organize collections, which companies attend, what kinds of products buyers are sourcing, and how conversations actually happen.
After that experience, it is much easier to decide whether exhibiting would put your work in front of enough relevant buyers to justify the expense.
A booth makes more sense when you already have a licensing-ready portfolio, clearly defined product categories, professional presentation materials, and a list of companies you want to meet.
If you are still at the stage of figuring out how to approach companies, work through how to pitch art licensing and how to get art licensing deals first.
How Much Does It Cost to Exhibit?
I would avoid using one generic booth-cost estimate because trade-show pricing varies dramatically by event, booth size, country, package, and year.
The stand itself may also be only part of the cost.
- booth or stand space
- walls, furniture, lighting, flooring, or electrical service
- signage and portfolio displays
- artwork samples or product mockups
- printing and promotional materials
- insurance
- shipping or freight
- airfare or ground transportation
- hotel and meals
- staffing if you cannot run the booth alone
Before applying, I would request the current exhibitor information directly from the organizer and build a complete budget rather than looking only at the advertised booth rate.
What to Bring to an Art Licensing Trade Show
I would bring less material than the old instinct to “show everything” suggests.
A focused portfolio that clearly fits the buyers at the show is more useful than hundreds of unrelated images.
- A licensing portfolio. Organize related collections and show how artwork could work on products.
- A simple website or digital portfolio. Buyers should be able to review the work again after the show.
- Business cards or a compact leave-behind. Include your website and an easy way to contact you.
- A QR code. Link directly to the most relevant portfolio page rather than the homepage if possible.
- Product mockups when useful. These can help a buyer imagine how a collection might translate to fabric, stationery, packaging, or home products.
- A target-company list. Know who you want to meet before the doors open.
- A way to take notes. Record what you discussed immediately after each conversation.
If you are creating printed contact materials, my artist business card examples can help you keep them simple and useful.
Prepare Before You Arrive
The most valuable preparation happens before the show.
Research the Buyers
Study the exhibitor, buyer, sponsor, and partner lists when they are available. Identify the companies whose products actually fit your work.
I would rather have ten realistic target companies than walk into a convention center hoping that someone happens to notice my portfolio.
Contact People Before the Show
If the event permits meetings, reach out before arriving. Introduce yourself briefly, show a link to relevant work, and ask whether they will be available during the show.
This follows the same basic approach I use for art licensing submissions: research the company first, then send the work most relevant to what it already makes.
Know What You Are Offering
Before discussing a deal, understand whether you are comfortable with exclusive licensing, non-exclusive licensing, limited product categories, geographic territories, and specific contract terms.
My guides to exclusive vs. non-exclusive art licensing, usage rights, and art licensing royalty rates cover the basics I would understand before negotiating.
What to Do After the Trade Show
The value of a trade show is often determined after everyone goes home.
I would organize the people I met while the conversations are still fresh. Note what products they discussed, which collections they responded to, whether they asked for additional artwork, and exactly what I promised to send.
Then I would follow up with a short message that refers to the actual conversation instead of sending the same generic email to everyone.
If someone asks to discuss terms, slow down and evaluate the agreement rather than treating the trade-show conversation itself as the deal. My guide to an art licensing agreement covers the main contract sections to understand.
Are Art Licensing Trade Shows Worth It?
They can be, but I would not treat attending a trade show as a requirement for becoming an art licensor.
Artists can also find opportunities by researching manufacturers, contacting licensing companies, working with agents, making direct submissions, and building relationships online.
A trade show becomes more compelling when many of the companies you already want to meet will be in one place.
That is the standard I would use before spending thousands of dollars on travel and exhibition costs: Will this event put the right people in the room for the kind of artwork I actually license?
If the answer is unclear, I would keep developing the portfolio and contacting companies directly first. My guides to how to license your art and art licensing companies give you ways to pursue opportunities without waiting for the next trade show.