Deadline for entry: April 1, 2026
Description
Plein Air Litchfield was a rousing success! From a 1-day event in 2024 to a full 6 days in 2025, PAL had 34 remarkable plein air artists paint in and around western Litchfield County. We presented $8,500 in prize money. The 2025 artists had a fantastic time creating art and now we are poised to do it all again. 30 artists will be participating in PAL2026! PAL is hosted by Plein Air Litchfield under the auspices of Art Tripping, a 501c3, non-profit organization formed to create community art experiences and develop educational programs nourishing creativity.
Litchfield County is a place where New England’s quiet grandeur unfolds in sweeping vistas, rolling hills, and pristine woodlands. Its landscape is defined by winding country roads, sun-warmed meadows, and sparkling lakes and rivers—most notably the Housatonic, which curves gracefully through forested valleys. Late summer brings a gentle, pastoral lushness, a plein air painter’s dream come true.
Throughout its 8 picturesque communities, PAL will host its second annual week-long plein air painting celebration in September when the light is at its most special. Organized by the Plein Air Litchfield Committee, the communities will see 30 of the finest plein air artists in the nation compete for prizes and awards while raising awareness of the importance of plein air painting and raising the visibility of the local creative economy. The work produced will be sold at the Collectors Soiree and Art Sale on Friday, Sept 18, 2026 and throughout the weekend.
Litchfield County is a place where New England’s quiet grandeur unfolds in sweeping vistas, rolling hills, and pristine woodlands. Its landscape is defined by winding country roads, sun-warmed meadows, and sparkling lakes and rivers—most notably the Housatonic, which curves gracefully through forested valleys. Late summer brings a gentle, pastoral lushness, a plein air painter’s dream come true.
Throughout its 8 picturesque communities, PAL will host its second annual week-long plein air painting celebration in September when the light is at its most special. Organized by the Plein Air Litchfield Committee, the communities will see 30 of the finest plein air artists in the nation compete for prizes and awards while raising awareness of the importance of plein air painting and raising the visibility of the local creative economy. The work produced will be sold at the Collectors Soiree and Art Sale on Friday, Sept 18, 2026 and throughout the weekend.
General Regulations
- Participation in the Quick Draw and Collectors Soiree and Art Sales is required. We require that you stay for the duration of the event, Sep 12-20, 2026.
- Artwork submitted for exhibit and awards must have been created en plein air, within the designated Litchfield communities and without the benefit of photography between Sept 12 and 18th, 2026. All paintings must have the PAL 2026 stamp on the substrate.
- The mediums of oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, and pastel are acceptable for this event.
- Artists are responsible for framing all submitted artwork and bringing it to the display location. Frames must be in good condition, wired in the upper third of the frame and completely ready for hanging. No saw-tooth hangers. All works on paper must be protected. White or off-white mats are recommended.
- Everything must be framed.
- All exhibited artwork must be for sale. Artists set their own prices.
- All sales transactions are processed by PAL.
- A 40% commission on all sales is retained to support PAL.
- Unsold paintings are the responsibility of the artist.
Application Submissions
- Three plein air painting images
- $50 entry fee (non-refundable)
Application Process
There will be 30 participating artists. The top 5 PAL 2025 prize winners are automatically invited back (First, second, third and Artist Choice from the Gala, first from the juried QD artists). Our juror, through ShowSubmit, will choose the remaining artists. The PAL Committee will choose 5 alternates from the applicant pool. Entries will be processed by ShowSubmit from Thursday, January 1, 2026–Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Print your receipt for your records.
APPLICATION DEADLINE 11:59PM Wednesday, April 1, 2026: THERE WILL BE NO EXTENSIONS!
Geographic area
The communities of northwestern Litchfield including Litchfield, Warren, Morris, Goshen, New Milford, Kent, Cornwall, West Cornwall, Washington Depot, New Preston.
Lodging
We will do our best to provide complimentary lodging in private homes for artists from outside the area. Discounted lodging in local hotels and inns may also be available. More information will be provided upon acceptance.
PAL Online Juror
We are so pleased to announce that Plein Air Litchfield’s 2026 artists will be selected from all applicants by renowned plein air painter Ken DeWaard. Ken is a nationally recognized plein air painter who hails from Maine. He has received numerous awards and accolades and leads plein air workshops around the world. For Ken, there is nothing more rewarding and challenging than painting under an open sky, surrounded by the scents and sounds of nature, along with its ever-changing color and harmonies to encourage creativity. PAL is thrilled to have Ken helping PAL to grow!
Selected artists will be notified by email mid-April and the list will be posted on the Plein Air Litchfield website and social media shortly after selection.
PAL Events Judge
TBD – stay tuned!
Awards
Anticipated Awards and more; these vary and are subject to change
1st Place $2500 (plus entry into PAL27)
2nd Place $1,000 (plus entry into PAL27)
3rd Place $500 (plus entry into PAL27)
Artist Choice $1,000 (plus entry into PAL27)
1st Place Quick Draw: $500 (plus entry into PAL27)
2nd Place $1,000 (plus entry into PAL27)
3rd Place $500 (plus entry into PAL27)
Artist Choice $1,000 (plus entry into PAL27)
1st Place Quick Draw: $500 (plus entry into PAL27)
Additional Awards (TBC):
3 Honorable Mentions $250
3 Honorable Mentions $250
Best Farmscape: $250
Best Abstract: $250
Wild Spaces: $250
Best Historical Architecture: $250
Disclaimer/Legal
Submission of work to this event and exhibition constitutes an agreement on the part of the artist to all terms and conditions of this entire prospectus, which includes, but is not limited to, the right of Plein Air Litchfield to use entry images for publicity purposes. Insurance and Liability: while all precautions will be taken to ensure the protection of work upon receipt, neither Plein Air Litchfield staff or volunteers can assume liability for any loss or damage to artwork. All unsold artworks must be retrieved from the reception venue by the artist or representative by September 20, 2026. Artists are responsible for the return of their unsold work, including the cost of shipping
Additional Notification Information
Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on April 20, 2026.
If you do not receive your email, login and view the notification in your account. We cannot respond to inquiries regarding the status of notifications.
Image and Filename Specifications
- File Format: Submit original, high-quality JPEG image files. Other formats (e.g., PNG, TIFF) are not accepted.
- Crop Your Image: Ensure only the artwork itself is visible in the image. Do not show any visible matting, frames, or background distractions.
- Orientation: Make sure your image is oriented correctly (right side up) so that the artwork appears in its intended viewing direction.
- Image Size: You do not need to resize your image files before uploading. The system will automatically resize them. Smaller images cannot be enlarged to meet the requirements, so ensure your images are high resolution before uploading.
- File Names: You do not need to rename your files before uploading them. The system will handle any file naming requirements.
- File Size: There is a 30mb maximum file size limit. Larger image files will take longer to upload and process.
Additional Entry Information
- You will pay for your entry by credit or debit card using our secure checkout system.
- After your entry is submitted and paid for, you may log back in to review your entry, edit artist and image information, and add or substitute images up until the entry deadline (April 1, 2026.)
- Entry fees are not refundable and must be submitted and paid by the entry deadline.
- Entries cannot be accepted or changed after the deadline. Incomplete entries will be disqualified.
Support
For questions about AT or this Prospectus, please contact Susan Gould Coviello (978-837-8273) ([email protected]).
For technical support or entry questions, first check our Help Center or Entry Guide. If you still need help, email ShowSubmit Support ([email protected]). We’ll respond between 9am and 6pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.