Deadline for entry: June 26, 2026
About the Event
Come and paint the diverse beauty of Baker County, Oregon with its glorious mountain ranges, forests, lakes, and cattle ranches. Sagebrush hills and the Powder River surround our historic town built along the Oregon Trail during the gold rush, providing that niche turn of the 20th century small town charm during the splendor of the autumn season. Big skyscapes with stunning sunrises and sunsets in the high desert are ripe for artistic interpretation.
Crossroads Carnegie Art Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed 63 years ago and is still thriving! The center generates art programs and educational opportunities for all demographics in our community. A beautiful fine art gallery upstairs houses 9 featured exhibitions, and 3 open shows a year celebrating the best of regional art in the Northwest. We also have classes for all ages in our dance, art and ceramics studios year-round.
We are excited to partner with Good Bear Ranch this year, nestled in the Elkhorn foothills with magnificent views of the Baker Valley, where we will host a welcoming dinner and a closing party in the elegant yet rustic 7-bedroom cabin also available for bedroom rentals. It is an extraordinary location for paint-outs, and RV and tent camping are also available on the premises.
La Dolce Vita Properties is our premier sponsor, offering a purchase award and 30% off vacation rentals on 3+ nights. Painters are welcome to set up at Old Souls Farm just down the road from Good Bear Ranch where Highland Cattle roam the picturesque fields. The architecture of Baker City, built of brick and tuff stone, offers a combination of quaint elegance and rustic charm.
Other magnificent locations include Anthony Lakes, The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Powder River Recreation Area, Sumpter, Haines, Baker City, and the Baker Valley. We will have private ranches and farms available for paint-outs.
Included in the application fee are Quickdraw events, two demos by Bonnie Zahn-Griffith (pastels & Gelli plate printing), goodie bags, and parties. Our town has a big heart and is welcoming plein air artists to experience a unique small-town event, culminating in a month-long exhibition in November at Crossroads and at numerous spaces along Main Street as the whole town celebrates the show.
The First Friday Art Walk on November 6th will mark the opening of the exhibit, including live music and a fun filled evening announcing the award winners, as well as the People’s Choice Award at the end of the evening.
Come paint Baker County this year and make cherished memories with Crossroads Carnegie Art Center.
General Regulations
- Artwork submitted for exhibit and awards must have been created en plein air, within the designated Baker County communities and without the benefit of photography between October 14th-18th, 2026. All paintings must have the Crossroads Logo stamp on the substrate.
- Mediums of oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, graphite, charcoal, ink, and pastel are all 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, with D-rings and 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 if using mats. One exception is 2” thick stretched canvas with finished and dried edges painted black and hangable by D-ring and wire.
- All exhibited artwork must be for sale. Artists set their own prices.
- All sales transactions are processed by Crossroads Carnegie Art Center.
- A 35% commission on all sales is retained to support Crossroads Carnegie Art Center.
- Unsold artwork is the responsibility of the artist.
Application Submissions
- Three original images of plein air work.
- $45 entry fee (non-refundable).
- Brief bio (up to 250 words).
Application Process
There will be 60 participating artists selected for the event. The Crossroads Gallery Committee, through ShowSubmit, will jury 60 participants and 5 alternatives.
Entries will be via ShowSubmit from Friday, March 13, 2026–Friday, June 26, 2026. Print your receipt for your records.
Entries will be via ShowSubmit from Friday, March 13, 2026–Friday, June 26, 2026. Print your receipt for your records.
Application Deadline: 11:59 PST Friday, June 26, 2026. There will be no extensions.
Geographic Area
Baker County; including Baker City, Sumpter, Haines, Halfway, Richland, Huntington, Unity, and Greenhorn.
Lodging
La Dolce Vita Properties
ladolcevitaprop.com
La Dolce Vita Properties, Baker City, is offering 30% 3+ nights off excellent vacation rentals. Contact Angela Blair about the coupon code once you have been accepted.
ladolcevitaprop.com
La Dolce Vita Properties, Baker City, is offering 30% 3+ nights off excellent vacation rentals. Contact Angela Blair about the coupon code once you have been accepted.
Good Bear Ranch has rooms available in a shared 7-bedroom cabin at discounted rates.
Beds in the hostel at Churchill School are available for $38 a night.
Many other options are available in Baker City such as the historic Geiser Grand Hotel, Blue Door Inn, Bridge Street Inn, Best Western etc., but normal rates would apply.
Awards
Anticipated awards: these vary and are subject to change.
- OTEC Best of Show $500
- People’s Choice $300
- Crossroads Staff Choice $100
- Baker City Main Street Award $Tbd
- Powder River Award $Tbd
- Best Sky $Tbd
- Best Barn $Tbd
- Best Ranch $Tbd
- Best Farm $Tbd
- Purchase Awards
- Artists’ Choice
- Quickdraw Award
Important Dates
- Drop off work by noon on October 19th, 2026.
- Exhibition: November 6th-November 28th, 2026
- Pick up unsold artwork November 30th or December 1st or make shipping arrangements with Community Art Director Angela Blair 541-523-5369/ [email protected]
Judge
TBD-stay tuned!
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 Crossroads Carnegie Art Center to use entry images for publicity purposes.
Insurance and Liability
Artist and Gallery agree that in the event of loss or damage to Artist’s work while it is in Gallery’s possession, Gallery is liable for such loss or damage if it is caused by Gallery’s failure to use the highest degree of care. Artist and Gallery agree the “highest degree of care” applicable to Gallery must take into account Gallery’s limited resources as a regional, nonprofit, charitable corporation. In the event of loss or damage for which Gallery is liable, Gallery will submit a claim to Gallery’s insurer. Gallery and Artist agree that in the event of loss or damage to Artist’s work due to failure of Gallery to use highest degree of care, the value of the work is sixty-five percent (65%) of the fair-market value of the work. Gallery and Artist further agree it shall be the responsibility of Artist to establish fair market value of the work using prior sales of similar work by Artist, or using other objective criteria, and the retail price for the work listed in the Inventory Record does not establish fair market value.
Artist and Gallery agree that in the event of loss or damage to Artist’s work while it is in Gallery’s possession, Gallery is liable for such loss or damage if it is caused by Gallery’s failure to use the highest degree of care. Artist and Gallery agree the “highest degree of care” applicable to Gallery must take into account Gallery’s limited resources as a regional, nonprofit, charitable corporation. In the event of loss or damage for which Gallery is liable, Gallery will submit a claim to Gallery’s insurer. Gallery and Artist agree that in the event of loss or damage to Artist’s work due to failure of Gallery to use highest degree of care, the value of the work is sixty-five percent (65%) of the fair-market value of the work. Gallery and Artist further agree it shall be the responsibility of Artist to establish fair market value of the work using prior sales of similar work by Artist, or using other objective criteria, and the retail price for the work listed in the Inventory Record does not establish fair market value.
All unsold artworks must be retrieved from the reception venue by the artist or representative by December 1st, 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 July 17, 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 (June 26, 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
Questions about this exhibition?
Contact Angela Blair ([email protected]) for questions about the Prospectus, CCAC, eligibility, artwork requirements, drop-off, pick-up, sales, etc.
Need help with ShowSubmit?
Visit our Help Center or Entry Guide for guidance on image uploads, payments, and managing your entry. If you still need help, email ShowSubmit Support ([email protected]). We respond Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm Eastern.