Deadline for entry: February 16, 2026
Awards
Nearly $4,500 in cash and merchandise awards
Registration Process
(See Instructions below) One entry per paid member will automatically be accepted when registering online. (An Acceptance letter will not be sent.)
**No international entries will be accepted.
**No international entries will be accepted.
Entry Fees
- One entry per member for the Members Show which is juried for awards only.
- Entry fee is $35.
Exhibition Requirements
- You must be a current CPS member to participate.
- Works not previously shown in a CPS show and created in the past three years are eligible. 2026 dues must be paid in order to participate in the show.
- Note size limit requirements: maximum size (including frame) 28” maximum on the longest side. Due to space limitations in the gallery, size limits will be strictly held and oversized works will not be eligible.
- Work must be framed and ready to hang with a wire (no saw tooth hangers).
- Works must be at least 80% soft pastel (no oil pastel) and original (no giclees or prints).
- Works done in classroom or workshop settings and/or painted over mechanical reproductions are not eligible.
- No colleges will be accepted.
- Artwork must be securely framed under glass or plexi-glass and works glazed with a finished surface of matte acrylic, resin, or solvent varnish will not be accepted.
- Please fill out labels on page 3 of the prospectus (download link below) and bring with your painting on Receiving Day.
For additional criteria, please download the prospectus.
Sales
Work may be for sale; NFS is allowed.
A 30% commission will be taken for sold paintings. NFS work is eligible. Neither CPS nor SoCCA is responsible for work submitted, but every precaution is in operation.
A 30% commission will be taken for sold paintings. NFS work is eligible. Neither CPS nor SoCCA is responsible for work submitted, but every precaution is in operation.
Exhibit Location
Southington Community Cultural Arts (SoCCA)
93 Main Street
Southington, CT 06489
(corner of Main Street and Berlin Avenue)
Phone: 860-276-1581
93 Main Street
Southington, CT 06489
(corner of Main Street and Berlin Avenue)
Phone: 860-276-1581
Judge of Awards
Deborah Quinn-Munson
Deborah Quinn-Munson is an accomplished pastelist whose work has been awarded both nationally and internationally. She has a Master level designation in IAPS and is a Master Pastelist in PSA. She is an elected member of the Salmagundi Club, the Copley Society of Art and CPS. Deborah attended the De Cordova Museum School before earning her BFA at the University of New Hampshire and an MFA at Wesleyan University. She pursued post graduate work at Lyme Academy of Art where she later taught oil painting and composition.
Membership Dues
Please pay dues prior to receiving day!
Membership dues cover January 1 – December 31, 2026. Regular Member dues are $40. Signature Members dues are $50 ($75 for Signature plus gallery).
You may pay online on the CPS website. Please note that your membership dues must be paid in advance of receiving day in order to participate in this show as dues will not be collected during receiving.
If you prefer not to use the online payment service, you may also pay by check or money order. Make checks payable to: Connecticut Pastel Society and mail to the address below. Be sure to include your name, address, phone and email, and mail it so it is received by the Treasurer prior to receiving day.
You may pay online on the CPS website. Please note that your membership dues must be paid in advance of receiving day in order to participate in this show as dues will not be collected during receiving.
If you prefer not to use the online payment service, you may also pay by check or money order. Make checks payable to: Connecticut Pastel Society and mail to the address below. Be sure to include your name, address, phone and email, and mail it so it is received by the Treasurer prior to receiving day.
Connecticut Pastel Society
Attention: Heather Quay, Treasurer
PO Box 79090
Belmont, MA 02479
Shipping Instructions
No international entries permitted. If you are shipping a painting, plan to have your work arrive before Wednesday, March 19th and ship to the address below. MUST use an Airfloat StrongBox or similar packaging. Works packed in styrofoam peanuts will be disqualified. Packaging must include pre-paid return labels or artwork will not be accepted. Include in your box a check to CPS for $35 for handling fee. UPS and CPS take no responsibility for damages incurred in shipping due to poorly packaged paintings.
Please notify Mary Ann D'Ambruoso by February 16th if you are shipping work ([email protected] or 475-559-3283).
Use UPS only - no other carrier.
Please notify Mary Ann D'Ambruoso by February 16th if you are shipping work ([email protected] or 475-559-3283).
Use UPS only - no other carrier.
SHIP TO: (Please include ALL of this information ON LABEL)
M. D’Ambruoso/Connecticut Pastel Society/475-559-3283
UPS Store #4942
360-B Queen Street
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: 860-426-8449
Email: [email protected]
A Message from the CPS President: CPS is looking forward to seeing our members’ diverse and creative works in this year’s show. We are happy to hold our annual Members Show in person at SoCCA, once again. Happy painting, and we’ll see you there!
– Karen Suponski
Questions
For further information about the Members Exhibit, please contact:
Hold Harmless Agreement
All work will receive careful handling by competent staff, however SoCCA and CT Pastel Society, Inc., the UPS Store or anyone connected with this exhibition will not be held responsible for loss or damage of hand delivered or shipped work. Submission of your work for this exhibition, including online entry and application, constitutes your acceptance and agreement to all conditions in this prospectus stated herein. We recommend that artists carry their own insurance for their works.
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 substitute your image up until the entry deadline (February 16, 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 CPS or this Prospectus, please contact Mary Ann D’Ambruoso, Co-Chair, at 475-559-3283 ([email protected]) or Marianne Berman, Co-Chair, at 860-518-0321 ([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.