17th Annual Celebration of Art

Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and official philanthropic partner of Grand Canyon National Park, invites artists to participate in the 17th Annual Celebration of Art. This juried and invitational event selects four to six new artists who, along with returning and invited artists, comprise approximately 20-25 total participants. The event serves as a fundraiser supporting the development of a future art and exhibition venue at Grand Canyon National Park. Artists have the opportunity to display and sell their work to Grand Canyon visitors, connect with the plein air artist and collector community, and receive marketing exposure through GCC's channels.

Participating artists must submit a studio piece, an auction piece, up to five backup pieces, and a minimum of five plein air works created onsite during September 13-20, 2025. All artwork must represent the natural wonders of Grand Canyon. The studio piece image must be submitted by March 31, 2025 (300 dpi, 9 x 12 inches), and the auction piece image by July 31, 2025. GCC retains a 50% commission on all sales, with payments mailed monthly during the exhibition. Artists are responsible for their own lodging, transportation, and artwork shipping.

Eligibility is open to artists 18 years and older with demonstrable 2-D plein air artmaking experience in the desert Southwest or National Parks of the Western U.S. Applications require a completed form, one-page résumé with contact information, and three to eight professional-quality JPEG images (minimum 300 DPI, under 5 MB) of plein air work. Applicants must list title, dimensions, medium, and price for submitted pieces. The application deadline is January 15, 2025. Accepted artists will be notified by February 7, 2025, and must confirm participation within 10 days. The event schedule includes an online auction (August 30-September 15), artist check-in (September 12), onsite painting and demonstrations (September 13-20), opening weekend events (September 20-21), and an onsite and online exhibition running through Spring 2026.