2017 Boulder Plein Air Festival

The 2017 Boulder Plein Air Festival takes place June 11-18, 2017 in Boulder, Colorado. Hosted by Open Studios Boulder, this event invites painters to create plein air work in scenic Boulder, the surrounding mountains, and the Boulder Valley area. The festival is open to all painters age 18 and older.

Selected artists (20-25 total) will be chosen by a panel of jurors. After selection, participating artists must submit a $200 participation fee. During the event, artists must paint on location for at least 3 of the 5 days and create a minimum of 8 paintings. All plein air work exhibited must be created during the festival and available for sale. The culminating exhibit and sale takes place at the Boulder Creative Collective on June 17-18. Open Studios retains 15% commission of sales; 85% of sales revenue goes to artists. Payments for sold work will be mailed 30 days after the event.

To apply, submit 5-8 digital images of plein air paintings made within the past 12 months, along with an artist biography (up to 5000 characters) and a non-refundable $35 application fee. The entry deadline is March 31, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. MDT. Selected artists will be notified by email no later than April 12, 2017. Additional events include a prelude exhibit (May 10-June 27), mid-week happy hour, quick draw competitions, scheduled paint-outs, and an award ceremony on June 16. Awards include Best in Show, Best Landscape, Best Cityscape, Best Non-Traditional Plein Air, and Quick Draw Purchase Awards.