21st Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout

The 21st Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout invites artists to paint en plein air in Alameda, California from July 27-31, 2026. Artists will paint the island city's tree-lined streets, Victorian-era homes, shops, marinas, ships in the Estuary, and views of San Francisco and the Bay. Participation in the Saturday, August 1 exhibit at South Shore Center is required. Selected artwork will be displayed in the "En Plein Air" exhibit at Frank Bette Center for the Arts from August 7-September 26, 2026.

Artwork must be created en plein air within Alameda city limits during the specified painting dates. All painting mediums are acceptable. Artists are responsible for framing their work, transporting it to exhibit locations, and hanging it on provided displays. Artwork with plexiglass instead of glass is preferred. All exhibited artwork must be for sale with artist-set prices. Only paintings created during the 2026 Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout are eligible for awards and must bear the event stamp and supplied Frank Bette Logo labels. Sales transactions must be processed by FBCA with 60% of the sale price paid to the artist and 40% retained as commission to benefit the center. Unsold paintings remain the artist's responsibility.

The application deadline is Monday, April 6, 2026. Entry fee is $60 (non-refundable), payable online via credit card or PayPal. Submit 3 sRGB color images in JPEG format under 4 MB, at least 1920 pixels on the longest side at 72 dpi. Artists will be notified by email by Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Upon request by July 12, complimentary lodging may be provided for artists from outside the area. For questions, contact Margaret Fago at [email protected]. For submission assistance, contact [email protected] or 888-666-1351.