HOW TO APPLY
Applicants should apply through CAFÉ (www.callforentry.org) and the call may be found using “11th Annual Mountain Maryland Plein Air Competition & Exhibition--Cumberland 2020”. No entries sent directly to the sponsoring organization will be accepted. If an applicant has not previously applied to a call through CAFÉ, it will be necessary to set up a login prior to application. Questions or assistance troubleshooting may be directed to the sponsoring organization at 301.777.2787 or via art@alleganyarts.org. 

The entry fee for this competition is $40.00 and includes submission of three (3) digital images which should broadly represent the applicant’s plein air body of work. Applicants should include a brief artist statement. A total of 30 artists will be selected to participate.

The deadline to enter is February 28, 2020.

ENTRY GUIDELINES
Applicants should consider a number of factors before application to the competition, which include the following:

SCHEDULE

The 11th Annual Mountain Maryland Plein Air Competition & Exhibition will take place June 15-20, 2020, in Cumberland, MD. Selected artists will be expected to arrive the morning of Monday, June 15, 2020, and remain through the Quickdraw event on Saturday, June 20, 2020. 

Selected artists are expected to attend the following events:

Artist Orientation (morning) – Monday, June 15, 2020

Welcome Event (evening) – Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Collector’s Reception (evening) – Friday, June 19, 2020

Quickdraw (morning) – Saturday, June 20, 2020 

*Other events may be scheduled through the week, but artists are not required to attend.

Prizes

Best of Show: $3000

First Place: $2000

Second Place: $1000

Third Place: $800

Best Nocturnal Scene: $500

Best Use of Light: $500

Best Architectural: $500

Artists Choice: $300

QUICKDRAW:

Juried Artist First Place: $800

Juried Artist Second Place: $400

Juried Artist Third Place: $200

Community Artist Award: $100

Student Artist Award: $50

LODGING

Artists are responsible for costs related to their lodging; however, the sponsoring organization attempts to obtain host housing for any artist wishing to be housed with a local family. Host families may reside in either Allegany or Garrett Counties, and host accommodations can be as far as a 60-minute drive from the gallery space. Host accommodations vary in size and amenities and cannot be guaranteed. It is up to the sole discretion of the sponsoring organization to make housing assignments. Artists should not directly contact hosts to make arrangements.

PROMOTION

Selected artists will be required to provide a digital photo and 200-word bio which may be used for promotion of the event. Artists are expected to comply with published deadlines for submission of these materials.

COMMISSION

The Allegany Arts Council charges a 35% commission on artwork sold during the 11th Annual Mountain Maryland Plein Air Competition & Exhibition, with all sales to be handled directly through the sponsoring organization. Artists are not permitted to arrange for private sale of their work during the event – doing so may make an artist ineligible for future competitions. During the course of the event program, artwork will be insured for 65% of its retail value.

EXHIBITION INFORMATION

Artists will arrive Monday, June 15, 2020, and will be given time to paint daily through Thursday, June 18, 2020. On Friday, June 19, 2020, all paintings completed through the week will be turned in and installed for the Collector’s Reception, which takes place Friday evening, June 19, 2020. Artists will be free to collect their work at 1:00PM on Saturday, June 20, 2020. Artists may not take work prior to that time.

During painting time, the sponsoring organization will install an exhibition of selected artists previous work, and some sales may occur. Further details will be provided to selected artists after notification. The intent of this exhibition is to educate the community about each artist’s style and body of work prior to the Collector’s event.

Work produced during this event may not exceed 30” in width, including frame. Participating artists will be required to complete, frame and prepare artwork for installation onsite. A list of local resources will be made available.

JUROR: Nancie King Mertz

An award-winning artist, Nancie has spent her lifetime painting in oil & pastel. She was awarded the Master Circle Medallion by the IAPS in 2015, their Eminent Pastelist distinction in 2018, and is also a Master Signature member of the Pastel Society of America and the Chicago Pastel Painters. She teaches across the US and internationally and is on the faculty for the Plein Air Convention and the IAPS Convention. She has been named the 2020 Guest of Honor by the French Pastel Society, where a show of her work will be featured in Giverny, France. 

Mertz has traveled to nearly 20 countries and around the US for inspiration, however, Chicago remains her favorite city to explore and paint, where she was twice named “Artist of the Year”. 

Collectors marvel at the beauty she finds in the urban setting and have said she “softens the edges of the city”. See her work on many of the Chicago-themed TV shows such as the Good Wife and Chicago Fire.

IMPORTANT DATES
Deadline to enter: Friday, February 28, 2020

Notification: Tuesday, March 17, 2020   

11th Annual Plein Air Competition: June 15-20, 2020

CONTACT US:

www.mmpleinair.org

301.777.2787

art@alleganyarts.org

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria