2025 Bisbee Plein Air Festival and Competition

BISBEE PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL 2025 - Thursday, October 9– Sunday, October 12

The Festival is held at Central School Project, 43 Howell Ave, in Old Bisbee

520-732-0064 | [email protected]

Supported by the Bisbee Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona Donna M Rich Legacy Fund, and Arizona Commission on the Arts

We welcome artists at all levels of practice from first timers to the pros. Our festival is relaxed, fun and the artists are supportive of each other. You can register to paint and opt out of entering your work for judging if you wish.

PRIZES $800

$800 in Cash Prizes 1st $300 | 2nd $200 | 3rd $100 | People’s Choice $100

2 Runner ups 50.00 each

Jurors to be Announced

The Bisbee Plein Air Festival convenes Thursday, October 9 through Sunday October 12, 2025. Each year artists come to paint Old Bisbee and the surrounding area’s historic architecture, sprawling staircases, charming streets, industrial mining remnants, and colorful homes set amidst the scenic Mule Mountains to compete for $800 in prizes. You also have the opportunity to sell your Festival pieces to the public at the Wet Paint Exhibition and Sale.

2025 YEAR INCLUDES:

An artist meet and greet on Friday night with a jurors show, the option of group nocturne painting with Sam Poe Gallery as headquarters, A fun quick-painting & drawing drop in at Grassy Park Saturday morning, judging and wet paint sale in the CSP gallery, and informal critique session on Sunday morning in the gallery. Canvas stamping will be downtown at RedBone Shop on the corner of Subway St. More opportunities may be added!

Painting Competition Rules and Regulations

If you use an alias or pen name as an artist, when you are registering your paintings for the competition, you must put your real name on the back of the slips you fill out.

Entries 2025: We are limiting the number of painting entries to 2 this year. However, you may get as many canvases stamped as you would like.

• CANVAS STAMPING REQUIRED: Artists may stamp as many canvases as they wish, but can enter only 2 pieces of work to be judged in the competition and in sales gallery. All canvas stamping is done at RedBone, a vintage clothing store at the corner of Subway Street and Shearer Ave. Framing is suggested, but not required. Easels for display help too but not required.

• The 2025 Bisbee Plein Air Festival is open to any artist who paints and draws using the plein air technique (not from photographs) in oil, watercolor, acrylic, gouache, pastel, or other non-digital media.

• All paintings entered in the competition/sale must be done “en plein air” (in the open air where the artist has no control of light or weather) during the event dates in Bisbee city limits. All canvas/paper/boards must be stamped PRIOR to painting. NO unstamped art will be accepted.

• Artists must provide their own paint kits and sturdy easel(s) for display during judging and will be responsible for the safety of their paintings.

Wet Paint Gallery Show (after judging)

The sales commission is 35% to the Plein Air Fest and 65% to the artist for all sales made during the public receptions.

Central School Project and associated volunteers assume no responsibility for loss or damage to any work, display or person.

Artists may paint anywhere in Bisbee, which includes Warren, Lowell, San Jose, et cetera.

Schedule

RedBone Canvas Stamping Hours:

Thursday October 9 from 8 am to 6 pm

Friday October 10 from 8 am to 6 pm

Saturday October 11 from 8 am to Noon

Artists Painting - Thursday, October 9 – Saturday October 10 til 1:30 pm

Friday 6:00 - 8:00 pm Artist meet and greet at Central School

Friday 8:00 pm Nocturne painting. Meet at Sam Poe Gallery on Subway Street

Saturday 10:00 - 1:00 pm Drop in at Grassy Park gathering and relaxed art-making with Sam Woolcott

Saturday 1:00 pm - 2:00 Artists may start bringing their paintings to Central School to register them for the competition please get here by 2:00 at the latest

After your check in Artists leave the building as judging will start at about 2:30

Saturday 4:00 pm The show opens to the public. Vote for People’s Choice Award.

Saturday 5:00 pm Awards Ceremony at Central School

Gallery open until 6:30 pm Buy the paintings of Bisbee!

(If you have to leave town saturday night you can arrange with CSP sales person to remove your entries at 6:30.)

Sunday 11:00- 1:00 pm Art pick up and Casual artists Critique and another opportunity to buy the art at Central School

Host or Publisher Central School Project Bisbee