Paint Dover! 2025 Plein Air Painting Event, Competition, Sales, Exhibition

Registration is open!

Downtown Dover, DE's premiere plein air painting event, now in its seventh year, illustrates our commitment to provide high quality arts programming in downtown Dover and the surrounding area. By engaging artists from around the region and inviting the entire community into the process and outcome, we are showcasing local talent and beautiful depictions of our beloved downtown through the eyes of talented artists.

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SCHEDULE

NOTE: This schedule may be updated periodically, and detailed materials/timeframes, etc. provided as we lead up to the event.

• Painting and Competition: Wednesday-Saturday, October 15-18. Painters may register Thursday through Saturday and may choose to paint 1, 2, 3, or all 4 days!

• NEW THIS YEAR! Two-hour Quick Draw competition in downtown Dover on Sunday, 11-1 p.m. followed by awards announced at 2 p.m. and exhibition of this year's paintings at The Biggs Museum of American Art.
• Small Works category, with newer, smaller sizes required!
• More details about schedule and awards to come, but register now!

For information about last year's event and to view the Virtual Exhibition, Click Here.

See also www.DowntownDoverPartnership.com for more information about downtown.

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REGISTRATION

• Pre-registration at this Eventbrite site - Through September 15th: $30
• Pre-registration after September 15th (including on-site registration) via Eventbrite: $40
• College student reduced rate for painting as a competition artist: $10
• High school students are FREE of charge but must register online.
• Sunday's Quick Draw - Artists painting just for the Quick Draw: $10 (Pre-register or pay on site upon registration at the stamping of canvases at 10 a.m.) There is no additional registration fee for the Quick Draw for artitsts registered to paint Wed. - Sat. (any combination of those days).

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NOTES

• Refunds will be provided through September 15th, minus the non-refundable Eventbrite fee. No refunds after September 15.
• Banner image is He said I'll probably be gone before it's done by Queena Mast from Paint Dover! 2024. "Curator's Choice" Award

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Schedule, subject to change:

Saturday: Paintings displayed by 1 p.m. outdoors at The Biggs; awards announced beginning at 2 p.m. after which paintings move into gallery for Opening Reception at The Biggs 3:30 through 5:30.

Sunday 11-1 quick draw: Register beginning 10 a.m., Awards 2 p.m., paintings moved into gallery with other Paint Dover painting (already on exhibit) through 4 p.m. At 4 p.m. artists pick up unsold paintings to take home, or leave to allow us to exhibit in downtown store windows for several weeks.

COMPETITION AND EXHIBITION ENTRY GUIDELINES

Artwork entered for competition/exhibition must be framed and wired for hanging.

Artwork identification tags will be provided upon on-site registration. An ID tag must be completed and attached to each painting, to include artist name, title of artwork, medium and price, as well as noted if it is NOT for competition and if it a "small work".

All work for competition and exhibition and Quick Draw must have been painted on site, during the three-day Paint Dover! 2025 event - not at home, in studio, or otherwise. Artists not adhering to this requirement will be removed from competiton.

Artwork completed during the Paint Dover! event may be sold prior to hanging in the exhibition, but ALL work completed during the event must be displayed until 5:30 p.m. the evening of the opening exhibition - Saturday at The Biggs Museum. Artists may chose to leave artwork for Sunday exhibition through 4 p.m., and further, for extended exhibition in downtown merchant windows through November 5. Pick-up times for artwork will be arranged.

Artists are required to sign a waiver stating the following: Artist/Exhibitor agrees to release and to hold harmless Paint Dover! representatives (including Main Street Dover/Downtown Dover Partnership/This Biggs Museum staff, volunteers, and merchants) from any and all liabilities and damages to artwork and/or persons, or loss of artwork, as a result of any part of Artist’s/Exhibitor's participation in any part of the Paint Dover! event, including in downtown venues.

By registering, artist agrees that images of artists/artwork from the event may be used for Main Street Dover/Downtown Dover Partnership.The Biggs Museum marketing purposes with no compensation to the artist. Every effort will be made to credit artists and paintings whose images are used for marketing purposes.

Additional details will follow. Those registered will receive updates via email.

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QUESTIONS?

Contact Morgan Russum: [email protected]

Call 302-678-2940

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Paint Dover! is produced by Main Street Dover, a subsidiary of the Downtown Dover Partnership, and in partnership with The Biggs Museum of American Art.

This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com.

Updated 8-8-2025

Host or Publisher Downtown Dover Partnership