2027 California Desert Plein Air Festival

Headquarters: Artists Center

72-567 Highway 111, Palm Desert, California 92260  760-565-6130

 

Sponsored by:

City of Palm Desert

Palm Springs Life Magazine

El Paseo Business District

Cultural Arts Committee

Think Together

​

2027 PROSPECTUS

 

The 6th Annual California Desert Plein Air Festival will be held at the Artists Center in Palm Desert, California. The Desert Plein Air Association event is hosted by the Artists Council and offers three separate categories.

​

Exhibition Dates:  Thursday, January 14, through Sunday, January 31, 2027

 

Exhibition Location:  Artists Center, 72-567 Hwy 111, Palm Desert, California 92260

 

Theme:  Desert Landscapes and/or Desert Cityscapes

 

Qualifications:

• Open to any artists 18 years or older.

• The requirement for Artists Council membership is waived this year.

  • For questions about joining the Artists Council, email info@artistscouncil.com

​

How to Apply and Submit:  All submissions will be through the Artists Council website.

​

Commission:  50% Artist, 50% DPAA and Artists Council

​

Artwork Entry Requirements:

• All submitted artwork must be available for sale.

• All work submitted will be 2D paintings in oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, gouache or mixed media.

• There are no size restrictions in any category.

• Artwork must be original in concept, design, execution and submitted by the artist/maker; created independently (i.e., not under the supervision of an instructor or using AI).

• No painting previously exhibited at any California Desert Plein Air Festival, Artists Council or Desert Plein Air Exhibition will be accepted.

• No giclee prints, prints, photography, digital works or digitally altered works will be accepted.

• Once a painting has been submitted online, no changes can be made. Be certain about description, title and price before submitting.

​

Hanging Requirements:

• Framed artwork must be ready for installation, securely wired for hanging.

• No saw-tooth hangers, ceiling mounts, or moving parts may be used.

• Work on paper must be protected by glass, Plexiglass or sealed.

• Wrapped canvas or board must be finished on the edges.

• Any unframed artwork must be on a substrate at least 1.5" deep.

• Artwork must be ready for installation, securiely wired for hanging.

• Plein Air paintings must be stamped...if stamped on the back, stamp must be visible (which may require cutting a hole in the backing if your painting has glass).

 

Shipping:

• The Artists Council cannot ship or store paintings or frames.  Arrangements can be made through Desert Plein Air Association members.  Please email in advance if you need to ship:  desertpleinair@gmail.com

​

Painting Drop-Off:

• All paintings in all categories will be delivered to the Artists Center on Wednesday, January 13, 2027 (address above).

• VIP Invited Artists:  9:00 - 9:30 am

• All Other Artists:  by 11:00 am

• No paintings will be accepted after 11:00 am!

​

Painting Pick-Up:

• Paintings must hang for the entire exhibition. 

• No unsold painting can be taken off the wall before 2:00 pm, Sunday, January 31, 2027.

• A sold painting may be taken by the purchaser and replaced with a red dot next to the artist's name.

• Sold paintings cannot be replaced with another work.

• Work can be picked up at the end of the exhibition by the buyer, the artist, or his/her agent.

• If out-of-town artists cannot pick up, arrangements can be made through DPAA in advance. Contact: desertpleinair@gmail.com

​

Submission Deadlines:  See below for different deadlines and entry fees in each category.

​

 

Category ONE - Invited VIP Artists Studio Painting

• Open to invited VIP Artists only.

• Submission will be one (1) desert-themed (any desert) studio painting.

• Entries in this category are automatically accepted.

       

       Non-refundable Submission Fee:     $45

       Final Submission Deadline:               November 30, 2026, at 5 pm (PST)

       

       Information for VIP submissions for Category ONE will be distributed separately to the VIPs.

 

Category TWO - Studio Paintings Desert Landscape/Cityscape

• Not open to Invited VIP Artists. All others are eligible to submit.

• One or two desert-themed (any desert) studio paintings may be submitted for jurying.

• Artists will be notified of their acceptance by January 6, 2027.

 

       Non-refundable Submission Fee:     $45 per entry (one or two may be submitted)

       Final Submission Deadline:               December 28, 2026, at 5 pm (PST)

       Notification of Acceptance Date:       January 6, 2027

​

       Enter Category TWO by clicking HERE.

​

Category THREE - Plein Air Competition - Only ONE (1) painting may be submitted.

​

1. VIP Artists Only - Non-refundable Fee:  $50

      Registration Deadline:                              December 28, 2026, at 5 pm (PST)

​

      VIPs can register for Category THREE by clicking HERE.

 

​  2. Non-VIP Artists - Open to the first 50 registrants

      Non-refundable Registration Fee:           $50

      Registration Deadline:                              When 50 are entered...or December 28, 2026, at 5 pm

 

      Non-VIP artists can register for Category THREE by clicking HERE.

​

​

FESTIVAL CHAIRPERSON:         Diane Moore, DPAA Founder and Board President

                                                       Desert Plein Air Association

​

CURATOR:                                    Steven Biller, Editorial Director

                                                       Desert Publications Inc.

                            

INSTALLATION CURATOR:         Merritt Price, Artists Council

​

JURORS:                                       1) TBD

                                                       2) TBD

                                                       3) TBD                   

         

Gallery Hosting:

Artists Council members residing within 60 miles who are accepted into the show will be responsible for one 3-hour volunteer Gallery Host shift during the run of the exhibition. A Gallery Host sign-up Schedule will be available on the Artists Council's website at a later date.

​

AWARDS

$15,000 IN TOTAL AWARDS

​

Category ONE - VIP Studio

Best of Show: $2,000

1st Place  $1,500

2nd Place $1,000

3rd Place  $   500

​

Category TWO:  Studio Desert Landscape/Cityscape

Best of Show $2,000

1st Place $1,000

2nd Place $750

3rd Place $250

​

Category THREE:  Plein Air Competition

Non-VIP:                                           VIP:     

Best of Show: $2,000                         Best of Show:   $1,000

1st Place:       $1,000                         1st Place:          $   750            

2nd Place:      $   750                         2nd Place:         $   250

3rd Place:       $   250

​

LIABILITY

By submitting artwork to the California Desert Plein Air Exhibition, the individual artist acknowledges and agrees that he/she has read and agrees to all conditions outlined on the Accident Waiver and Release of Liability Form posted HERE.

​

UNCLAIMED ARTWORK:

• Will be held for a maximum of 30 days after the exhibition closes.

• Storage space is limited and unsecured.

• The Artists Council is not responsible for damage to unclaimed work.

• After 30 days, unclaimed artwork becomes property of the Artists Council.

• Unclaimed work may be sold or donated to charity.

• If sold,100% of proceeds will support Artists Council programs and activities.

                       

QUESTIONS?

If you have Artists Council membership questions, please contact the Artists Council via email at info@artistscouncil.com

 

If you have any questions about the exhibition or entering the Plein Air competition, please contact Diane Moore at desertpleinair@gmail.com.

​

​