Harford Plein Air General Information: 

What is "Plein Air"? 

Painting "en plein air" (French expression for  "in the open air") is the art of painting outdoors without the use of photographs, capturing the natural light and beauty of landscapes, cityscapes, and seascapes.  

I'm an artist, how do I apply to paint in Harford Plein Air?  

​Go to the main Harford Plein Air Festival page for information on creating an EntryThingy account to access the Harford Plein Air application.   If you have technical difficulties, please contact Amanda at apugh@mdcfa.org or call 443-567-5216.  

What happens at the Harford Plein Air Festival?  

The Harford Plein Air Festival is an annual juried plein air painting competition and art sale in Harford County hosted by the Maryland Center for the Arts.  Artists from all over the U.S. apply to be accepted into the festival by an application juror, so they can paint to compete for awards from an awards judge and sell their artwork in a gallery sale. 

The juried artists will paint in several outdoor locations throughout Harford County, including farms, waterfront, historic towns, marinas, natural parks, and more.   ​Community artists of all ages can participate in the Quick Draw Competition on Saturday, October 12, 2019 from 8am-1pm on Office St. in Bel Air.   

Sponsorship Opportunities are Available for Individuals and Businesses!   
​Contact Amanda Pugh, Operations Manager, at apugh@mdcfa.org or call 443-567-5216.

Where can I see and buy the paintings?   

Anyone wishing to see the entire exhibition can purchase tickets to attend the Collector's Preview Party on Friday, October 11, 2019 at the Bel Air Armory.  The price of Collectors' Preview Tickets: $35 per person, counts as a voucher towards the purchase of a painting.  Prizes for several different art categories such as "Best Nocturne", "Best Vanishing Landscape", "Best Architecture" will be presented to the winning artists at the Collectors' Preview Party.    

The Public Gallery Sale also provides an opportunity to view and purchase the paintings on Saturday, October 12, 2019, 9am-5pm, and admission is free.   To get first dibs to claim your favorite painting, attend the Collectors' Preview. ​

How can kids get involved?  

Register your kids (all ages welcome) to participate in the Quick Draw Competition on Office St. in downtown Bel Air on Saturday, October 12, 2019 from 8am - 1pm.  The Quick Draw Competition is a two-hour timed painting, and artists bring their own supplies to paint the city street views of the Town of Bel Air.   Bring your blank canvas to be stamped at registration from 8am-9am and paint in designated areas in Bel Air from 9am-11am, and the Art Sale and Awards Ceremony is 11am-1pm.  Kids will get to "brush elbows" and learn from master artists who are also painting in the Quick Draw Competition.  Awards will be presented by a judge in several different categories.   Registration fee: $5 Youth/School Students  and $15 for Adults.  

Do you need volunteers?   
Email Amanda Pugh, at apugh@mdcfa.org, or call the MDCFA Office at 443-567-5216 to inquire about opportunities.