Competition Painting/Drawing Days: April 26- May 10, 2024

The Village of Schaumburg and Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts in conjunction with Blick Art Materials announces the 13^th Prairie Plein Air Competition and Show in Schaumburg, IL. Plein air artists are invited to use their vision and talents to capture picturesque vistas of Schaumburg’s diverse, award-winning lifestyle. Schaumburg, a community of 78,700 residents 30 miles northwest of Chicago, offers a myriad of inspirations for plein air artists, from modern skyscrapers to quaint 19th century buildings, cozy suburban homes to log cabins, bustling commercial street scenes to the stately Veterans Gateway Memorial clock tower, beautifully landscaped public parks and gardens to the wild flora of Spring Valley Nature Center, a majestically ‘steepled’ mid-19th century church to a 21^st century minor league baseball park, suburbanites sitting pond side watching swans at the municipal center grounds to docents dressed in traditional costume harnessing draft horses at Heritage Farm, and much, much more!

Registration Online

Entry fee is $40 (non-refundable)

Artists must complete and submit the registration form. The completed entry form and the entry fee must be submitted online by the April 21, 2024 deadline. See application online for fee payment information.

Painting/Drawing Rules

We reserve the right to reject any art that does not meet our expectations or conform to the norms of the community. Art not adhering to our rules and restrictions will not be considered for admission and hanging.

Paintings/drawings are to be executed “en plein air,” i.e., outdoors, from direct observation of the subject matter (working from photographs is not allowed). Ninety percent of a painting/drawing must be completed on-site, allowing for minor adjustments to be made in the studio.

Artwork may be done in any painting/drawing medium (e.g., acrylic, gouache, ink, oil, pastel, tempera, watercolor, mixed media, et al).

Artwork (unframed) size must not exceed 20” in any direction.

Artwork may be done of any subject matter within the boundaries of Schaumburg (see map for boundaries and suggested areas of scenic interest). Thus, please note Busse Woods is NOT an approved location.

Competition April 26- May 10, 2024

Painting/drawing days - begin on Friday, April 26, 2024, and end on Friday, May 10, 2024. Artwork may be done at any time during those dates. This two-week window is intended to accommodate artists’ schedules and weather conditions.

Stamping - Prior to painting, artists must bring their blank canvas/board/paper to Blick Art Materials located at 500 E. Golf Road in Schaumburg, where a staff member will stamp and authenticate the artist’s canvas/board/paper. This may be done during the April 26 - May 10 painting period Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., or Sunday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.  Only paintings/drawings with this stamp will be accepted. Artists may have several blank surfaces stamped, or may return and have additional blank surfaces stamped, however, only one artwork may be entered for judging and display.

The stamp must be visible at drop-off (by removing the frame backing or cutting a hole in the back of the frame) to ensure that it was painted this year in the allocated time and the color of the stamp changes each year. A canvas stamped another year (another color) is not valid, but the same unused surface may be stamped again in this year’s color.

Art Submission

Art Drop Off - Your completed paintings/drawings may be turned in to the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts Monday - Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the April 26 - May 10 painting period. Please note - the last drop off date is Friday, May 10, 2024, by 5 p.m.

Framing - All submitted work must be framed and ready to hang with a taut wire – saw-tooth hangers are not allowed. Artists must affix to the back of their work the artist’s name, phone number, email, artwork’s title, medium, the location of the subject, painting‘s selling price or indication it is not for sale (NFS).

Competition Prizes

All submitted work will be judged prior to the show, awarding prizes of 1^st Place $300 and $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Card, 2^nd Place $200 and $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Card, 3^rd Place $100 and $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Card, three Honorable Mention prizes of $50 each and $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Card, and People’s Choice Award that will receive a $50 Blick Art Materials Gift Card.

Show, Reception and Sale

All submitted work will be displayed in the Herb Aigner Gallery inside the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts building May 14 through June 23, 2024, and will coincide with the 35th Prairie Arts Festival which is held Memorial Day weekend (Saturday and Sunday May 25 & 26) on the grounds of Schaumburg’s Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts. However, the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts will be closed on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27. As the annual kickoff event for Schaumburg’s season of outdoor events, it is a great opportunity to have Prairie Plein Air art entries seen by a large art appreciating audience.

An artist reception will be held Thursday, May 23 from 6-8 p.m. in the Herb Aigner Gallery inside the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts building.

Artists may choose to make their artwork available for sale. Artist contact information will be made available to potential buyers. All sales are between the artist and the buyer. No commission will be taken.

Art Pickup

All artwork must be picked up between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. June 24 - 28. Artwork not picked up by the deadline will be donated unless other arrangements are made. Artwork may not be picked up prior to June 24 since the show is advertised that it is displayed through, June 23, 2024.