PROSPECTUS: 2026 Waterworks at the LPAPA Gallery
SUBMISSIONS:
• Submissions Open: January 15, 2026, through OnlineJuriedShows
• Submission Deadline: Monday, March 23, 2026 (before midnight PDT)
• Notifications Sent On or Before: Monday, March 30, 2026
EXHIBITION OVERVIEW:
• Exhibition Title: 10th Annual “Waterworks” Juried Watercolor Art Show presented with the support of the Joe Hanks Van Cleave Foundation (https://lpapa.org/032326-waterworks-juried-watercolor-art-show/)
• Online Art Catalog: May 4th - June 1st (all shows and awards continue to be visible online after show ends)
• Online Auction: Monday, May 4th (10AM PST) - Thursday, May 7th (8PM PDT)
• Gallery Exhibition: Thursday, May 7th - Monday, June 1st, 2026
• Art Walk Reception: Thursday, May 7th (6PM-9PM) (Awards announcement 7PM) • Gallery Location: The LPAPA Gallery, 414 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
ART ELIGIBILITY & SPECIFICATIONS:
• Qualifications: Open to all LPAPA Signature, Artist and Student Members in good standing; membership needs to be current through June, 2026.
• Subject Matter: Open to all subject matters created with transparent watercolors in plein air or in studio; however, only plein air works are eligible to be judged for the top 1st Place Award.
• Artwork: Must be original, painted outdoors onsite or in studio within the last year, and not previously shown in a LPAPA Gallery show. No digital artwork will be accepted. All accepted artwork needs to be signed by the artist.
• Sales: Accepted Finalist and Semi-Finalist artwork must be available for sale exclusively through LPAPA upon acceptance and for a minimum of 30 days after the show ends.
• Maximum Size: Unframed not more than 37 united inches (Length + Width), Example: 15” x 22” = 37 UI.
• Minimum Size: Unframed not less than 18.5 united inches (Length + Width), Example: 7.5” x 11” = 18.5 UI.
• Framing & Wiring: All accepted work must be properly glazed and professionally framed, wired, and ready to hang. Wires must provide a minimum 2-inch clearance between the wire and the top of the frame to prevent the hook from showing. Incorrectly wired Finalist work will require rewiring and may delay exhibition.
Framing Service Note: Unframed artwork may be delivered/shipped to Randy Higbee/ kingofframe for framing; they will deliver the framed work to the LPAPA Gallery and arrange return shipping if the painting is not sold. A percentage of the framing cost is donated to support nonprofit LPAPA’s art and education programs.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
• Entry Fee: $40.00 Entry Fee for up to 2 painting images; each additional painting image is $5.00. You may submit up to a maximum of 6 painting images. No more than 3 entries per individual artist will be accepted as Finalist and/or Semi-Finalist. Entry Fees are non-refundable and must be paid through OnlineJuriedShows.com.
• Images: JPEG images are uploaded through OnlineJuriedShows. Images must be under 4 mb and in sRGB colorspace. For best results, images should be at least 1920 pixels on the longest side @ 72 dpi. If you need help entering your images, please contact onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or call 888-666-1351.
• Notification: Notifications to be sent to artists via email by Monday, March 30, 2026, or as soon as possible after jurying is completed. Results will be available in your OnlineJuriedShows artist profile.
ART DROPOFF & PICKUP:
• Drop-off Deadline: Tuesday, May 5th, no later than 1PM; the gallery will be open 10AM-1PM on this Tuesday for hand-carried artwork; enter through side courtyard door near fountain.
• Shipping: Shipped work needs to arrive on or before Friday, May 1st; do not ship for Tuesday or Wednesday delivery.
• Pickup of Unsold Work: Tuesday, June 2nd; the gallery will be open 10AM-1PM on this Tuesday for artwork pick. As an alternative, Artists may pick up during regular gallery hours after show closes or arrange and pay for return shipping.
Late Delivery: Accepted finalist artwork delivered after the 1 PM, May 5th deadline may not be hung in time to be included in the awards judging.
Unclaimed Artwork Policy: Unclaimed artwork remaining at the gallery 15 days after the show closing, without a scheduled pickup or paid return shipping, will be considered abandoned and becomes the property of LPAPA.
Online Exhibition: In addition to the physical gallery show and interactive online Art Catalog and online Silent Auction, LPAPA will showcase the gallery finalists for sale through Artsy: https://www.artsy.net/partner/laguna-plein-air-painters-association. Accepted Semi-Finalist work will be exhibited in the online Art Catalog and included in the Preview Auction; Semi-Finalist work is not eligible for awards. Sold Semi-Finalist artwork to be framed and delivered to LPAPA or shipped per LPAPA’s instructions.
AWARDS:
• 1st Place “Best Plein Air Watercolor” $1,000 + Invitation to participate in the 2026 Laguna Invitational
• 2nd Place $500
• 3rd Place $250
• Honorable Mention $100
SALES COMMISSION:
• Commission: 50% to Artist, 50% to LPAPA (LPAPA’s commission percentage may be less for Auction sales).
• Payment: Sales proceeds are paid by ACH Direct Deposit, typically within 15 days of the show closing. LPAPA may require a W9 prior to payment processing.
• Liability: LPAPA, its staff, and volunteers will take the utmost care, however, artists are responsible for insuring their own artwork at their discretion and expense. LPAPA will not be responsible for any loss or damage for any reason.
GALLERY LOCATION & CONTACT:
The LPAPA Gallery
414 North Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 376-3635 | info@lpapa.org
Hours: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Thursday through Monday, and by appointment.
First Thursdays Gallery Hours: 1PM - 9PM; First Thursday Art Walk Reception 6PM - 9PM.
Show Coordinator: Bonnie Langner, LPAPA’s Executive Director
Direct: (925) 683-8374 | bonnie@lpapa.org
BY SUBMITTING TO THIS SHOW YOU ARE REPRESENTING THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREED TO THE TERMS SET OUT IN THIS PROSPECTUS.