PROSPECTUS

2026 BACK BAY Plein Air Art Festival

Weekend Show & Sale, Juried Show, and Quick Draw

Sponsored by SOCALPAPA, Newport Bay Conservancy (NBC) and OC Parks

This is a three-part show: 

1. The Weekend Display Show & Sale – Saturday, July 18 & Sunday, July 19

2. Best of OC Parks & Back Bay Juried Exhibit Friday, July 10-Friday July 17 - open to registered weekend display show and sale participants only 

3. Artists Quick Draw Challenge Saturday July 11 - open to all artists 

The Weekend Display Show & Sale, July 18 & 19 

• Entry open April 10 to May 31, or when the venue reaches capacity. 

• Spaces are limited so early registration is encouraged. 

Requirements: 

• Artist must be a 2026 SOCALPAPA Member in good standing. 

• Artist must be available and personally present at the booth for both days of the show from 10am until 4pm, including the load in on Saturday morning and tear down on Sunday afternoon. No early tear down allowed. 

• Artists must attend one of two meetings prior to the show, where all details of the rules & instructions will be explained and questions can be answered in advance. 

• All artwork must be original and in the Plein Air landscape style, properly framed and ready to hang (see Art Expectations below) 

Benefits: 

• The opportunity to personally connect with new collectors and new contacts. • Assistance is provided for your grid set-up, along with chairs, shade canopies, and lunch on both days. 

• Artists’ reception and award ceremony for the Juried event, hosted by NBC on Friday evening, July 17, from 6-8pm. All artists participating in the weekend show and sale may invite up to (2) VIP patrons/guests to this event. 

• Artists will receive 65% of the purchase price of their work and 35% is retained by NBC. 

How to Enter: 

• On socalpapa.com select the “Events” tab and scroll to Back Bay Show to register and pay by secure credit card payment. All fields must be filled in. Checks are no longer accepted.

• Three grid set up options: (1) zig-zag (2) horizontal (from a bird’s eye view these look like this: (1) /\/\/, (2) |—| If you have a location preference please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate. 

The Best of OC Parks & Back Bay Optional Juried Show, July 10-17 

Requirements: 

• Artist must be a registered participant in the two-day Weekend Show & Sale. 

• Artist must be a 2026 SOCALPAPA Member in good standing. 

• Artwork featuring identifiable scenes from the OC Parks and Wilderness locations only will be accepted. 

Benefits: 

• Artists will have the opportunity to be celebrated among their peers and awarded cash and/or prizes for First Place, 2nd Place, 3rd Place, Winner’s Circle, Honorable Mention, NBC Robinson Award; an OC Parks award, and awards for best Sunrise/Sunset, best with a figure in a landscape (human, animal or bird.) 

• The paintings accepted into the juried show will be on display for sale in the Muth Theatre Room at the Back Bay Muth Interpretive Center from July 11–17, where hundreds of visitors to the Muth may see them throughout the week. 

• Artists’ reception and award ceremony for the Juried event will be hosted by NBC on Friday evening, July 17, from 6-8pm. All artists participating the weekend show and sale may invite up to (2) VIP patrons/guests to this event. 

• Artists will receive 65% of the purchase price of their work and 35% will be retained by NBC 

How to Enter: 

• Once your registration is confirmed for the Weekend Show & Sale, you may enter the juried show on OnlineJuriedShows (log in above and click Enter This Show to begin) 

• Registration includes the entry of two paintings in the Juried Show. 

• Additional entries (up to 5 total entries) will be paid directly to OnlineJuriedShows. $15 per entry after the initial two. 

• Images must be jpg and under 4 mb. For best results, images should be at least 1920 pixels on the longest side @ 72 dpi. For help with your entries, contact onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or 888-666-1351.

• Up to sixty paintings will be selected by our distinguished juror. 

Art Expectations for the Juried and Weekend Show: 

• The subject matter must be original art representing Newport Back Bay or one of the Parks, Beaches & Wilderness areas managed by OC Parks. No exceptions. See OCParks.com for a list of OC Parks, Beaches and Wilderness areas. 

• Plein air landscape paintings only; no prints or giclees, no nudes, abstract art, still life, or portraiture will be accepted. For reference, Plein air means completed at least 70% at the outdoor subject location (30% studio touch-up/refinement is allowed.) Animals and figures are allowed to complement the landscape composition. 

• Original means your own concept, design and execution, not done in a workshop or under the direction or supervision of another. 

• Artwork may be any painting medium including oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastel. No pen & ink, charcoal, or pencil drawings or sketches.

• All art must be properly framed with brown or black backing and ready to hang complete with D-rings and wire. Sawtooth hangers are not allowed, and no gallery wrap canvases or unframed cradled wood panels will be accepted. (See separate rules document on website.) 

• Labels must be printed for each painting, not handwritten. 

• Paintings will be priced at $250 and up. 65% of the profit is retained by the artist and 35% will be retained by NBC. 

IMPORTANT DATES 

Disclosure: Insurance is the responsibility of the artist. Neither SOCALPAPA, NBC, Muth Center, O.C. Parks nor any of their members assume liability for loss, theft, or damage. Artists agree to allow reproduction of the artist’s art for purposes of education, fund raising, and publicity. 

Contact: 

Marisha Miller marishamiller11@gmail.com  

Kathy Carr kvcarr@sbcglobal.net