PLEIN AIR
CHAMBERSBURG
2026
September 5th
the First Saturday in September
7:30-8:30 Registration
8:30-12:30 Competition
12:30-1:30 Lunch & Prep
1:30-2:30 Judging at Chambers Fort Park
2:30-3:30 Award Ceremony, Reception, Exhibit & Sale
Schedule: (more info below)
Our judge this year is
Tara Will
of , Pennsylvania
Tara Will
Tara creates from an infinite well of curiosity. Proficient in pastel, oil, printmaking, ceramics, and stained glass, she revels in the learning process. March 2024 marked her first solo museum exhibition, “Wild Beauty” with the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. This showcased 42 works in both pastel and printmaking. In 2022, she achieved the highest international designation, Eminent Pastellist, with the International Association of Pastel Societies. Tara paints unapologetically with bold marks, intentional value choices, and surprising color combinations. Her hope is to engage the viewer by inviting them to participate in time honored history of art making
See Tara’s work https://www.tarawill.com/
FAQs
General Information
All artists 14 and up are eligible to register for the Plein Air Chambersburg Quick Draw Competition and Exhibit. Application constitutes agreement that images may be used for web and print promotional purposes.
Quick Draw Event
Applicants must register with the Foundry Art Market and pay the registration fee in person or click on the registration button above. Event will be held rain or shine; no refunds will be made due to inclement weather, but indoor subjects will be available.
First 30 to register & attend will receive a free Foundry Artist’s Apron.
Artists should plan to bring their own easel and all equipment needed. Artists are welcome to explore the area and plan their work in advance, but must begin with blank canvas/paper, stamped at check-in. Artists will have 4 hours to create their plein air art piece/s and return to the registration area with their work and their easel, and one hour to prepare for display and judging.
Plein Air Definition
All artwork must be completed “en Plein Air,” meaning in the open air, working directly from the landscape or scene as it appears at that moment, without the aid of photographs during painting or more than a few marks afterwards. In case of inclement weather, indoor painting areas and subjects will be provided.
Surface Stamping
Artists must have all surfaces stamped prior to using them in the competition. At the time of stamping, the surfaces must be blank or primed with a single color. All artwork submitted to the Quick Draw Competition and Exhibit must bear the “Plein Air Chambersburg” ink stamp on the reverse in plain view at the time of acceptance. Volunteers will be available to stamp surfaces at the registration table.
Media
Any medium used to create 2-dimensional art such as oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastel, colored pencil, graphite, charcoal or collage are permissible. No photography or digital art. Other 2-D materials and mediums may be acceptable with permission of the Plein Air Chambersburg Planning Committee.
Subject Matter
Subject Matter is anything observed while standing within the Plein Air Chambersburg Quick Draw Area, as designated on the attached map. Artists may work inside a provided list of businesses in case of inclement weather using, still life and floral subjects provided by Plein Air Chambersburg or 3-D objects brought by the artist.
Disclaimer
None of the involved groups (Downtown Chambersburg, Inc., the Foundry Art Market, Plein Air Chambersburg, Franklin County Art Alliance, Franklin County Historical Society, Presbyterian Church of Falling Spring and Tower at Falling Spring) are responsible for personal injury and illness or damage/loss/theft of artwork that may happen during this event. Artists must provide their own insurance if desired. In addition, artists are responsible for their personal safety during the event. Artists under 18 should be accompanied by a parent or teacher. Registering for the event constitutes the artist’s agreement with all rules and statements made here.
NO RAINDATE
If inclement weather:
Site TBA
(Call 717-816-7568 if weather is questionable but the event happens
rain or shine.)
Sale of Artwork
Plein Air Chambersburg encourages all artists to offer their work for sale. A 30% commission will benefit the Foundry Art Market, through its parent organization Downtown Chambersburg, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Artists will receive 70% of the amount paid for their artwork. The Foundry is responsible for payment of PA sales tax.
Awards
Adult Student
1st $500 1st $25 gift card
2nd $200 2nd $25 gift card
3rd $100 3rd $25 gift card
4th & 5th $50 4th $25 gift card
The Chambersburg Plein Air Committee
is not eligible for awards.
Early bird registration through August 22th
Adults - $35
Teens (14-18) - $5
Registration fee August 23-September 5
Adults - $40
Teens (14-18) - $10
Fees are non-refundable.
Adult registrations include a lunch voucher and grab-and-go breakfast.
Saturday September 5th
7:30-8:30
Sign-in, surface stamping and same-day registration at Chambers Fort Park, located beside 33 North Main Street, Chambersburg.
(Rainsite: Foundry Art Market and other locations 54 Lincoln Way West)
8:30-12:30
Quick Draw Competition, with artists painting within 2 blocks of Chambers Fort Park: map provided. Artists return to Chambers Fort Park by 12:30 with completed artwork and easel for judging and display.
12:30-1:30
Lunch and prep time: artists bring work and easel for display to Chambers Fort Park. Artwork must be finished and ready for hanging! Artwork must be labeled with the tag provided at check-in
(Rain site, workspace, restrooms available at the Foundry Art Market 54 Lincoln Way West).
1:30-2:30
Judging at Chambers Fort Park.
(Rain site: TBA)
2:30-3:30
Award Ceremony, Reception, Exhibit and Sale at Chambers Fort Park.
(Rain site: TBA)
This project is supported by:
Support the Arts & our downtown in Chambersburg by becoming a sponsor of this yearly event
Painting at
Plein Air Chambersburg.
September 9, 2023 was an exciting day
in downtown Chambersburg.
After months of planning the first Plein Air Chambersburg event dawned with beautiful light fluffy clouds.
46 artists from throughout our region arrived downtown early in the morning ready to paint.
We greeted them in Founding Fathers Park with coffee, maps and a grab-and-go breakfast.
Soon they were set up and working at sites all throughout the 4 block area surrounding the Square.
Downtown Chambersburg is unique in having an amazing variety of unusual and dynamic sites to paint, from our streams, waterfall and waterwheel; to the Farmer’s Market and attractive storefronts, the central Square with historic courthouse, fountain, Central Presbyterian church’s tall steeple and the 2 stately banks that now house the Franklin County Visitor’s Bureau and Heritage Center; a shady historic cemetery at Falling Springs Church and even a Japanese Garden, housed at the Old Jail.
We are looking forward to seeing you this year
on September 6th 2025
Video by
The Painters.
2025.
2024.
2023.
