Artist Information
Artists Prospectus
Contact Information
Questions about how to complete your registration form? Please read the information on your form first and if you have questions we are happy to help! Please email anytime or text evenings and weekends before 7pm.
Application Dates
OPEN: March 15, 2025
Close: May 10, 2025 at midnight OR when submissions reach 100
LINK TO APPLICATION will be live on March 15, 2025
The 2nd Annual Hamilton Plein Air Festival will take place within the Municipality of Hamilton Ontario. Hamilton’s unique position nestled on either side of the Niagara Escarpment, provides artists with a wide variety of subject matter from waterfalls and limestone cliffs to Carolinian forests, Lake Ontario beaches, Bruce trail access plus the cities many historic buildings, the gritty steel and manufacturing district and its landmarks and century homes. This city is truly a plein air artists paradise!! The event this year runs from June 5th to 8th 2025.
Eligibility
Hamilton Plein Air Festival is unique because we welcome ALL artists of ALL levels, mediums, visual artistic approaches, and ages from 18 and up!! Our goal is to provide artists with a unique experience that embraces ALL types of visual art making allowing everyone who wants to experience the joy of creating art outdoors.
Examples of mediums: oil paint, watercolour paint, acrylic paint, pastels, pencil, ink, coloured pencil, oil pastels, collage, textiles, recycled materials etc.
There is no juried entry process this year; however we do vette your applications to ensure we feel you will thoroughly enjoy your experience.
Applications close May 10, 2025 at midnight or when we reach our max registrations of 100 participants.
Application Process
Complete the online application and submit. Applications open March 15, 2025
Return here and process your payment. Once accepted you will receive a Confirmation email. Bring a printed OR digital copy of your confirmation email with you when you arrive for your In-person Check-in. (see below)
Please ensure your payment choices and application choices match before finalizing your payment.
Last year we asked for your feedback. So, this year, per your request, we have added options to participate in workshops, a yoga class and a Meet and Greet night. Please ensure you select ALL of the activities you wish to participate in on your form and that you complete payment for ALL of your selections.
NEW for 2025
NEW Artist & Supporters Meet & Greet Evening
Join us on Thursday June 5th to mix and mingle with your fellow artists, our event supporters and your event hosts. Location: Fool and Flagon Pub. please visit the Event Itinerary page for full details.
1) Passionate Plein Air with Sam Paonessa
When: June 6th, 2025 - 9:30am to 12:30am
Where: Tiffany Falls Conservation Area, 900 Wilson Street East, Hamilton
2) Garden Plein Air with Jacquie Herron
When: June 7th, 2025 - 10:30am to 12:30pm
Where: Dundurn Castle Kitchen Garden, 610 York Blvd, Hamilton
Workshop class sizes are limited to 15 students. This provides our presenters with the best opportunity to provide you with valuable one-to-one instruction during the workshop. REGISTER EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT Full descriptions are available on the Event Itinerary page.
NEW Yoga Class for Artists - free with donation
In partnership with De La Sol Yoga, we are happy to provide you, our Festival participants with exclusive access to this relaxing slow flow yoga class for artists. This class is for participants of the Festival only!! Pre-registration is required. Please visit the Event Itinerary page for a full description. Registrations for THIS class MUST be done on the De La Sol website. This class is FREE however, De La Sol collects donations to Ladybird Sanctuary for entry into free classes. We recommend you register early to save your spot. Yoga mats are available for rental at the studio. Please go here to register: COMING SOON
New Day Passes for HCA
The Hamilton Conservation Area has provided us with discounted Conservation area passes for our registered Festival participants (free passes for students) to use during the competition days June 5, 6 and 7. Coupons for your passes will available to purchase at the Hamilton Conservation Authority
NEW DAY passes to the Art Gallery of Hamilton
AGH has generously provided day passes to their gallery for ALL of our registered festival participants!! You will receive your pass in your Artists Gift bag along with your t-shirt, maps and restaurant coupons.
New Day Passes for Dundurn Castle
The Dundurn National Historic site has provided us with tour admission passes for our registered Festival participants to use during the competition days June 5, 6 and 7. Passes will be available during check-in, in your Artists Gift bag.
Awards
This year we are especially excited as the community of Hamilton has responded to our requests to collaborate and we have some very special awards available to our participating artists. The awards ceremony will take place at Central Presbyterian Church: 165 Charlton Avenue West, Hamilton ON, L8P 2H1 on Sunday June 8th at NOON. The ceremony is open to the public; however artists will have preferred entry if we experience crowding. Once the ceremony is complete we ask that artists exit the building to allow the public to enter freely to browse and purchase artwork.
Over 3k in prizes and cash available to be won.
Best in Show: $700 cash PLUS an Art Gallery of Hamilton Family Membership and Niro catalogue (value of $140.00) – total prize value $840
2nd place: $450 cash PLUS an Art Gallery of Hamilton Individual Membership and Lasting Impressions Catalogue (value of $85.00) – total prize value $535
3rd place: $300 cash PLUS an Art Gallery of Hamilton Individual Membership (value of $55.00) - total prize value $355
4th place: $200 cash
5th place: $100 cash
Best in Composition: $500 framing gift certificate donated by Earls Court Gallery
Best in Oil: $100 cash - sponsored by the Office of the Mayor of Hamilton
Best in Water based medium: $100 cash
Spirit of Hamilton – An artwork that encompasses the “spirit” of Hamilton Ontario as experienced by the artist during the festival: $100 cash - sponsored by The Office of the Mayor of Hamilton.
Best Bruce Trail – An artwork depicting a scene/section of the Bruce Trail that runs through Hamilton: Prize pack donated by the Bruce Trail Conservancy- Value $100
Plus 10 honorable mentions Certificates
Each artwork submitted is eligible for maximum of ONE of the above prizes.
All winning entries and artists will be featured on our website until May 2026.
2025 Judges
Curator Andrea Jackman has created innovative exhibitions at Earls Court Gallery, Hamilton since 2009 following the completion of her Masters in Art History at Western University in London, Ontario. Jackman also holds a Bachelors of Studio Arts from the University of Waterloo.
She has imbedded herself in the art community by way of juror, guest speaker, educator, arts contributor writer and as an art consultant. In addition, Jackman is an appraiser of fine arts and has a vast knowledge of historical and contemporary art.
Over the years, she has showcased en plein air paintings freshly created and historically significant. She believes paintings captured outdoors allows the artist to intuitively react to their emotions cause by the landscape and environment in front of them. From here and as no small feat, the artist can connect a viewer to the real essence of a place.
Peter Cheung is a full-time artist based in Oakville, Ontario. Originally from Hong Kong, he was deeply influenced by Chinese art from a young age. After relocating to Canada, he honed his Western art skills at Sheridan College. Peter skillfully merges the vigorous brushwork of his Chinese painting background with Western techniques, drawing inspiration from Impressionist color and light. This unique fusion enables him to create bold, expressive works that maintain the authenticity of their subjects.
An advocate of plein air painting, Peter believes that working outdoors fosters a deeper connection to nature, transforming mechanical processes into meaningful art infused with human emotion. He views each canvas as an extension of the surrounding world, capturing unfiltered moments that reflect the beginning of a story.
Peter is a multiple award-winner in juried shows and serves as a juror for various prestigious competitions. As a plein air painting instructor, his work is represented in numerous private and corporate collections worldwide, as well as in galleries throughout Ontario
Accommodations for Non-Residents
We have created a listing of commercial accommodations available to visiting artists that is available on the main Festival page here. As we are an emerging artists group our access to billeting is limited at the moment. However, we do not want costs to be a barrier. Therefore, if you are in need of low cost accommodations please contact us as soon as possible before May and we will do our best to help you out.
video of the artwork for the 2024 Show and Sale
Webster Falls Conservation Area
Rules and Regulations for Festival Participants
This is a plein air event. All artwork submitted to the competition MUST have been started and completed outdoors. This is to encourage and maintain the “feeling of the moment” that is a main feature of plein air works.
This year ALL competitors will be required to submit a photo of themselves creating the artwork that is being submitted for judging along with a photo of just the artwork itself. These photos will be used on our website and social media. Photos are to be emailed to the event organizer before the submission due date of June 7 by 7pm.
In person check-in is open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings 7am to 11am at the registration tent located on the property of Central Presbyterian Church: 165 Charlton Avenue West, Hamilton ON, L8P 2H1. Artists are required to bring all of your supports (paper, board, wood, canvas etc) AND a printed copy of your Confirmed letter.
Advanced registration must be completed online prior to your in-person check-in.
Artists may apply transparent or opaque grounds, without 3-dimensional textures, to their support of choice prior to registration. Supports with drawing or sculptural effects will not be permitted. Each canvas/panel/paper or other support must be stamped on the back by a check-in volunteer PRIOR to painting. Unstamped art supports will NOT be accepted for the show.
Each work of art must be started and completed en plein air (outside).
You are not required to return stamped canvases at the end of the day. You are required to sign that you have followed these rules and regulations.
The size of the finished art MUST NOT to exceed 24” on the longest side. No diptychs. No Exceptions. Artists must provide their own materials. Hamilton has local art supply shops if you have forgotten any materials. Details can be found in your registration package.
Artists may paint any subject/scene outdoors throughout the City of Hamilton including Hamilton, Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Binbrook, Waterdown, Carlisle and Mount Hope. Information on a variety of painting locations will be available in your registration package and on the website in May.
Artists are STRONGLY encouraged to wear the Event Tee you received in your check-in package. This will help to identify you as a participating artist while you are out painting in the community and it shows our gratitude to the many community supporters of our event.
Artists must strictly follow all rules of the parks and conservation areas you will visit. It is important to show our support of the conservation efforts of our city and its partners; the Hamilton Conservation Authority
Show and Sale Details
This years show and sale of festival artwork will take place at Central Presbyterian Church: 165 Charlton Avenue West, Hamilton ON, L8P 2H1 immediately after the Awards Ceremony is complete, approximately 1pm on Sunday June 8th. To provide the best experience for our visitors and art lovers we ask that artists leave their work on the displays until 4pm. All artwork that was submitted for jury will also be part of the show and sale. Artwork purchased during the show and sale is subject to a 30% commission shared between our venue hosts and our artists group, Hamilton Ontario Plein Air Artists.
Artists may submit ONE additional piece created during the festival but not submitted for jury IF display space allows. You may also provide your own display easel for this purpose. Please ensure this additional piece also has an approved Festival Label affixed to it.
Artists must CLEARLY indicate that HST is included in the state price if you are required to charge it.
NEW: For those who selected this option, the Show and Sale will continue online at www.hamontpleinair.com until the end of June 2025. We will use the photos submitted for this purpose. Artists will keep the artwork, we will not store your work. Any sales that occur during the online portion will be subject to a 20% commission. Artists will be responsible for arranging delivery/pickup/shipping of the artwork to your new collector.
Pricing tips: ensure your pricing is consistent with your website and gallery pricing. For those without representation or a website we recommend a minimum starting price of $1.20 per square inch for your pricing rounded up to the next round number. For example; an 8” x 10” artwork would be $96 then round up to $100.
Off the Easel Sales
Sales may be made during the festival “off the easel”, that is someone falls in love with your work while you’re creating it and wants to take it home. We ask that you provide an image of the piece and a percentage of the sale to go towards future event planning. We recommend 20% but leave it to your discretion. Email your image and commission to US HERE
Promotion
By submitting the application form, all accepted participants give the Hamilton Plein Air Festival and Hamilton Plein Air Artists their permission to use for promotional purposes. Images of the artist and their created works taken during the festival, workshops, meet and greet evening, awards and show/sale.
Agreement to Terms and Conditions
By submitting the online application the artist agrees to all 2025 Hamilton Plein Air Festival terms, conditions, rules and regulations.
Liability and Participation Agreement
I expressly understand and agree that neither Hamilton Plein Air Artists nor any of its agents, volunteers, assistants, or employees shall be held responsible or made subject of any claim seeking to assess damage or loss of any sort to myself, or another person on whose behalf this form is now signed, as a result of actual or proposed participation in the above-mentioned activity or program, and hereby agree to indemnify and hold Hamilton Plein Air Artists, its officers, agents, volunteers or employees harmless of any such claims.