En Plein Air Frisco
Description
4th annual En Plein Air Frisco event in association with Play Frisco – City of Frisco Parks and Recreation Department. Artists paint on-site at select Frisco locations over April 16–18, 2026; daily turn-ins required. Cash prizes totaling $2,000+ and possible selection into an extended exhibition at The Grove. No images need to be submitted. All artwork must be for sale ($100+); 20% commission donation to VAGF.
Notes
Host: Visual Arts Guild of Frisco. Registration open to the public; fee $65. VAGF members and past participants receive a $10 discount (email finance@vagf.org for the member code). First 50 artists to register will participate. Payment is non-refundable but transferrable with approval by VAGF Board. All participating artists receive a t-shirt and swag bag. Registration/entry deadline: March 29, 2026. No images need to be submitted. Event location/host site: The Grove at the Commons (8300 McKinney Rd, Frisco, TX). Paint out locations include 6 City of Frisco Parks locations & Rail District Main St: Kaleidoscope Park (6635 Warren Parkway, Frisco, TX 75034); Heritage Museum and historic park (6455 Page St, Frisco TX); Freedom Meadow at Warren Park (7599 Eldorado Pkwy, Frisco TX); Frisco Commons Park and The Grove at the Commons (8300 McKinney Rd, Frisco TX); Limestone Quarry Park (1230 Maltby Drive, Frisco, TX 75035); Cottonwood Creek Greenbelt (10381 Fire Ridge Dr, Frisco, TX 75033). Schedule / important dates: - Artists Meet and Greet: April 16, 2026, 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. at The Grove at The Commons. - Official Paint Out: April 16–18, 2026. - Exhibition open to public: April 16–18, 2026, at The Grove at The Commons. - Awards Reception (judging for overall three-day painting competition, including wet paint, takes place at this reception): April 18, 2026, 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. at The Grove at The Commons. - Exhibition ends 8:30 p.m., April 18, 2026 – buyers must pick up sold artwork; artists must pick up unsold work. - Extended Exhibition: April 18–May 16, 2026 for a selection of artworks at The Gallery Wall at The Grove. Paint-out options / daily deadlines: - Day one (April 16): Artists Meet and Greet 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.; optional nocturne paint at Kaleidoscope Park 6:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m.; drop off completed piece at The Grove at the Commons no later than 10:30 p.m. - Day two (April 17): full day paint out 6:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; drop off completed piece at The Grove at the Commons no later than 8:30 p.m. - Day three (April 18): paint out 6:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; optional wet paint/quick draw competition 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.; wet paint/quick draw drop off completed piece no later than 1:00 p.m.; day three paint out drop off completed piece no later than 2:30 p.m. - Wet Paint / Quick draw Competition: optional sign up at the event; free for VAGF Members, $10 for non-members. Sales/commission: all artwork displayed during this event must be for sale at $100 or more. 20% commission donation from exhibition sales benefits VAGF (sales split noted as 20% VAGF donation / 80% artist). Participation rules (selected): participants must be present (no agent) at orientation and participate in all event activities per itinerary; paintings must have an event stamp, be created during the official painting period, and turned in by end of each painting day/time allotted to be eligible for awards; minimum price $100; minimum size no side smaller than 8 inches (excluding frame); maximum size no side may exceed 20 inches (excluding frame); all work in gallery quality frames, wired (no saw-tooth hangers), ready for hanging; gallery wrapped stretched canvas acceptable if sides painted and 1.5" or larger in depth, wired and ready for hanging; each artist can submit one artwork each for Nocturne (Thursday), Paint out (Friday), Paint out (Saturday), Wet Paint/Quick Draw (Saturday – optional) for maximum total of four; pick-up of unsold work by the artist after the evening reception on April 18, 2026—artwork left behind considered abandoned and donated to VAGF. Artwork removal restriction: all artwork must be for sale and cannot be taken by collectors or artists until the end of the public awards reception on 4/18/26; work cannot be removed from exhibition panels until end of show unless sold through VAGF Board member; removal prior to end may disqualify artist from future events. Jurors: To Be Announced. Liability/insurance: artwork displayed in a public area at artist’s own risk; VAGF/City of Frisco/Play Frisco not responsible for loss/damage; artist should provide their own insurance. Contact: info@vagf.org; for more info email finance@vagf.org; website www.vagf.org.