What is “Plein Air”?
Painting “en plein air” (French expression for “in the open air”) is the art of painting outdoors without the use of photographs, capturing the natural light and beauty of landscapes, cityscapes, and seascapes.
I’m an artist. How do I apply to paint in the Falls Church Plein Air Festival?
To enter:
- Fill out entry form. (Skip to entry form)
- Upload a JPG image of one of your recent Plein Air paintings as a sample of your work and pay your one-time entry fee online.
- Have supports stamped ($5 per stamp for each artwork support – canvases, papers, etc.) prior to doing your work.
If you have technical difficulties, please contact info@fallschurcharts.org or call the office at 703-679-7881
What happens at the Falls Church “Scenes in the City” Plein Air Festival?
The Falls Church “Scenes in the City” Plein Air Festival is an annual juried plein air painting competition and art sale in the City of Falls Church hosted by Falls Church Arts. Artists from all over come and paint outdoors to compete for prizes awarded by a juror and to sell their artwork.
Participating artists are invited to paint in outdoor locations throughout the Little City of Falls Church, including historic homes, downtown in the evening, tree-lined historic areas, the W&OD bike trail, parks, and more. Community artists can participate in the Quick Draw competition on Saturday, June 15, 2019; no entry fee required for this event.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and businesses! Contact Falls Church Arts info@FallsChurchArts.org or call 703-679-7881.
Where can I see and buy the paintings?
To see the entire exhibition, come to the corner of Little Falls Street and Park Avenue from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm to purchase art, Saturday, June 13. All art entered in the competition must stay on site until the competition is complete and the show closes at 3:00 pm
Selected plein air works will also be available to view and purchase beginning Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at the FCA Gallery, located at 700-B W. Broad St., Falls Church, VA. Hours are 11 am-6 pm Tuesday through Saturday and 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday. Admission is free.
Do you need volunteers?
Email Falls Church Arts at info@fallschurcharts.org or call the FCA Office at 703-679-7881 to inquire about opportunities.