Art Competitions for Minneapolis Artists – June 2026
June is one of the busiest months of the competition year — several major national deadlines are closing right now, and the outdoor painting season is just getting started across Minnesota and the Midwest. Whether you paint in the studio, work en plein air, or somewhere in between, there are real opportunities here worth your attention.
As always, if you need professional photos of your artwork to meet a competition’s submission requirements, just let me know which show you’re targeting. I’ll provide image files that match their exact specs — resolution, color space, file format, dimensions — all taken care of. You make the art; I’ll make sure it looks its best in the submission.
Many of the artists I’ve worked with have gone on to win major national and international awards, including:
⚡ Open Right Now – June 2026 Deadlines to Know About
These competitions are either happening this week or closing in the next two weeks. Don’t wait on these.
Art Renewal Center (ARC) Salon – 19th International Competition
Entry Window: Closes June 2026 (expected) | Online + International Exhibitions
One of the most prestigious competitions for realist painters anywhere in the world — over $130,000 in cash awards and international recognition through partnerships with major galleries, museums, and art publications. Categories include Figurative, Portraiture, Imaginative Realism, Drawing, Landscape, Still Life, Plein Air, Animals, Sculpture, and a special Teen category. Entry fees start around $28 and include a copy of the ARC Salon book.
If you’re submitting to the ARC Salon, reach out now — the entry window closes this month and you’ll want your image files ready well ahead of time.
Art Renewal Center (ARC) Salon website
Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition – 43rd Annual
Final Deadline: June 11, 2026 | Online
Ten days left. This is a well-respected national competition with $17,500 in cash prizes across five categories: Landscape/Cityscape, Animal & Wildlife, Still Life & Interior, Portrait & Figure, and Abstract & Experimental. Winners and honorable mentions are featured in Artists Magazine (typically the Jan/Feb issue of the following year). Entry fees run $30–$40 depending on membership status.
Reach out ASAP if you want competition-ready image files before the June 11 deadline.
Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition website
Oil Painters of America (OPA) – Western Regional Exhibition
Entry Deadline: June 12, 2026 | Cassens Fine Art, Hamilton, Montana
Another one closing fast. Open to OPA members residing in western U.S. states and western Canadian provinces. OPA membership is $80/year. If you’re already a member, this is a great regional opportunity — check eligibility on the OPA website.
Oil Painters of America exhibitions website
Jefferson Plein Air
Dates: June 17–20, 2026 | Jefferson, WI
Four days of outdoor painting through historic Jefferson — buildings, rivers, landscapes, and rural points of interest. A solid Midwest plein air event with a relaxed, collegial atmosphere.
🏆 National Competitions – Open or Opening Soon
Salon Art Prize – 16th Annual (formerly PleinAir Salon)
Monthly deadlines through March 2027 | Grand Prizes announced May 2027 | Online
The PleinAir Salon rebranded this year as the Salon Art Prize, and this year features two $15,000 Grand Prizes — one for the cover of PleinAir Magazine and a new second prize for Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. Total annual prize pool is now over $65,000. And despite the name, this competition is wide open — all painting styles and subjects qualify, not just plein air.
Monthly deadlines fall at the end of each month:
- Early bird (1st–15th): $29 first entry, $12 each additional
- Regular (16th–end of month): $40 first entry, $16 each additional
Monthly winners are automatically entered into the Annual Competition. One of the more artist-friendly competition structures out there.
Oil Painters of America (OPA) – Eastern/Southeast Regional Exhibition
Entries Accepted: June 15 – August 20, 2026 | Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA
Opens in two weeks. OPA members in eastern U.S. states and eastern Canadian provinces are eligible. Check the OPA website for full eligibility details.
Oil Painters of America exhibitions website
National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society (NOAPS) – Best of America, 36th National Exhibition
Application Deadline: Expected Summer 2026 | Exhibition: Fall 2026 (location TBD)
NOAPS members only. Over $35,000 in cash and sponsor awards. Max size 1,200 square inches excluding frame. Annual NOAPS membership is $62. The official deadline hasn’t been announced yet — check the NOAPS website now and don’t get caught off guard.
National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society (NOAPS) – Fall International Online Exhibition
Application Deadline: Expected October 2026 | Online
Open to both members and non-members working in oil or acrylic. 200 artworks accepted, with cash awards around $4,500. A good option for newer members or non-members who want NOAPS exposure without the full national show.
Minted Design Challenges
Rolling competitions year-round | Online (minted.com)
This one’s a little different from a traditional juried show. Minted runs design challenges where community votes and expert curation select winners. Winners receive a $200 cash prize and their designs are sold as fine art prints, stationery, and home goods — with 6–10% royalties on all sales. Minted handles production, fulfillment, and customer service entirely. If you’re interested in passive income and broader consumer exposure, this is worth a look.
Minted Design Challenges website
🎨 Minnesota Art Competitions – Register Now
Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Competition
Registration Open Now | Deadline: July 14, 2026 (4:30 PM) | Fine Arts Center, Minnesota State Fairgrounds, Falcon Heights, MN
Exhibition: August 27 – September 7, 2026
This is Minnesota’s largest juried art exhibition — over 300 pieces selected from thousands of submissions by artists across the state. Open exclusively to Minnesota residents, with eight categories: Painting/Mixed Media, Sculpture, Watercolor/Gouache/Casein/Tempera, Drawings/Pastel, Printmaking, Ceramics/Glass, Textiles/Fiber, and Photography. Each artist may submit one piece.
Accepted work can be listed for sale through the Minnesota State Fair Foundation at a 20% commission — good visibility for collectors browsing during the 12-day fair.
Registration is open right now. Let me know you’re submitting and I’ll provide image files that match their exact specifications.
Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Competition website
Plein Air Grand Marais
Main Competition Week: September 11–19, 2026 | Public Reception & Awards: September 19, 5–7 PM | Grand Marais, MN
One of the best events on Minnesota’s North Shore. Running since 2008, this annual tradition brings outdoor painters to the shores of Lake Superior for a full week of painting, workshops, competition, and community. Over $7,000 in awards across two classes:
- Competition Class – invitational and experienced painters
- Open Class – all skill levels welcome
Features daily paint-outs, workshops with professional artists, a Quick Paint competition, and artist socials throughout the week. Organized by Outdoor Painters of Minnesota and hosted by the Cook County Historical Society’s Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery.
Plein Air Grand Marais website
Prairie Lakes Plein Air
Dates: Summer 2026 | Otter Tail County, MN
Art education, exhibition, and competition in the lakes country of West-Central Minnesota. Open to artists of all skill levels. Official 2026 dates haven’t been posted yet — check the website for updates.
Prairie Lakes Plein Air website
Red Wing Arts Plein Air – 20th Annual
Dates: June 13–20, 2026 | Red Wing, MN
Twenty years running. Artists paint recognizable scenes around Red Wing and along the Mississippi River bluffs — a favorite subject for good reason.
Red Wing Arts Plein Air website
Into Nature Plein Air Competition
Dates: Summer 2026 | White Bear Lake, MN
Open to all experience levels — a low-pressure entry point for painters who want their first competition experience. All accepted artwork displayed in the Ford Family Gallery. Official 2026 dates TBD.
Into Nature Plein Air Competition website
🖌️ Midwest Plein Air – Rest of the Season at a Glance
| Competition | Dates | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Evanston Plein Air Festival | July 11–19, 2026 | Evanston, IL |
| Door County Plein Air Festival | July 19–25, 2026 | Fish Creek, WI |
| Plein Air at the Fair (entry deadline July 8) | August 10–11, 2026 | West Allis, WI |
| Iowa Plein Air Competition | Labor Day Weekend 2026 | Amana, IA |
| Fairfield PaintOut | September 22–26, 2026 | Fairfield, IL |
| Waukesha Plein Air Competition | Week of October 3, 2026 | Waukesha, WI |
| Paint the Towns in Fall Color | October 12–19, 2026 | Plymouth, WI |
A few highlights worth noting:
Door County Plein Air (July 19–25) is the Midwest’s premier outdoor painting event — 30 to 36 invited artists from across the U.S., with an online exhibition and sale after the event wraps. Door County Plein Air Festival website
Plein Air at the Fair at the Wisconsin State Fair has an entry deadline of July 8 — earlier than you’d expect for an August event. Open to all artists; finished works are available for public purchase onsite. Plein Air at the Fair website
Fairfield PaintOut (September 22–26) is an underrated regional gem — housing and most meals are provided during the week for participating artists. Fairfield PaintOut website
🎯 Pro Tips for Entering Art Competitions
Whether you’re submitting for the first time or you’ve been doing this for years, a few things consistently separate successful entries from the ones that don’t make it through.
Follow the rules exactly. Every competition has specific requirements for file size, resolution, color space, dimensions, framing, and labeling. Submitting the wrong format — even with excellent work — can get your entry disqualified before a juror ever sees it.
Your photo is your first impression. For online submissions, the juror never sees the original — they see your photo. A blurry image, uneven lighting, or color distortion can tank a strong painting. I specialize in photographing artwork for competition submissions and can make sure your image files meet each show’s specs perfectly.
Submit your strongest, most cohesive work. If you’re submitting multiple pieces, choose ones that feel like they belong together — even across different subjects. Think about what impression they create as a group.
Don’t wait until deadline day. Slow servers, forgotten login passwords, last-minute file issues — it all happens. Give yourself a few days of buffer, especially for major shows.
Keep a submission log. Track where you’ve submitted each piece, what images you used, and the results. Patterns emerge over time — which shows are a good fit, which aren’t, how your acceptance rate is trending.
Rejection is just part of the process. Seriously — even the most decorated artists get turned down regularly. A rejection doesn’t mean the work isn’t good. It means it wasn’t the right fit for that particular show that year. Keep making work and keep entering.
Know of a competition I should add to this list? Send it my way — I’m always looking to help artists find the right opportunities.
Note: Many summer and fall plein air competition dates for 2026 are still being finalized. Check individual event websites for the most current registration information.
Featured painting on this article: Simple Entreaties by James Vose