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En Plein Air

Summer Competition 2025

Attention all artists! We invite you to take part in the thrilling En Plein Air Competition display your beautiful outdoor artwork at Rye Art Gallery! Seize the opportunity to win a fantastic £1000! Get inspired and unleash your creativity!

IVON HITCHINS DARK DISTANCE, 1959 Oil on canvas THE RYEART GALLERY PERMANENT COLLECTION 2.

A call out to Artists

The act of artists working outdoors to produce sketches and drawings to accompany their larger works has been an established tradition for many years. The scientific approach from John Constable reveals countless sketches of skies and lands observed closely and depicting the ever-changing light, mood and weather. What was an ideal for artists like Turner and Constable soon became a reality for the impressionists. The transition to en plein air originally depended on the developments of paints and materials becoming more transportable, with the invention of the box easel allowing artists to travel easily with all the equipment they needed. The traditions of en plein air are certainly alive and very popular amongst our Sussex artists. Rye with a stunning coastline, beautiful landscape, sea and big skies provides artists with the essential essence of being in a place. This year we are running alongside the Rye Arts Festival. We have developed and broadened our exhibition to focus on en plein air. For the first time this combines with a new painting competition to attract enthusiasts from further afield to participate in this major show at Rye Art Gallery. Welcome to summer,  join in and take part in your opportunity to paint outside and exhibit your work at the gallery. Please full out the entry form below:

En Plein Air Competition is kindly sponsored by 

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En Plein Air Summer Exhibition 2025 

COMPETITION ENTRY FORM 

Competition Exhibition Dates: 
Saturday 23rd August - Sunday 28th September 2025 
Works for entry @£20 each (maximum 3 entries) 
Please label all work with artist name, full title, medium and wall selling price.
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Please select how many works you would like to enter:

Thanks for submitting!

Notes: 

1. Images for the competition should be submitted either using this online form or by email ryeartgallery@gmail.com

2. Deadline for submission Thursday 31st July 

3. Works selected for the exhibition will be decided upon by the Curator

4. All paintings must be delivered to the gallery framed and ready to hang no later than 5pm 15th Aug 2025 

5. All work will be available for sale during this period, works cannot be collected until close of show on 28th of September after 5pm

6. Prize giving will be at 3pm on Sunday the 28th of September at Rye Art Gallery

7. Prizes, First prize £1000, Second prize £500, Third prize £250. Winners will be notified in advance

8. Runners up awards and certificates will also include artist materials

9. The decision of the Rye Art Gallery, En Plein Air jury will be final

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