Now Open for Entry

Deadline to Enter is January 21, 2026

Online Entry System

Please click the button above to enter this show on ArtCall.org. You will need to create a free account to enter your work.

We are using a new entry platform, that uses different terminology than you might be used to seeing. In ArtCall:

  • You will be asked to pay for the number of artworks you’ll be uploading in advance. You can add more later.

  • The word “application” means artwork, so one application is one work of art.

  • “Attachments” means images of the artwork, you can upload up to 2 images. You do not need to pay extra for attachments.

For first time users, we recommend the following resources:

  • The video tutorial linked on the call for entry page.
  • Our blog post that walks you through the entry process step-by-step.
  • Our FAQ section.

Introducing Paint Annapolis

Paint Annapolis is a seven-day juried plein air painting competition held June 1 – 7, 2026, that brings artists from across North America and Europe to Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. For 24 years, Paint Annapolis has been a premier outdoor painting event, bringing together artists and patrons to be part of a community where colonial architecture meets maritime heritage. Apply to be a juried artist to paint our beautiful historic town, exhibit your work in Circle Gallery, and compete for cash awards totaling $15,000.

Paint Annapolis 2025 is presented by Maryland Federation of Art (MFA), a 61-year-old non-profit organization committed to exhibiting new and innovative art created by living artists. MFA is based at Circle Gallery, 18 State Circle, across from the Maryland State House in historic downtown Annapolis.

Selection Juror: Gavin Glakas

Gavin Glakas grew up in Bethesda, MD and studied at Washington University in St. Louis and the Slade School of Fine Art in London.

​After graduation, Glakas worked on Capitol Hill as a Senate staffer and planned to go to law school, but after an eight-month illness culminating in the removal of a tumor from his lung at the age of 24, he decided to pursue his lifelong ambition of a career as an artist.

​Glakas’ portraits hang in the permanent collections of the United States Capitol, the Virginia State Capitol, the CIA, universities, museums and numerous collections both public and private.

​He is represented by Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA and Charleston, SC, and Palm Avenue Fine Art in Sarasota, FL.

​He has won numerous honors for his artwork, including awards from the Portrait Society of America, the Art Renewal Center, the Plein Air Salon and the Butler Institute of American Art. His paintings have been featured on NBC News and in The Washington Post, as well as magazines and other media, and exhibited at museums and galleries throughout the country.

​Glakas lives in McLean, VA, with his wife, Jasmine, and two barnstorming sons, Nico and Rory.

Awards Juror: Jill Basham

Contemporary landscape artist Jill Basham was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Columbia, Maryland. Basham comes from a family with a multi-generational history of artists. She grew up with an interest in art, yet it was not until later in adulthood that she began oil painting. Once she began, she has never looked back.

Basham is known for her plein air and studio landscape paintings, celebrated for their rich atmosphere and expressive sense of place. While she often paints outdoors on location, she also develops her work in the studio. Deeply inspired by the natural beauty of the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas, she remains equally drawn to any scene that evokes an emotional response, whether close to home or discovered in her travels.

Jill has been honored to participate in and earn numerous awards in national plein air events and art exhibitions. Presently, her work is in corporate and private collections as well as in the permanent collections of museums. She is on the Board of Directors for Oil Painters of America. In addition, she is a signature member of both Oil Painters of America as well as The American Society of Marine Artists. Jill is also an artist member of The American Impressionist Society, as well as two historic art institutions; The Salmagundi Club, NYC, and The Washington Society of Landscape Painters.

Jill now resides near the Chesapeake Bay on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where the local landscape continues to inspire her work. She is drawn to any scene that sparks an emotional response, allowing her to translate the beauty and atmosphere of a place onto canvas.

Liability

  • Artwork will be handled with all possible care. MFA will not be responsible or liable for loss or damage from any cause whatsoever. Insurance, if desired, must be carried by the artist.

Awards

  • Cash awards total $15,000

Tentative Event Schedule

  • May 31 Dueling Brushes (Quick Draw)
  • Jun 2 Paint the Bay Reception
  • Jun 4 Art on the Avenue
  • Jun 5 Collector’s Reception and Awards Ceremony
  • Jun 6 Opening Reception
  • Jun 7 Muffins and Mimosas[

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Work

  • All entries must be original and completed solely by the artist’s hand. A maximum of 3 original plein air works created within the past 3 years may be entered.

Sales

  • Artists will retain 60% from sales made during Paint Annapolis. MFA will retain 40% commission on any work sold.

Exhibition Schedule

  • Oct 22 Juried Artist Application Opens
  • Jan 21 Juried Artist Application Deadline
  • Feb 24 Notification @ 5 PM

NOTE: Should the exhibition space be closed for reasons beyond our control, MFA reserves the right to move a planned physical exhibit to our online gallery.

General Guidelines

Notification

All artists will receive notification by email. Accepted artists and artwork will also be posted on MFA’s website. Artists who have unsubscribed from MFA’s emails will not receive notification.
The notice to accepted artists will include specific details and may vary from the prospectus.
Please set your email account to recognize notification@mdfedart.org and info@mdfedart.org.