May 9 – June 20, 2026
Entry Deadline: February 17 · Entry Information
Davenport, Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith, Radnor Township, Vidinghoff Galleries
The Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival is one of the longest-running and most popular outdoor painting events in the country. Founded in 2008, the Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival has welcomed over 500 artists to paint the splendor of the Philadelphia area and has become one of the most eagerly anticipated cultural events in the region.
The 18th Annual Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival kicks-off on May 3, 2026, with the arrival of 32 juried, nationally recognized, and emerging artists who have ventured to Wayne, Pennsylvania to capture the exceptional beauty of the Delaware Valley. As one of the premier plein air events in the country, Wayne Art Center offers artists the unique opportunity to showcase over 300 works created during the festival in the art center’s spacious, light-filled, and state-of-the-art exhibition galleries. These impressive works, which represent a diverse range of styles and mediums, are on view and sale through June 20, 2026 (6 weeks). A full schedule of events including community paint-outs, artist demos, lectures and other programs will be presented during the span of the festival and exhibition to further advance awareness of the plein air movement.
The galleries at Wayne Art Center are enjoyed by more than 30,000 visitors each year and sales during the Wayne Plein Air Exhibition are robust and remain steady throughout the six-week exhibition.
The success of the Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival is made possible through the artists’ enthusiastic participation over the past 17 years, along with the generosity of our many business sponsors, patrons, and volunteers, demonstrating how valued this festival is to our community. Funds raised through this eagerly anticipated event benefit Wayne Art Center’s vast array of educational, outreach, and exhibition programs for individuals of all ages and abilities.