Paint Dexter registration typically opens early January. Paint Dexter will notify artists via social media and the Paint Dexter email update of when it opens.

To sign up for the email update, please click HERE and sign up by entering your email and checking the "Paint Dexter" box.

Registration for Professional artists closes on June 1st @ 5:00pm. Jurying will take place shortly thereafter.

Registrations for Emerging artists closes July 1st @ 5:00pm.

Once registration closes, registered artists are still able to add additional paintings for the main competition, but payment must be received prior to the start of the Festival (each additional painting costs $10). For the Quick Draw event, artists can register up to the day before the competition begins, but payment must be received prior to the competition (the Quick Draw entry fee is $20).

July 1st - Professional artist registration fees are due or notification must be made to Paint Dexter that payment is on the way.

July 15th - Emerging artist registration fees are due or notification must be made to Paint Dexter that payment is on the way.

Artists who do not pay their registration fees by the proper due date or do not notify Paint Dexter prior to the due date will be moved to the waiting list and that spot will become available to the next person on the waiting list. Those on the waiting list will have five business days to respond and pay their registration fees online.

In total, artists can have three (3) paintings for the main competition, one (1) Quick Draw painting, and two (2) reserve paintings from either current or previous Paint Dexter events. The number of reserve paintings could be limited depending on the number of paintings registered in the main competitions. Reserve pieces are non-competition pieces and will not be a part of the judging process.

Participating artists will have various activities available to them such as the artist reception and artist get-together breakfast. These activities and more can be found on the Artist Timeline page. Additional information will be sent to participating artists closer to the date of the Festival.

For artists who are new to Paint Dexter, we recommend checking out the following pages to get started:

1. Artist Guide & Participation Requirements

Afterward, we also recommend checking out the other areas on the site as well as perusing our FAQ sections. If you have any additional questions, you can reach out to Paintdexter@gmail.com for assistance.

Artists are restricted to painting within the boundaries of the Dexter School District. You can see the map by clicking HERE.

Paintings cannot exceed 24" by 24" (including the frame). If a painting exceeds these dimensions, they are subject to disqualification from the competition. For more information, please see our Artist's Guide page.

During the 2023 Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival, the average painting sold for roughly $305.

Paint Dexter takes place the third week in August following Dexter Daze. The bulk of painting takes place in and around the Dexter community within the Dexter School District boundaries. Many of the events and workshops, such as the youth activities and art sale, take place in Monument Park in the heart of Downtown Dexter.

During Paint Dexter, the public will be able to enjoy artists painting in and around town from Monday to Friday. Various events and activities which include live music, painting sales, artist meet-and-greets, and a wine and beer reception occur on Friday and Saturday. A list of all the public events can be found on the Public Events page.

There are also adult and youth workshops that members of the public can sign up for, but these events will require a fee to participate. See the Workshops Information section below for more information.

At the current time, Paint Dexter does not offer a way to actively track where artists will be located. We encourage artists to make their locations known via their personal social media.

Popular locations where artists can typically be found painting within the City are:

1. The Border-to-Border Trail
2. Forest Lawn Cemetery
3. Downtown Dexter
4. Historical structures and landmarks with the school district boundary

If you are looking to see if a particular artist will be participating in this year's Festival, you can check out the Participating Artists page. This page will be updated shortly after the final registration deadline of July 1st each year.

Whether you are an artist or patron of the Festival, we highly recommend following Paint Dexter on Facebook and signing up for the Paint Dexter Email Update.

Paint Dexter is always looking for volunteers, so if you are interested in volunteering during the Festival, please check out the Volunteers page and fill out the volunteering survey. 

If you are interested in being a sponsor for the Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival, please see our Sponsorship page for more information.

The youth workshops are an instructor-led activity that takes place on Wednesday during the Festival where kids of all ages have a chance to learn and improve their skills in plein air painting. The youth workshops are broken down into three age groups:

1. Elementary Age
2. Middle School Age
3. High School Age

On the Saturday of the Festival, a free kids' activity will also be hosted in Monument Park near the gazebo. This activity will be geared toward younger, elementary-aged children, but is open to people of all ages.

For more information regarding the workshops, check out the Youth Workshops page.

The adult workshop is a one or two day workshop (varies by year) that takes place at a location within the Dexter School District the weekend before Paint Dexter. The workshop is typically led by that year's Awarding Judge who helps artists of all skill levels hone their craft. This workshop will provide participants the opportunity to receive hands-on instruction and feedback on your plein air painting from an award-winning artist.

You can see more information on this year's adult workshop by checking out the Adult Workshop page. Registration fees for the Adult Workshop are due August 1st to reserve your spot.

Paint Dexter patrons will be able to purchase artwork starting Friday @ 2:00pm through Saturday evening. Tent Gallery hours and event information can be found on the Public Events page.

Paintings purchased Friday or Saturday morning can be picked up on Saturday starting at 12:00pm. That way, patrons who were unable to get to the tent Friday will be able to see all the great artwork before it is taken home.

Yes, Paint Dexter offers online sales for artists who participated in the most recent Paint Dexter. Artists are able to submit up to five (5) paintings from the most recent Paint Dexter or past Paint Dexter events to be sold on the Paint Dexter Online Store. Those interested in purchasing a painting can visit the online store, peruse the gallery, and submit a Painting Purchase Interest Form.

Like many plein air events, the Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival has set a fair 30% commission on all painting sales that goes toward the operation of the Festival as well as to help fund art in the City of Dexter. Along with that, any profit generated by the Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival is reinvested into art in the community. The Dexter Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee prides itself on maintaining a community-focused vision for the Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival.

If you want to keep up with all the latest Paint Dexter news, we highly encourage signing up for our Paint Dexter Email Update. By clicking on the preceding link, you will enter your email, check the "Paint Dexter" box and click Subscribe to be added to the Paint Dexter email list.

You can also follow the Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival Facebook page for more information.

Paint Dexter staff understands that things arise that take immediate precedence over Paint Dexter activities. But unfortunately, Paint Dexter will not issue refunds for the following:

• Artist Registration
• Adult or Youth Workshop Fees
• Art Sales

For artists or workshop participants who are unable to make their event, the proceeds from your registration will be donated in-kind to the Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival.

All painting sales are final.

To participate in the Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival competitions or adult workshop you MUST register online in advance.

If you show up to get your paper or canvases stamped and did not register online in advance, you will not be able to participate in any competition.

You are welcome to paint with other artists even if you aren’t officially participating in the festival.