“Mississippi Riverscapes: The 2026 Plein Air Art Competition” to return to the Riverbend

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project, in partnership with Jacoby Arts Center, Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, and Mooneyham Art LLC, is excited to announce its second annual Plein Air art competition, “Mississippi Riverscapes.”
This event is an open-air painting and drawing competition at Rivers Project recreation areas throughout the month of May and is open to all amateur and professional artists ages 16 and up. Artists will compete for regional prizes, including a month of art representation at Mooneyham Art Gallery in downtown Alton and a clay class at Jacoby Arts Center. The competition will conclude with an awards ceremony and the opening of the second annual “Mississippi Riverscapes” temporary art exhibit at the National Great Rivers Museum. This exhibit will feature the artwork of all participants, as well as information about the featured Rivers Project recreation sites.
Artists may paint or draw independently at any of eight selected Rivers Project recreation sites, any time between May 1st and May 31st, 2026. For a one-time entry fee of $25, artists may submit up to one painting or drawing per recreation site, for up to a total of eight submissions. All submissions are due to the National Great Rivers Museum by 5:00 p.m. on May 31st, with winners to be chosen by a jury panel of local artists and art experts. Winning artwork will be announced at an awards ceremony at the National Great Rivers Museum on June 14th, 2026. The art exhibit will then run from June 15th to August 30th, 2026, with the option for artists to list works for sale, if desired.
“We are pleased to once again offer this opportunity to artists throughout the region, this time with some exciting updates” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Natural Resources Specialist and contest coordinator Elise Ratcliff. “This year’s competition will feature new partners, new prizes, special guest judges, and some new recreation areas that weren’t featured last year. We hope to once again use this unique platform to bring more awareness and visitation to our Rivers Project recreation sites.”
Plein Air, a French term meaning “in open air”, is a method of painting in which the artist paints entirely outdoors, capturing the essence and lighting of the real-life scene in front of them. It first gained popularity in the 19th century when paints became available in tube form, which allowed artists to more easily work outdoors. Today it continues to be a popular art form, practiced by artists all over the world.
Contest eligibility and regulations can be found online at https://www.mtrf.org/plein-air-art/. A link to registration and an official map of this year’s selected recreation locations will also be available on this page starting May 1st. All entry fees go to the Meeting of the Rivers Foundation, which provides support to the National Great Rivers Museum and Rivers Project outreach efforts.