Calling Artists And Art Lovers Of All Experience Levels!

The National Road Museum will be hosting a brand new Plein Air event in Boonsboro on May 2nd from 8am until 4pm!

Enjoy being outdoors and capture something beautiful in the Boonsboro area!  Artists are encouraged to find subjects along the Historic National Road (Route 40 Alternate) in Historic Downtown Boonsboro or a nearby area.

When complete, you may choose to take your art home or display it for the public through the month of May!  Artwork displayed for the month will be entered for one of two awards with prizes.  In addition to display, artists are encouraged to consider donating their completed artwork to a silent auction.

All proceeds from registration and the auction will benefit the National Road Heritage Foundation.

Click Here To Register As An Artist For This Event

Dates:

May 2

8:30am – 4:30 pm – Plein Air Painting Event.  Rain Date May 9th.
Check-in begins 8:30.  Day-Of submissions for exhibit before 4:30.

May 6 & 8

6-7:30pm – Weekday finished painting dropoff

May 9, 16, & 23

10am-4pm – Public display of artwork at the National Road Museum.  Silent Auction and Public Choice Award Voting Open.

May 30 –

12:00 PM Silent Auction Ends.
2:00 PM Board-Of-Directors Choice and Public Choice Award winners named.  Silent auction winners named.

Registration Fees:

$8 – Artist Bringing Own Canvas (or other surface on which to create*)
$10 – Comes With Museum Provided 11 x 14 Basic Canvas
$12 – Comes With Museum Provided 16 x 20 Basic Canvas

Free To Observe, visitors are encouraged to also visit our museums which ask for a donation to tour.

*If intended for display in the exhibit, artist must provide framing or other mounting for paper- or loose fabric-based artwork.

The registration fee is non-refundable.

Art Day – May 2nd, 2026

Artists may begin checking in at the National Road Museum at 8:30 AM on Saturday, May 2nd.  Check-in will remain open until 1pm.  Rain date will be Saturday, May 9th.  Participants who do not have a selected location will be offered suggestions and provided with information listing local amenities.  Once set up, they are encouraged to call and indicate the nearest address to their final setup location to ensure museum services are made available and to better guide observers.

Artists may work at their own pace throughout the day.  Volunteers will be available to watch equipment for short breaks.  Members of the public are welcome to enjoy downtown Boonsboro and observe artists at work.

Those participating in the art exhibit may choose to submit their artwork any time before 4:30 PM, or may take pieces with them to finish in studio prior to submission during that week.  The public exhibit begins on Saturday, May 9th (except in the case of rain delay on May 2nd.)

Art Exhibit and Awards

Artists may choose to have their artwork displayed during the month of May.  Pieces will be displayed within the exhibit hall of the National Road Museum at 214 N. Main Street in Boonsboro, Maryland.  Visitors to the museum will be able to examine and enjoy these pieces during all tours during the three weeks of the exhibition.  The museum encourages optional donations for admission, with suggested donation amounts provided.

Awards will be presented to two outstanding pieces of artwork.  Rather than a traditional panel of judges, this event will present a Board of Director’s Choice Award, and a Public Choice Award.

All exhibited art will be given an identifying number, and visitors will be given the opportunity to vote on their favorites on the 9th, 16th, and 23rd.  The piece with the highest number of votes will be declared the winner.  In the case of a tie, an impartial museum volunteer or volunteers will be called upon to make a tie-breaking vote.

Similarly, the Board of Directors of the National Road Heritage Foundation will discuss their favorite pieces and determine the Board of Directors’ Choice artwork.

Prizes for these awards are to be determined.

Silent Auction

If desired, art may be donated to the National Road Heritage Foundation when presented for exhibit.  Donated pieces will be indicated and will be made available for silent auction.  Guests will write their name, phone number or email, and bid amount on paper during the course of the month.  The highest bid amount at the end of the month will be the winner.  If contact information is incorrect or payment is not received for the winning bid within one week, the next highest bidder will be named winner.

Those interested in bidding in the auction are encouraged to be present on May 30th for the announcement of winners.  If not present, the winner will be notified by telephone at the end of the auction.  Winning bids may be paid via cash, check, or electronic payment in person or online.  Maryland sales tax of 6% must be applied to the winning bid.  Winners must collect their artwork in person.

Information for Artists

• Registration is open now and will close on Wednesday April 29.
• Artists who are registered will be provided with the basic canvas indicated in their registration.
• Artists are responsible for all other supplies and equipment, including but not limited to paints, pastels, pencils, brushes, palettes, easels, tables, cloths, food & drink.
• Dropcloths MUST be used to protect the ground below an artist’s workspace.
• Participating artists are strongly encouraged to paint along the Historic National Road (Main Street) in Downtown Boonsboro.  Artwork depicting scenes within a block of the road or within Shafer Park will be acceptable.
• Scenes painted may be taken directly from real life, be conceptual, or historical interpretation of sites.
• Any art style may be used.
• Any artistic medium is welcome, however oil paint is discouraged for art intended to be displayed.
• National Road Museum volunteers will be available on-call and will occasionally check on artists in the immediate downtown area in order to secure work areas in case of restroom breaks when needed.  A list of available restrooms will be provided.
• Artists are expected to respect all laws and private property while participating in this event.  Public walkways should not be blocked.  If wishing to set up on private property it is the responsibility of the artist to secure permission from the owner or occupant of the property.