Friday – Saturday,
August 28 – 29
The annual Carmel on Canvas Plein Air Paint Out for 2026 will be held on Friday & Saturday, August 28 – 29. This open-air painting exhibition and competition takes place on the sidewalks throughout the Carmel Arts & Design District, Carmel’s Midtown the City Hall Japanese Gardens, Carmel City Center and Carmel Central Park with its 161 acres of beautiful green space!
The Carmel on Canvas plein air event hosts nearly 60 highly-acclaimed artists from states around the Midwest including Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and many Indiana communities as well. The artists will compete in a variety of plein air contests within the two-day event. They will register in a division that matches their skill level; professional, non-professional, teen and child.
There will be more than $11,000 in total prizes.
Register Online for Carmel on Canvas 2026
Please click below to sign up (please note processing fees do apply):
For your convenience, we encourage credit/debit card payment for on-site registration. Cash or checks will NOT be accepted.
Register Online for Carmel on Canvas 2026
Please click below to sign up (please note processing fees do apply):
On-site registration begins at the Carmel Fire Department Headquarters, 210 Veterans Way, Carmel, IN 46032, starting Friday, August 28th at 8 a.m.
CARMEL ON CANVAS PLEIN AIR PAINT OUT – August 28 – 29
Carmel on Canvas Plein Air Paint Out provides artists with two days of plein air painting in the Carmel Arts & Design District, Carmel Midtown, the City Hall Japanese Gardens and Carmel Central Park with its 161 acres of beautiful green space! There are 4 divisions; professional, non-professional, teen and children. There will be more than $11,000 in total prizes.
Friday, August 28th
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. – All Day Plein Air Paint Registration & Canvas Stamping
Carmel Fire Department Headquarters, 210 Veterans Way, Carmel, IN 46032
8 a.m. – Plein Air Painting Begins
For your convenience, we encourage credit/debit card payment for on-site registration. Cash or checks will NOT be accepted.
Saturday, August 29th
ALL DAY PLEIN AIR PAINT
8 a.m. – Noon – Registration & Canvas Stamping
Carmel Fired Department Headquarters, 210 Veterans Way, Carmel, IN 46032
4 – 5 p.m. – Plein Air Painting must be turned in at judging station at
Carmel Fire Department Headquarters, 210 Veterans Way
ARTWORK WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN 4 – 5 p.m.
5 p.m. – All Day Plein Air Reception and Public Viewing
6 p.m. – CFD Headquarters Closed for Judging
6:30 p.m. –Plein Air Award Ceremony
8 p.m. – Event Ceremony and Viewing Conclude (all paintings must be picked up)
Note: There will be no Quick Paint at the Carmel Farmers Market
Carmel on Canvas Creative Kids Zone
Saturday, September 6th, Noon – 3 p.m.
Do you know of a young, budding artist? Come visit us at the Carmel on Canvas Creative Kids Zone! The Creative Kids Zone is FREE to the public.
Kids Zone location:
Fire Buffs Museum, 210 Veterans Way, Carmel, IN, 46032
Purchase Awards
Carmel on Canvas artists have the opportunity to compete for Purchase Awards by painting the sponsoring business’ establishment and winning the listed monetary prize. Purchase Awards paintings are not included in the Plein Air Paint Out Awards entry or prize money, only Purchase Award prize money. Winners will be chosen on Saturday night.
List of participating businesses:
TBA
CARMEL ON CANVAS PLEIN AIR ENTRY FEES & AWARDS
Professional Division Paint Out
$45 Registration
Grand Prize/Best of Show – $3,000
2nd Prize – $2,000
3rd Prize – $1,500
4th Prize – $1,000
10 Merit Awards – $200 each
Non-professional Division Paint Out
$25 Registration
1st Prize – $500
2nd Prize – $300
3rd Prize – $200
2 Merit Awards – $100 each
Teen Division (ages 13-18) Paint Out
$15 Registration
1st Prize – $150
2nd Prize – $100
3rd Prize – $50
Children’s Division (12 & under) Paint Out
$10 Registration
2 Merit Awards – $50 each
Register Online for Carmel on Canvas 2026
Please click below to sign up (please note processing fees do apply):
Registration fees are valid until Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Noon.
–
CARMEL ON CANVAS RULES
Home | Schedule of Activities | Entry Fees & Awards | Carmel on Canvas Rules
We’re delighted that you’re choosing to spend your weekend in Carmel, Indiana. Please see items below to help answer your Carmel on Canvas questions.
> Arts & Design District Map
> Event Boundary Map
—
Rules:
Plein Air Paint Out
Only one work may be submitted for each of the All Day Plein Air Paint Out, and each canvas must have the correct stamp according to the registered division.
Purchase Award paintings are not included in the Plein Air Paint Out Awards entry or prize money, only Purchase Award prize money.
- All mediums are included in judging (watercolor, oil, drawing.)
- Each artist’s canvas stamp must be visible at the time of turn in for each registered event.
- Artists shall not sign their paintings.
- All Day Plein Air Paint Out artwork submissions will only be accepted at the Carmel Fire Department Headquarters, 210 Veterans Way, between 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Artists must provide their own easels and canvases.
- No painting or drawing of the Amish, please.
- The City of Carmel reserves all rights to future use of image of the Grand Prize/Best of Show winning painting for future promotions of Carmel on Canvas.
- Plein Air Paint Out locations include the Carmel Arts & Design District, Carmel Midtown, the City Hall Japanese Gardens, Carmel City Center, and Carmel Central Park with its 161 acres of beautiful green space!
- The Carmel Arts & Design District is generally framed by the masonry and steel arches along Main Street and Range Line Road, up to and including the following intersections:
- Smoky Row & North Range Line Road Roundabout
- Richland Ave. (4th Ave) & East Main Street stop light (west of the Carmel Clay Public Library and Carmel High School)
- Elm Street & South Range Line Road Roundabout
- 4th Ave. SW and West Main Street Roundabout
- Carmel’s Midtown follows The Monon Greenway from 1st Street SW, south to Walnut Street and bordered by 4th Ave SW becoming 3rd Ave SW on the west and Range Line Road on the east.
- The Japanese Gardens can be found just south of the City Hall building, located at One Civic Square.
- Carmel City Center is on the south side of City Center Drive including Hotel Carmichael and numerous shops, restaurants and services. It resembles an international village.
- Carmel Central Park with its 161 acres of beautiful green space is near 111th and College Ave!
Registration:
The All Day Plein Air Paint Out registration and canvas stamping takes place at the Carmel Fire Department Headquarters, 210 Veterans Way, Carmel, IN 46032.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:
