The Moscow Arts Commission (MAC) and the City of Moscow seek nominations for the Mayor’s Arts Awards, which recognizes individuals and organizations who have shown substantial support of and excellence in the arts. The event is biennial, with a nomination and selection process facilitated by City of Moscow Arts staff and members of the MAC. Award recipients will be honored in online promotions and an awards ceremony. 

All nominations must be submitted online via Submittable. The MAC will review nominations before recommending award recipients to the City of Moscow Mayor for final determination. The nominations will be evaluated based solely on submission materials, so nominators are encouraged to submit the full range of documents required in the form.      

Eligibility    

· Individuals, students, businesses, and organizations that are makers of or advocates for the arts are eligible. 

· Awards may be given based on excellence in all media for art-making, including the culinary, literary, performing, and visual arts. 

· Nominees should be those individuals or organizations that have made a significant contribution to the arts and cultural climate of the City of Moscow through distinguished support and service or creative accomplishments. 

· Nominees must be current or former residents of the Moscow region. Nominations of individuals who no longer reside in the region must focus on the nominee’s contribution to the Moscow community. 

· Previous Mayor’s Arts Awards recipients are eligible for another award in a different category than the one previously received. Such candidates are eligible no fewer than 6 years after receipt of the previous award, and the nomination must be based on a different body of work than the one recognized by the previous award. View a list of previous award recipients here: https://www.ci.moscow.id.us/215/7131/Moscow-Mayors-Arts-Awards

· Employees of the City of Moscow, current MAC members, and current City of Moscow elected officials are not eligible for nomination. 

· Current City of Moscow elected officials and Arts Department staff members are not eligible to make nominations. 

· MAC members may nominate individuals or organizations for awards, but any MAC member who makes a nomination may not participate in the Mayor’s Arts Awards selection process and must abstain from voting on the MAC’s recommendation for that award.

Important Dates

April 23 - June 26, 2026 Nomination Period

July - August 2026 MAC deliberation and recommendation to the Mayor

September 2026 Mayor finalizes awardee roster

November 5, 2026 Awards Ceremony

Awardee Selection Process

1. The MAC will review all nominations using Submittable. Those who submit a nomination during the current award cycle or individuals with business or family conflicts of interest are ineligible to participate in the selection process.  

2. Deliberations on nominations will take place in a regular MAC meeting. 

3. Arts staff will forward MAC recommendations for award recipients to the Mayor. 

Nominations will be accepted in the following categories:  

Individual Excellence in the Arts  This award recognizes artists who have made a significant contribution to the arts in Moscow, and who have demonstrated a high degree of artistic excellence in any discipline including performing, visual, or literary arts. Considerations for selection include quality and originality of work, scope of audience, and previous awards or distinctions.  

Arts Advocacy  Arts Advocacy awards celebrate individuals or families who champion the arts by supporting through their time, talent, and treasure. Selection will be based on the type and scope of service to the community as well as the nominee’s commitment to support of arts and culture in Moscow.  

Outstanding Achievement in Arts Education  This award honors individuals or organizations that have made an outstanding contribution that impacted the value of the arts educational curriculum or helped to provide access to the arts for students of all ages.  

Youth Excellence in the Arts  This award recognizes young people who show excellence in art-making, advocacy, or other service to the creative community. Those in grades K-12 or the equivalent at time of nomination are eligible. Selection processes will not only study the scope and efficacy of the current nominee’s efforts, but also the potential of the candidate to grow in their role as an artist or advocate for the cultural growth of the Moscow community.  

Outstanding College or University Students in the Arts  This award recognizes area student artists who have dedicated a significant portion of their education working to develop and manifest their individual creativity within any discipline of art including performance, visual, or literary arts. Selection processes will not only study the scope and efficacy of the nominee’s current efforts, but also the candidate’s potential for creative and professional growth in the future.  

Outstanding Contributions as a Business, Club, or Non-profit Organization  Businesses or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the advancement, excellence, and support of the arts in Moscow are eligible for this award. The selection panel will consider the type of support offered to the arts as well as the efficacy of the organization’s connections and service to the community.  

Lifetime Achievement in the Arts  Lifetime achievement awards are reserved for those individuals whose contributions to the arts, over a lifetime, have made a lasting and profound impact on the artistic and cultural life of the Moscow area. Nomination materials should demonstrate a track record of community participation, industry and peer recognition, and high-quality, original approaches to art-making and advocacy. Nomination materials should demonstrate how the nominee’s lifetime of dedication to the development and support of the arts will sustain the Moscow arts community into the future.      

The Mayor reserves the right to modify the number of awards or the assignment of awards to nominees based on the content of nominations. Nominees will be evaluated on the basis of the breadth, depth, and potential of their work and its impact on the Moscow area. The Moscow Arts Commission and Mayor will review nomination materials based on their demonstration of the values described in each award category. 

For any technical difficulties with this application, please contact Submittable Support: https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/ 

Project Description 

The City of Moscow invites artists to submit designs for mobile mini-murals on sign stands, to be placed near highly-visible storm drain inlets. This is an opportunity for artists to share two-dimensional artwork with the public while illustrating Moscow’s commitment to the environment. Up to two artist designs will be selected for vinyl installation on City-provided sign blanks to communicate the function of the City’s storm sewer system and its connection to local streams. The murals will be on display for two to four years.

Like many cities, the City of Moscow’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) flows directly into local waterways, including Paradise Creek. Paradise Creek and the South Fork of the Palouse River are listed as impaired waterbodies by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. The City is covered by a Phase II Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System MS4 permit by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. This permit gives the City legal authority to discharge surface water into our local receiving waters. It also lays out specific requirements that the City of Moscow must meet to maintain compliance with its provisions. As part of one of these requirements, Moscow is required to conduct Public Education and Outreach activities. Stormwater murals are a way to meet portions of this provision in a way that engages the community, aligns with the City’s commitment to the Arts, and supports local artists.  

Stormwater runoff from streets, parking lots, and other impervious surface areas, does not go to the Water Reuse & Reclamation Facility for treatment like sanitary sewage does. The water, and whatever it carries, can affect the water quality of our local streams and rivers, as well as those downstream. Things like trash, cigarette butts, sediment, nutrients from fertilizer and dog waste, oil, paint, etc. can degrade water quality and habitat for aquatic life. Successful submissions will be those that address the impact that stormwater has on the ecosystem as well as communicating the shared responsibility to protect precious resources.    

Eligibility 

This call is open to youth and adult artists who live in Latah County, Nez Perce County, Asotin County, Whitman County, Nez Perce or Coeur d’Alene tribal members. Artists are eligible regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital or familial status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, and gender expression or identity. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines. Moscow Arts Commission (MAC) members and their immediate family members are not eligible for participation.     

Project Timeline (subject to change) 

April 16 – May 29, 2026   |   Submission Period  

June 2026   |   Artwork Selection, Notification, and Agreements  

July 2026   |   Artwork Installation

Honorarium, Sales Information, and Loan Agreement 

1. Selected artists will complete an Image Use Agreement.  

2. Each selected artist will receive an honorarium of $300 upon completion of the agreement and confirmation from the printer that the file provided is print-ready.  

3. The City of Moscow will incur all costs related to sign stands, 36” x 18”aluminum sign substrates, and vinyl installation. 

Submission Requirements 

1. Each artist may submit one full-size design for consideration.

2. Each design submission must be scaled to the dimensions of the 36” x 18” sign. 

3. For MAC review: Submit a JPEG file of the design at 72 DPI. 

4. For printing of final artwork: Submit an EPS file of the design at a minimum of 100 DPI in CMYK. 

5. Artists who need help with file preparation can consider hiring a local graphic design firm.

6. Artist submissions will only be accepted online via Submittable. Emailed or hand-delivered submissions will not be considered.  

Selection Process & Criteria 

The MAC will select designs based on the works’ alignment with the criteria below.   

 1. Formal & Conceptual Quality 

• The artist presents a compelling concept.
• The proposed design is original to the presenting artist.

2. Content & Context 

• The artwork’s subject matter and content is appropriate for public exhibition and   does not contain advertising, religious references, sexual content, negative imagery,   or convey political partisanship.
• The content of the proposed design is relevant to the City of Moscow’s values,   culture, and people.
• The proposed design communicates the function of the City’s storm sewer system.

Site Details 

The City of Moscow will install the 36” x 18” murals on sign stands. The mobile nature of these pieces will allow them to be moved to different locations to create a sense of variety and renewed interest in the collection.

PALOUSE PLEIN AIR is an annual painting event that takes place every September, with experiences including painting workshops and a juried exhibition at the Third Street Gallery inside Moscow City Hall.    

Historic Moscow, Idaho and the beautiful Palouse are the perfect destination for plein air artists, and the annual Palouse Plein Air painting event connects artists with the region’s landscape and culture. French for “open air,” the phrase “plein air” (pronounced plen-air) describes the act of painting outdoors. The outdoor experience on the Palouse is particularly rich, as its rolling hills, rivers, mountains, fields, farms, and homes tell the long history of the landscape.   

Guided by the vision of the Moscow Arts Commission and University of Idaho art professor Aaron Cordell Johnson, Palouse Plein Air began in 2010, and the event continues to grow. A collaboration of community partners makes this growth possible; the City of Moscow Arts Department and the University of Idaho College of Art + Architecture work together to make a great event for artists and art lovers alike.      

Important Dates 

May 1 – September 3   |   Registration will be available online via Submittable. No emailed or paper registrations will be accepted.       

September 4 - 14   |   Painting Period in Latah, Nez Perce, Whitman, and Benewah Counties      

September 16 

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Artwork Drop-off at the Third Street Gallery inside Moscow City Hall at 206 E Third St.   

7:00 p.m.  Juror Lecture on the UI Campus      

September 17 

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Juror Demonstration at the UI Arboretum   

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Reception & Awards at the Third Street Gallery      

September 17 - October 30  

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday  Exhibition open at the Third Street Gallery     

November 2    

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Artwork Pick-up at the Third Street Gallery (No early pick-up of artworks will be allowed.)     

Eligibility  

Palouse Plein Air is a painting competition open to all artists 18 years-of-age or older. All painting media are eligible for competition, including gouache, watercolor, acrylic, oil, and pastel.      

Registration Fees   

$38.11 per participant or $32.45 per student participant (18 years-of-age and older.)    

Painting and Exhibition Guidelines 

• Following registration, participants paint out-of-doors at any location of their choosing within Latah, Nez Perce, Whitman, and Benewah counties. Participants have the option to paint on all days of the competition or any combination of the competition days. No use of electronic, pictorial, or other aids is allowed. All work must be done on location by the individual artist.
• Each artist will submit photos of their completed works along with inventory information and images of the painting on location. This submission will be completed using a Submittable form to be provided by City staff following the close of event registration. This procedure not only generates content for the publicly-viewable online gallery, but also authenticates that each piece was made on location during the Palouse Plein Air competition period. 
• Participants are invited to deliver finished entries to the Third Street Gallery inside Moscow City Hall on September 16 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. No early drop-off of artworks will be allowed. Artworks that arrive at any time other than the stated drop-off period will not be exhibited. 
• Up to 3 (three) paintings will be accepted. Painting sizes accepted will be up to 72” total unframed perimeter inches or smaller. (e.g. a 16” x 20” has a 72” perimeter: 20” x 2 + 16” x 2 = 72”)
• Artworks must be presented for exhibition in sturdy framing with a wire hanger (no sawtooth hangers). Please see the Third Street Gallery presentation requirements for an illustration of wire installation standards. Works submitted without proper framing and wire hangers will not be exhibited. 
• The Best Lil’ Paintings are the fun size candy bar of the Palouse Plein Air experience (mmm....caaandy...!) To participate, participants must select “Yes” to receive a welcome package. The welcome package will include a little canvas and a little watercolor board. Artists are invited to submit one little painting for this award category, and this submission will count toward the artist’s overall allowed total of up to 3 (three) paintings. The little paintings can be presented without frames or wires, but must be labeled as described below.
• Please label the back of each artwork with the following: artist name, artwork title, medium, and date.
• Event organizers reserve the right to determine suitability of all works shown in the Palouse Plein Air exhibition.
• Works may be offered for sale, and any sales will be handled by Third Street Gallery staff. Artwork sales will be subject to a 20% Gallery commission and Idaho State sales tax.
• Works will remain at Third Street Gallery for the entire length of the exhibition.
• Artists shall release the City of Moscow to use photographs and/or video of them and their exhibited art works, for future publicity and promotional purposes without copyright, use fees, or charges.

Juror and Awards  

Erin L. Cassetto of Clarkston, WA is the 2026 Palouse Plein Air juror. Cassetto earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art and Art History from Drury University and went on to earn Master of Fine Arts from Washington State University. Cassetto’s award-winning paintings have been recognized in The Art of Watercolour magazine, juried shows, and plein air competitions. Cassetto’s paintings are held in public and private collections, including the City of Moscow, Idaho. When she is not in her art studio in Clarkston, WA, Cassetto spends time with her family hiking and fly fishing. She'll often carry both her fishing equipment and painting supplies with her into remote areas. On days when the fishing is slow, having a paintbrush handy is so rewarding. On days when the fishing is red-hot, she'll remember the scenes and celebrate the day in her studio.     Awards will be announced during the artist reception at the Third Street Gallery. Winning participants need not be present to receive awards. Paintings will be available for sale and are eligible for the following cash and other recognition awards: 

• 1st Place ($500)
• 2nd Place ($250)
• 3rd Place ($125)
• Best Palouse
• Best Downtown
• Best Historical
• Best Lil’ Painting
• Student Awards (2)
• Honorable Mentions (2)
• City of Moscow Purchase Award (1)

Registration Support for Palouse Plein Air  

Megan Cherry, Arts Manager                

206 East Third Street                

Moscow, ID 83843                

208.883.7036                

mcherry@ci.moscow.id.us