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 arts 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 4
          Registration will be available online via Submittable. No emailed or paper registrations will be accepted.

September 8 - 16  
          Painting Period in Latah, Nez Perce, Whitman, and Benewah Counties

September 17
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
          Artwork Drop-off at the Third Street Gallery, located inside Moscow City Hall at 206 E Third St.
7:00 p.m.
          Juror Lecture on the UI Campus

September 18
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 18 - October 3
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday
          Exhibition open at the Third Street Gallery

October 6   
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 and Fees
$37 per participant or $31.50 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 17 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. 
• In the Best Lil’ Painting award category, from small acorns mighty oaks grow. Whether acorn, oak, or something in between, these lil' paintings are kind of a big deal! 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
George Scribner is the 2025 Palouse Plein Air juror. Scribner is an artist and filmmaker. He was born and raised in Panama City, Panama and has been with The Walt Disney Company for more than thirty-five years as a Character Animator, Director and Fine Artist. In 1988 he directed Oliver and Company, a full length Animated Feature.

Commissioned by the Autoridad del Canal to record the expansion of the Panama Canal, George spent more than nine years creating large scale oil paintings documenting the construction of this multifaceted engineering marvel. “It was an honor to be a part of this project and my way of giving back to the country where I grew up;” commented George about the creation of these paintings. He completed thirty-five paintings now part of the Panama Canal Authority's permanent collection.

Scribner recently completed a series of original oil paintings documenting the construction of Shanghai Disneyland, a three year commission. He not only painted scenes documenting the construction of this massive entertainment complex but also directed animation projects for a number of new attractions. His new paintings will become part of the historical documentation for this newest addition to the Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. 

Scribner will adjudicate the exhibition at the Third Street Gallery and will offer a lecture open to all registered participants.

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

 

Project Description
The City of Moscow and the Moscow Arts Commission invite artists to submit designs for a small-scale vinyl mural in the City Hall parking lot. 

The subject matter and content of the design should reflect the following:

In the Moscow City Hall parking lot, a daily drama unfolds as Payroll Specialist Tara Lowe comes to work. She arrives before everyone else in the Finance Department, but the workday doesn’t start in solitude. Waiting at her customary parking spot is a scurry of squirrels. They know her schedule, and they rush forward eagerly, having nothing to fear from these tires. As Tara parks, her hand reaches for the prize they’ve been waiting for: peanuts – and plenty of them. It’s hungry work, being a squirrel in Moscow, but unsung heroes like Tara make it just a little bit easier. Piles of well-chewed shells stand, or lay, as it were, as a testament to this relationship between one public servant and a community of grateful, bushy-tailed squirrels.

Eligibility
This call is open to youth and adult artists who live in Moscow, ID. Preference may be given to artists who are under the age of 18. 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. Selection panelists and their immediate family members are not eligible for participation. No artist sitting on a Selection Panel may submit a proposal for the project for which the Selection Panel was formed.

Project Timeline (subject to change)
   Submission Period: July 14 - August 29, 2025
   Artwork Selection: September 2025
   Artwork Installation: September - October 2025

Honorarium and Image Use Agreement

1. Selected artists will complete an Image Use Agreement.

2. The selected artist will receive an honorarium of $300 upon completion of the artwork.

3. The City of Moscow will incur all costs related to the installation of vinyl on the aluminum sign. 

Submission Requirements

1. Artwork submissions will be accepted via Submittable, the City’s online submission management system. No emailed or hand-delivered submissions will be accepted. 

2. Artists may create one submission for consideration, to include designs for both the front and back of the sign.

3. Each design submission must be presented to the scale of the 44” x 24” sign. 

4. Submit a JPEG file(s) at 72 DPI and a full-size, print-ready EPS file. 

Selection Process and Criteria
The Moscow Arts Commission and one staff member from the City of Moscow Finance Department will select a design based on the work’s alignment with the following criteria:

1. Formal & Conceptual Quality 

a. The artist presents a compelling concept.

b. The proposed design is original to the presenting artist.

2. Content & Context 

a. 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. 

b. The content of the proposed design is relevant to the City of Moscow’s values,
  culture, and people. 

c. The proposed design reflects the project description. 

Site Details            
Please click here to review the Site Details.
 

About Moscow, ID

Moscow is settled on the rolling hills of the Palouse, a rich landscape long inhabited by the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce), Palus (Palouse), and Schitsu’umsh (Coeur d’ Alene) tribes indigenous to the region. The City of Moscow was incorporated on July 12, 1887, and its modern history is rooted in agriculture; the surrounding region produces top-quality wheat and pulses. The presence of farming in the community goes far beyond commerce, however, as grain silos and other architectural features announce agricultural endeavor as part of the community’s aesthetic identity. 

Moscow is home to the University of Idaho, a land grant institution established in 1889. School spirit influences the atmosphere of the city, imbuing it with the balance of gravitas and celebration that characterizes educational experience. University arts programs like the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and the Prichard Art Gallery have greatly contributed to Moscow’s identity as a cultural center. The community is rich not only in visual and performing arts events, but also in recreational and culinary opportunities. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the Palouse landscape at recreational features like Moscow Mountain and the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail, followed by tastes of the region at area restaurants, wineries, breweries, and the Moscow Farmers Market. 

City of Moscow Public Art

The City of Moscow Arts Department and the Moscow Arts Commission (MAC) share a mission to enrich the community by celebrating and cultivating the expressions of all forms of art and culture. The MAC has fostered artistic excellence and public access to the arts in the city since its founding on October 2, 1978. Programming includes curation of exhibition space at the Third Street Gallery inside City Hall, a biennial Mayor’s Arts Awards, Moscow Poet Laureate programming, and a comprehensive public art program. 

The City of Moscow’s acquisition of public art began in the 1980s and is supported by a 1%-for-the-Arts fund established in 2004. A Public Art Master Plan, adopted in 2015, guides the incorporation of new works into the City’s landscape. Stewardship of the collection is a collaborative effort, with artistic advice from the MAC, direction from City Council, and operational details managed by Arts Department staff. The Public Art program aims to reflect the character of Moscow by fostering relationships between individuals and institutions in the community. Whether part of the University, business community, or the agricultural tradition, the City’s creative partners generate aesthetic excellence, civic identity, and economic strength by supporting the arts.

The Public Art collection is currently comprised of more than 220 temporary and permanent features. Temporary artworks include vinyl-wrapped utility boxes and bus shelters as well as a sculpture garden featuring artworks on loan to the City. Artworks in the permanent collection range from mosaic murals and sculptures-in-the-round to framed pieces in the Portable Collection. Each new piece in the permanent collection joins others by celebrated regional artists including Harold Balazs, David Govedare, Miles Pepper, Robert Horner, Melissa Cole, J. Casey Doyle, Jay Rasgorshek, and artist team Jennifer Corio and Dave Frei.  

Moscow is a community rich with diversity of thought, inhabited by minds open to possibility and creative interpretation. As such, the Public Art program not only celebrates the artist as a professional and valued business partner, but also welcomes a broad range of appearances, media, and art-making processes into its collection.
 

The City of Moscow and the Moscow Arts Commission seek a published poet to serve a 2-year term as a Moscow Poet Laureate (MPL). This position expands literacy and community awareness, honors the many writers in our community, and builds upon the correlation between civic life and creativity of local artists. This call for poetry artists is open to published poets 18 years of age or older who live in Moscow, Idaho and have a record of community involvement and/or teaching. The MPL term runs from October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2027. The annual honorarium for the Moscow Poet Laureate is $1000 and is paid at the beginning of each service year.

Program Description
The Moscow Poet Laureate Program increases awareness of the role that poetry and literature play in the community and creates a record of Moscow’s distinctive character. Not only does the program support the work of excellent poets in the community, but it also invests the public spaces of the city with the beauty of language. Along with offering readings, the Poet Laureate writes poems for the city that are reflective of local landscapes, social situations, or important events. 

The Moscow Poet Laureate program began in 2015, inspired by the vision of the Moscow Arts Commission and University of Idaho English Professor Alexandra Teague. Since that time, three poets have offered their literary expertise to this City of Moscow program: Tiffany Midge (2015-2018), Susan Hodgin (2018-2021), and Stacey Boe Miller (2021-2024).
   During their term, the Poet Laureate will be commissioned to:

• Write at least two (2) poems per year that speak in some sense to the distinctive experience of Moscow, Idaho. These works will be published in local publications and/or presented at public occasions.
• Give a minimum of three (3) local readings per year:

1. One (1) at the annual Poetry in the Park, which connects and promotes members of the literary community with local arts audiences
2. Two (2) at Arts Department functions such as the Mayor’s Arts Awards, Third Street Gallery, or public art dedications (to be determined by Moscow Poet Laureate and Arts Manager with advice from MAC)

• Provide one (1) report to the Moscow Arts Commission each year. 

Submission Requirements

• Letter of interest (limited to one page) that includes an explanation of connections to Moscow, Idaho, and illustrates how serving as Moscow Poet Laureate aligns with the applicant’s creative and professional goals.
• Sample of 3 poems (with publication credits listed, if applicable).
• A resume that includes a complete list of publications and qualifications.
• A video (or a web link to a video) depicting the applicant reading a sample of their work.

Eligibility

This call is open to artists 18 years of age or older who live in Moscow, ID. Artists are eligible regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or familial status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, and gender expression or identity. Selection panelists and their immediate family members are not eligible for participation. No artist sitting on a Selection Panel may submit a proposal for the project for which the Selection Panel was formed.
 

Selection Process
A Selection Panel comprised of Moscow Arts Commission members will review each applicant’s materials according to the following criteria:

• The applicant’s work has been published in a literary publication.
• The CV shows a record of community involvement and/or teaching. 
• Work samples demonstrate a mastery of the poetic form. 
• Work samples show potential to develop broad-based interest in the community.
   

Selection Timeline (subject to change)
   June 2 - August 1, 2025   |   Submission Period
   August 2025   |   Moscow Arts Commission selection process
   October 2025   |    MPL term begins upon completion of contract and first honorarium payment