49th Open Division

Overview

The 49th Open Division is an online exhibition for dry pastel works presented by the International Association of Pastel Societies. Entries will be juried and awards will be announced.

Key Dates

• Submissions Open: Friday, July 24, 2026
• Deadline: Monday, September 7, 2026, midnight PST
• Notification & Awards Announcement: Thursday, October 8, 2026

Eligibility

Open to artists who have current membership with an IAPS member society and have not achieved Master Circle status. Upon acceptance, proof of membership will be required.

Media & Requirements

Works must be in dry pastel (no oil pastels). Mixed media must be predominantly dry pastel. Work must be original, created within the last two years, not copied from other artists or published materials, and not created on photographic images. Work done in classroom or workshop scenarios is ineligible. Work may not have been accepted in any previous IAPS exhibitions (excluding IAPS Member Society shows). The top layer should be at least 80% dry application of pastel.

Entry Fee

• $35 for first image
• $10 for each additional image
• Up to 5 images per artist
• Fees are non-refundable and must be paid by deadline

Awards

• Best in Show: $2,000
• First Place in Honor of Urania Christy Tarbet: $1,000
• Second Place in Honor of Maggie Price: $600
• Third Place: $400
• Four Awards of Merit: $200 each

How to Enter

Submit entries online. All payments are in USD. Note: All award recipients will be paid by PayPal transfer.

Sales

Sales are the responsibility of the artist. A 30% donation to IAPS will be accepted on all sales through the website.