Gallery Talk with the Pros – Who? What? Where? Behind-the-Scenes look at how the festival works.

Event: Opening Day Lecture / Q&A
Speaker: Festival Founder & 2026 Event Organizer, Kippy Hammond

• Festival: North Carolina Plein Air Art Festival 2026
• Date: (First day of festival – May 11, 2026)
• Location: New Bern, North Carolina
• Venue: Festival Hub (Farmers Market area near Tryon Palace)
• Format: Presentation + audience Q&A

This kickoff session sets the tone for the entire week and gives attendees a behind-the-scenes look at how the festival works.

Topics covered:

• How artists are selected (jury process & criteria)
• Meet the jurors and how judging works
• History of the festival and how it has evolved
• Future outlook and growth of the event
• How the festival is organized
• Team structure (leaders, volunteers, roles)
• Weekly workflow and what happens each day

💬 Why attend

• Get insider knowledge about how major plein air events operate
• Learn what it takes to be selected as an artist
• Understand judging criteria and expectations
• Meet leadership and ask direct questions

This is your chance to ask questions to last year’s top award winners and jurors:

• How are artists chosen?
• What criteria are considered by the selection jurors in reviewing applications?
• What award selection criteria does the award judge use?
• How does the organization decide on the featured artists for their selection process?
• How do award winners prepare themselves for competitions?
• What do artists look for when they first visit the communities they’re going to paint?
• What personal obstacles do artists overcome to produce their best work within the event guidelines?
• What do artists look for when choosing three competition paintings?
• What should people consider when building their own collections?
• How does an artist decide what they want to paint?

NC Plein Air Team Leaders and past award winners will be answering these and other questions daily from noon to 1 p.m. at the Exhibition Gallery.