JOSEPH — The Wallowa Valley Arts Council is reimagining its annual art festival for 2025 as the Plein Air Festival.

Plein air means “in the open air” and refers to the act of painting outdoors with the artist’s subject in full view.

The festival will be Sept. 13-21 at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, 403 Main St. in Joseph. With major construction set to begin in the fall on the center, the festival is seeing some change.

It will be a new, more intimate celebration of landscape painting to highlight the beauty of the Wallowa Valley while honoring the legacy of the arts festival, according to an announcement from the Josephy Center. Artists may showcase studio work and freshly created plain air pieces in the weeklong painting competition.

Acclaimed painter Steven Hill of windsweptstudios.com in Boise is this year’s juror. The show offers some $4,000 in cash prizes in various categories and noncash recognition at the juror’s discretion.

Participating artists vote to decide Emerging Artist Award, Student/Youth Artist Award and Artist’s Choice Award.

The deadline to apply is midnight July 31with a $50 nonrefundable entry fee. The entry fees help fund the awards and show costs.

Details on the festival and entry are available at josephy.org/plein-air-festival.