Art in the Barn
Paintings, Photographs, Sculpture, Ceramics, and more!
Art in the Barn is one of the North Shore’s premier art events, showcasing the exceptional work of local and regional artists. This celebrated, juried show has been a tradition for more than 30 years and takes place at Greenbelt’s headquarters in Essex — an iconic plein air painting location and the former studio of renowned muralist Allyn Cox.
Proceeds from this event benefit Greenbelt’s land conservation efforts, supporting the preservation of beloved landscapes throughout the region.
Event Dates
2025 Art in the Barn
Friday, June 13 – Saturday, June 14
Opening reception: Friday, June 13, 5:00 – 8:30pm
with Artist Meet & Greet, Live Music, Food Trucks, Beer, and More!
Artists contribute 50% or more of proceeds to Greenbelt’s conservation work!
Artists
Art in the Barn regularly features more than 120 regional artists! The Allyn Cox Reservation — where the event takes place — also has deep ties to the visual arts, as its namesake, Allyn Cox, was a renowned muralist known for painting the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. In 1974, Cox generously donated the Essex property, including the farmhouse and his studio (now the barn), to Greenbelt. For nearly 40 years, Greenbelt has hosted Art in the Barn as our signature annual fundraiser, supporting conservation efforts in Essex County. We’re excited to continue this tradition of blending the arts with conservation and invite you to be part of it for many years to come. We’d love for you to join us!
Participating in Art in the Barn
New Artists:
Art in the Barn is a juried show, and we welcome new artists to apply! To submit your application, please use the form linked below and provide 5 sample images of your work for the jury’s review. If you make art in multiple mediums, please submit separate applications for each (e.g., one for pastels and another for pottery). All materials must be submitted by Sunday, April 6. We look forward to seeing your creations!
Deadline for jury submissions is Sunday, April 6. You will receive an email with the jury’s decision by May 2 at the latest. There are a different number of openings for new artists each year. In general, we accept 5-10 new artists whose work will be displayed on the wall (paintings, pastels, photography, etc.) and 2-4 artists whose work will be displayed on tables (pottery, blown glass, workcarving, etc.). We have almost unlmited space for landscape scale outdoor sculpture.
Types of artwork that are considered may include: pottery/ceramics, large-scale sculpture, paintings, pastels, photography*, wood carving, blown glass…
Types of artwork that are excluded include: fiber arts (such as quilting, silk screening, crochet, etc.), erotic artwork, wet pieces, wall-hung pieces over 2,000 square inches, and AI-created or assisted artworks (digital art created entirely by YOU is fine).
If you are not sure if your medium would be accepted, please email the Art in the Barn staff to inquire. (Note: this email is only checked occasionally from August to December. We start checking it frequently again in January.)
*Note on photography: The jury is looking for fine art photography. While there are many great wildlife photographers in the area, for example, and we respect their talent, patience, and knowledge, the jury is looking for photography that focuses on the fine art genre of the craft. Exceptions may be made for a truly extraordinary body of photographic work.
Returning Artists:
Aritsts who have participated in Art in the Barn before do not have to go through the jury process again unless you are changing or adding a new medium. You will simply get an email in early February asking if you’d like to return this year. We can’t wait to see you again! Thank you!
Volunteers:
Art in the Barn takes over 100 volunteer shifts to host! If you would like to volunteer at Art in the Barn, thank you! Please fill out our volunteer form and a staff member will be in touch!
