Oil Painters of America

What Oil Painters of America does

Oil Painters of America (OPA) is a private non-profit professional art organization founded in 1991 and headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois. OPA represents more than 3,500 members across North America (USA and Canada) who specialize in representational oil painting, organized into a tiered membership structure progressing from free Student Membership (ages 14-23) and Student Associate ($40/year) through Associate, Signature, and Master Signature levels based on juried exhibition acceptance and career achievement.

The organization's core product portfolio centers on a calendar of juried exhibitions: the flagship annual National Exhibition (35th edition in 2026 at Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs, CO), Virtuosos of the OPA (Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA), National Salon (Cassens Fine Art, Hamilton, MT), and seasonal Online Showcases. Supporting programs include the Sixth Annual Student Art Competition, scholarships (notably the Dorothy Driehaus Mellin Fellowship for Midwestern Artists at $20,000), artwork critique services, Lunch & Learn webinars, the OPA Blog featuring guest artists, paint outs, and workshops. The annual Convention and Convention Wet Paint Competition in Steamboat Springs (May 26-31, 2026) anchors the in-person community programming.

OPA operates a diversified non-profit revenue model combining recurring membership dues, per-entry exhibition fees, convention/event registrations, hardcover catalog sales, and corporate/foundation sponsorships from art supply companies (Blick, Jack Richeson, RayMar Art) and art publications (American Art Collector, Fine Art Connoisseur, Southwest Art, Art of the West). The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, supported by a small staff, and distributes content through a WordPress website, the Brushstrokes newsletter, and social media channels. There are no disclosed AI/technology capabilities; the underlying infrastructure is conventional for a professional association.

Name

Oil Painters of America

Legal name

OPA - Oil Painters of America

Website

https://oilpaintersofamerica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oil Painters of America is a non-profit professional art organization founded in 1991 serving 3,500+ representational oil painters across North America through tiered memberships, juried exhibitions, competitions, scholarships, and an annual convention.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Art Organization Services

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA)

Keywords

• Representational oil painting
• Professional art exhibitions
• Artist membership organization
• Juried art competitions
• Art education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Crystal Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide access to exhibitions, competitions, critiques, workshops, paint outs, and member directory. Multiple membership tiers including Associate, Signature, and Master Signature levels.
2. Exhibition Entry Fees: Entry fees for juried exhibitions including National Exhibition, National Salon, Virtuosos of the OPA, and Online Showcases. $10 per entry for Student Competition.
3. Convention and Event Registration: Revenue from annual convention registrations including the 2026 National Exhibition & Convention in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
4. Catalog and Publication Sales: Sale of hardcover catalogs from annual exhibitions (e.g., 2026 OPA hardcover catalog pre-order).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oil Painters of America (OPA) is a nonprofit professional art organization that serves more than 3,500 representational oil painters through membership tiers (Associate, Signature, Master Signature) and annual juried exhibitions, including the National Exhibition, Virtuosos of the OPA, and the National Salon. The organization also runs educational and community programs such as the Student Art Competition (ages 14-23), scholarships, artwork critique services, Lunch & Learn webinars, workshops, paint outs, and an annual Convention with Wet Paint Competition, supported by an online store selling exhibition catalogs and merchandise.

Product overview

Oil Painters of America is a professional art organization serving over 3,500 members with a comprehensive portfolio of exhibitions, educational programs, and member services. The core offering centers on prestigious exhibitions including the National Exhibition, Virtuosos of the OPA, National Salon, and seasonal Online Showcases. Supporting programs include the Student Art Competition (ages 14-23), Scholarships, Artwork Critique Services, Lunch & Learn webinars, and the OPA Blog featuring guest artists. The annual Convention and Wet Paint Competition rounds out the major programs. The organization primarily focuses on traditional representational oil painting and advancing skills within that community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OPA Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 3 winners in each division invited to exhibit at the National Exhibition at Steamboat Art Museum
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Steamboat Art MuseumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the 35th National Exhibition of Traditional Oils, May 29 – August 29, 2026. Winners are invited to exhibit at this prestigious museum location in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
• Blick Art MaterialscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides gift certificates as prizes for Student Art Competition winners. Supports emerging artists through product donations and sponsorship of awards.
• American Art Collector MagazinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides Silver Medal Award sponsorship including two-page feature article on award winner (valued at $6,200) for National Exhibition winners.
• Fine Art Connoisseur MagazinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors Bronze Medal Award with one full-page advertisement for National Exhibition winners.
• Southwest Art MagazinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides Bronze Medal Award sponsorship including full-page advertisement ($3,125) and dedicated email broadcast ($550) for Master Signature Division winners.
• Art of the West MagazinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors Member's Choice Award for Master Signature Division with half-page advertisement ($1,780) and 23k Water Gilded Gold Leaf Frame.
• ShipandInsureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArt shipping and insurance partner providing services for OPA exhibitions and member artwork transport.
• RayMar ArtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunds the John August Dietrich Memorial Figurative Award of Excellence ($1,000 cash donation).
• Jack Richeson & CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors Bronze Medal Award at National Exhibition with $5,000 in art supplies including oils, panels, canvas, and stretcher bars.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Colored Pencil Society of America: Member-based organization for colored pencil artists running annual international exhibitions, signature-status membership, conventions, workshops, and awards — a structurally identical peer to OPA serving a different traditional drawing/painting medium.
• National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Society (NOAPS): NOAPS is the closest direct peer to OPA: a national professional membership organization dedicated to traditional oil and acrylic painting, running annual juried exhibitions, signature/master signature status tiers, member galleries, and educational programming with the same revenue model of dues and entry fees.
• Art Renewal Center: Non-profit focused on contemporary realist figurative art that serves as a peer community and exhibition platform for representational painters, overlapping heavily with OPA's representational-oil membership and exhibition mission.
• American Watercolor Society: Long-established (founded 1866) professional membership society for traditional watercolor painters, running an annual juried exhibition and signature-tier membership program that mirrors OPA's structure for representational oil painters, including similar exhibition entry fees, member events, and sponsor relationships with art-supply brands.
• Salmagundi Club: One of America's oldest professional art clubs, providing membership tiers, juried exhibitions, sketch classes, workshops, and art auctions — a peer membership organization serving representational fine artists in a similar tradition to OPA.
• Portrait Society of America: Professional association focused on portrait and figurative art, offering signature membership tiers, annual conferences, juried exhibitions, scholarships, mentorship, and workshops — structurally analogous to OPA but oriented around portraiture rather than landscape/still-life oil painting.
• Pastel Society of America: Professional membership society for pastel artists that runs annual juried exhibitions, signature-tier status, master pastelist designation, scholarships, and workshops — same structural model as OPA across a different traditional painting medium.
• International Guild of Realism: Member-based juried organization dedicated to contemporary representational and realist art, with signature/master membership levels, juried exhibitions, and online showcases that directly overlap OPA's exhibition and membership programs within the same representational-art niche.

Broad incumbents

• National Art Education Association (NAEA): Larger, broader-scope professional association covering all visual-art education and advocacy rather than one medium; provides membership, conventions, and awards that overlap with OPA's educational programming (scholarships, critiques, workshops) though it is not a competition/exhibition body.

Others

• Blick Art Materials: Major art-supply retailer and OPA's largest Student Art Competition sponsor; not a peer organization but a key ecosystem partner supplying gift certificates and prize fulfillment that funds much of OPA's student pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OilPaintAmerica
• Facebookfacebook.com/oilpaintersofamerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oil-painters-of-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oil Painters of America