PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF NEW MEXICO INC

What PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF NEW MEXICO INC does

Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Inc (PAPNM) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit professional artist association founded in 2007 and based in Santa Fe, New Mexico (with one source listing Albuquerque). It exists to preserve and promote en plein air painting — the practice of painting outdoors — primarily serving professional and serious amateur plein air artists in the Southwest United States. The organization operates as a membership-based association whose members pay annual dues and gain access to recurring paint outs, juried and open exhibitions, seasonal online contests with cash prizes, workshops taught by Master Signature Members, and member networking. The core flagship is the annual National Juried Members Exhibition, which has run 17 consecutive years and currently offers $15,000 in cash and merchandise awards under judges such as 2025's Qiang Huang.

The organization's products and services include regular paint outs and paint-alongs, the National Juried Members Exhibition hosted in partnership with galleries such as Legends of the West in Santa Fe (and Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos for the 2026 edition), four seasonal online contests (Signs of Spring, Summer Skies, Fall Color Passages, Winter Wonderland), member workshops, and the themed Mother Road Open Air-Open Road Paint Out and Show along Route 66. Its technology stack is minimal and non-proprietary: the papnm.org website and member operations run on Wild Apricot membership management software, used for dues collection, event registration, and online contests. There is no proprietary technology platform, mobile app, API, or AI capability disclosed.

PAPNM is funded by three revenue streams: recurring annual membership dues from artists, transactional exhibition entry fees (e.g., $42 for the first image and $10 per additional image up to 4 images for the 2025 national exhibition), and a four-tier corporate sponsorship program (Benefactor, Partner, Enthusiast, Friend) with approximately 20 art-industry sponsors including Royal Talens, Gamblin Colors, Jack Richeson, Daniel Smith, Dick Blick, and Jerry's Artarama. As a 501(c)(6) non-profit it is member-supported and has no parent company, no funding rounds, and no institutional investors. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF NEW MEXICO INC

Legal name

Plein Air Painters of New Mexico

Website

https://papnm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Plein Air Painters of New Mexico is a 501(c)(6) non-profit artist association serving plein air painters in the Southwest U.S. through membership dues, paint outs, seasonal online contests, workshops, and an annual national juried exhibition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from artists who join the organization to participate in paint outs, exhibitions, contests, and member benefits.
2. Exhibition Entry Fees: Fees charged for entry to juried exhibitions. The 2025 17th National Juried Members Exhibition charged $42 for the first image with $10 for each additional image, up to 4 images.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors at various tiers (Benefactor, Partner, Enthusiast, Friend) provide financial and in-kind support to the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PAPNM is a 501(c)(6) non-profit professional artist association dedicated to preserving and promoting plein air painting. It operates as a membership-based organization providing members with regular outdoor paint outs, seasonal online contests, an annual National Juried Members Exhibition held in Santa Fe, educational workshops taught by Master Signature Members, and networking opportunities within the New Mexico plein air community.

Product overview

PAPNM (Plein Air Painters of New Mexico) is a 501(c)6 non-profit professional association of artists dedicated to preserving and promoting painting 'en plein air' - in the open air or outdoors. The organization operates as a membership-based platform offering member benefits including paint outs, online contests, juried exhibitions, and workshops. The core offering consists of regular paint out events, seasonal online contests (Summer Skies, Winter Wonderland, Signs of Spring, Color Passages), annual National Juried Members Exhibitions, and educational workshops taught by Master Signature Members. The organization uses Wild Apricot membership software for operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PAPNM Membership Annual membership in the professional artist association granting members access to paint outs, online contests, juried exhibitions, workshops, member directory listings, and networking opportunities.
• Paint Outs Regular outdoor group painting events held at various locations across New Mexico where members paint together en plein air, documented in photo albums.
• National Juried Members Exhibition Annual juried exhibition of two-dimensional en plein air artworks submitted by PAPNM members, judged by distinguished artists, with $15,000 in cash and merchandise awards. Held at partner galleries in Santa Fe and Los Alamos.
• Online Contests Seasonal themed online painting contests (Summer Skies, Winter Wonderland, Signs of Spring, Color Passages) where members submit plein air paintings for judging and cash awards.
• Member Workshops Educational workshops on plein air painting techniques taught by PAPNM Master Signature Members and visiting artists, available to association members.
• Mother Road Open Air Paint Out and Show Annual paint out and show event along historic Route 66 in New Mexico, with registration, prospectus, and accompanying workshop opportunities.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered benefactor, partner, enthusiast and core.

• Artisan San FebenefactorGTM or Marketing PartnerArt supply store and gallery serving as a Benefactor-level sponsor, providing support for PAPNM events and exhibitions.
• Royal TalensbenefactorGTM or Marketing PartnerArt materials manufacturer as Benefactor-level sponsor, supporting PAPNM's mission and events.
• Box & PaintbenefactorGTM or Marketing PartnerArt supply company as Benefactor-level sponsor for PAPNM events.
• New Wave ArtbenefactorGTM or Marketing PartnerArt gallery/frame shop as Benefactor-level sponsor for PAPNM events.
• Los Alamos Arts CouncilbenefactorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional arts organization as Benefactor-level sponsor, co-hosting events like the 'Let's Go Fly A Kite' paint out in Los Alamos.
• Abiquiu InnbenefactorGTM or Marketing PartnerInn and gallery as Benefactor-level sponsor, providing lodging and exhibition space for PAPNM members.
• Arts in the SunsetbenefactorGTM or Marketing PartnerArts organization as Benefactor-level sponsor.
• En Plein Air PropartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline platform as Partner-level sponsor supporting plein air painters.
• Jerry's ArtaramapartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerArt supply retailer as Partner-level sponsor.
• SourceTek / Canvas PanelspartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCanvas panel manufacturer as Partner-level sponsor.
• Chelsea Classical StudiopartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerArt materials company as Partner-level sponsor.
• Gamblin ColorspartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerOil paint manufacturer as Partner-level sponsor.
• Jack RichesonpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerArt equipment manufacturer as Partner-level sponsor.
• Bradley Cabinet ShoppartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCustom cabinetry/framing shop as Partner-level sponsor.
• UART Pastel PaperenthusiastGTM or Marketing PartnerPastel paper manufacturer as Enthusiast-level sponsor.
• Master Pak USAenthusiastGTM or Marketing PartnerPackaging materials company as Enthusiast-level sponsor.
• JFM EnterprisesenthusiastGTM or Marketing PartnerFrame company as Enthusiast-level sponsor.
• Dick BlickenthusiastGTM or Marketing PartnerArt supply retailer as Enthusiast-level sponsor.
• Daniel SmithenthusiastGTM or Marketing PartnerArtist's colors manufacturer as Enthusiast-level sponsor.
• Legends of the West GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSanta Fe gallery hosting the annual National Juried Members Exhibition. Provides venue, promotion, and sales platform for member artworks. The 2025 exhibition was held July 12 - August 8 at their location at 102 East Water St, Suite 13, Santa Fe.
• Qiang HuangcoreOthersJudge of Awards for the 2025 National Juried Members Exhibition. Oil painter and art educator, Signature member of OPA, Ph.D in physics. Leading judge for the $15,000 awards.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oil Painters of America: National nonprofit association of oil painters that hosts annual juried exhibitions, regional events, workshops, and member competitions. Directly comparable to PAPNM in mission (advancing representational painting), revenue model (membership dues, exhibition entry fees, sponsorships), and event programming.
• Plein Air Painters of California: California-based association dedicated to plein air painting with paint-outs, exhibitions, and member events. Directly comparable by plein air mission, member-dues structure, and juried show programming.
• Plein Air Easton: Annual juried plein air festival and competition in Easton, Maryland that attracts national plein air artists with significant cash prizes. Comparable to PAPNM's National Juried Members Exhibition in juried plein air competition model, though organized as a single event rather than a year-round association.
• Laguna Plein Air Painters Association: Southern California plein air association that hosts paint-outs, signature member workshops, and a well-known annual invitational plein air festival. Comparable to PAPNM in mission specificity (plein air only) and event-anchored membership value.
• Outdoor Painters Society: Regional plein air painters' association in Texas that organizes paint-outs, exhibitions, and workshops for outdoor painters. Most directly comparable peer to PAPNM by plein air focus, regional scope, and membership-driven exhibition model.
• American Impressionist Society: Nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the art of impressionism, hosting annual juried exhibitions, workshops, and paint-out events. Closely overlaps PAPNM in plein air-adjacent painting tradition, member benefits model, and signature/award recognition programs.
• Pacific Northwest Plein Air Painters: Regional plein air organization serving Pacific Northwest artists with paint-outs, exhibitions, and member events. Comparable to PAPNM as a regionally scoped plein air membership association with similar programming cadence.

Broad incumbents

• Art Renewal Center: Nonprofit arts organization promoting representational fine art through exhibitions, publications, and an online gallery. Comparable to PAPNM as a nonprofit arts association, but operates at a broader scale with international reach rather than plein air–specific programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plein-air-painters-of-new-mexico-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF NEW MEXICO INC