Australia's biggest outdoor painting festival returns to Mandurah

Mandurah, Pinjarra and the Peel region will transform into an open-air studio this September for Australia's longest-running and largest outdoor painting festival, Plein Air Down Under.

More than 200 artists from across Australia and around the world will gather to paint en plein air, a French term meaning "in the open air", competing for a share of $13,000 in prize money.

Visitors can wander through this outdoor studio along Mandurah's foreshore and cultural precinct, as well as Pinjarra's town centre, watching artists transform blank canvases into works of art inspired by their surroundings.

Many of the festival's highlights take place during Festival Weekend from 26 to 28 September, offering the perfect school holiday or long weekend activity.

Live painting demonstrations, free children's art activities, workshops, live music and hands-on creative sessions make it a fun day out for all ages.

On Monday 28 September, the King's Birthday public holiday, crowds will gather in Mandjar Square for the popular Quick Draw Two-Hour Painting Competition.

Artists of all ages race against the clock to complete a painting in just two hours before presenting their work to a panel of judges.

This year's feature artists will also lead a series of one-day masterclasses throughout the week, including oil painting with acclaimed US artist Greg Barnes and Mandurah's own Leon Holmes, as well as watercolour workshops with Mt Barker artist Andy Dolphin.

Established in 2019 by not-for-profit group Mandurah Plein Air Artists Inc., Plein Air Down Under was created to give artists the opportunity to paint and exhibit in some of the region's most picturesque outdoor settings.

The festival joins a global network of plein air events held in countries including Ireland, the Netherlands and the United States, attracting artists of all skill levels while giving the public access to world-class tutors through free demonstrations, artist talks and special events.

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