Your ultimate cheat sheet to the Capital Plein Air Festival 2026

Posted on 16 April, 2026

Imagine strolling through Canberra’s parks, lakesides and historic sites this autumn and discovering artists quietly painting the landscape right in front of you.

From Monday 20 until Sunday 26 April, more than 150 artists from around Australia will arrive in the capital for the Capital Plein Air Festival, transforming some of Canberra’s most beautiful locations into open-air studios.

This year’s festival will be the largest gathering of outdoor painters on the east coast of Australia, making it a rare opportunity to see some of the country’s finest landscape painters working live in the landscape.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What is the Capital Plein Air Festival?

The Capital Plein Air Festival celebrates plein air painting – the practice of painting outdoors directly from life.

Across the week, artists paint on location around Canberra, take part in demonstrations and workshops with leading painters, and compete for more than $12,000 in prizes. For visitors, it’s a chance to watch artists working in real time as they capture Canberra’s autumn light and landscapes.

Learn from some of Australia’s leading plein air painters

Alongside the open painting sessions, the festival includes demonstrations and workshops led by some of Australia’s most respected plein air painters Linda MacAulay, Julie Simmons, John Haycraft and Kasey Sealy.

These experienced artists share their techniques and insights with participating painters throughout the week, helping pass on practical knowledge about painting directly from the landscape.

The festival’s Patron, Warwick Fuller, is one of Australia’s most accomplished plein air painters, with a professional career spanning more than 45 years and exhibitions in Australia and London. He has also completed several assignments as the official tour artist for the King and will be demonstrating and sharing insights during the festival. Local watercolour artist Chan Dissanayake will also be demonstrating on this day.

International colour expert Scott Gellatly (USA) is the festival’s featured artist this year. While his workshops are already sold out, visitors will still have opportunities to see him demonstrate and paint during the week.

Where can you see the artists?

Artists will be painting throughout Canberra during the week, with several great opportunities for the public to watch them at work.

On Thursday artists will be painting at Weston Park, followed by Friday at the National Arboretum, where visitors can also watch demonstrations by Warwick Fuller and watercolour artist Chan Dissanayake.

On Saturday at 10 am, featured artist Scott Gellatly will present a painting demonstration at the jetty near Reconciliation Place.

The festival wraps up on Sunday at Kingston Foreshore and the Fitters Workshop, where visitors can watch artists at work and see paintings created during the week.

For the full and most up-to-date program, visit capitalpleinair.com

Don’t miss the Quick Draw

One of the most exciting moments of the festival is the Quick Draw on the final day.

In this lively two-hour paint-off, artists race the clock to complete a painting while spectators watch the action unfold. When time is up, the artworks go straight onto display – and many are quickly snapped up by collectors.

It’s fast, energetic and a great way to see just how quickly skilled artists can capture a scene.

See the exhibition

Throughout the week, finished paintings will be displayed at the Fitters Workshop in Kingston, where visitors can view and purchase artworks created during the festival.

Many of the works will have been painted only hours earlier, offering a fresh and immediate interpretation of Canberra’s autumn landscape.

How can you get involved?

The festival is open to both artists and the public.

Artists can register to paint alongside others from around the country, while locals are encouraged to visit the locations during the week, watch the artists at work and attend the exhibition and Quick Draw finale.

If you’d like to be part of the event behind the scenes, the festival also welcomes volunteers to help across the week at various locations and events.

To learn more about participating or volunteering, visit capitalpleinair.com.

Images supplied.