Mandurah, Pinjarra and the wider Peel Region will host more than 200 artists from 22 to 29 September 2026 when Plein Air Down Under, Australia’s largest outdoor painting festival, returns for its eighth year.
Artists from across Australia and beyond will compete for more than $13,000 in awards and prizes as they capture the region’s waterways, coastal scenery and heritage streetscapes ‘en plein air’, a French term meaning ‘in the open air’.
The Festival Weekend, from 26 to 28 September, is when spectators get the best of the action, with Feature Artists giving free live painting demonstrations in oil, watercolour and pastel, plus live music and free have-a-go art activities for all ages.
This year’s Feature Artists are Greg Barnes (USA), Leon Holmes (Mandurah) and Andy Dolphin (Mt Barker), who will each lead a masterclass. They are joined by Guest Artists Leanne Pearson (Quinns Rock), Georgia Mansur (NSW) and Linda MacAulay (Victoria), each teaching a one-day workshop.
A crowd favourite is the Quick Draw Two-Hour Painting Competition on Monday 28 September, where artists of all ages race the clock to finish a painting in two hours, before judging, awards and fast-paced easel sales.
“For a week, the whole region becomes an open-air studio and everyone is welcome to wander through it,” said Barbara Thoms, festival manager of Plein Air Down Under.
“It never gets old watching an artist at work, transforming a blank canvas into a beautiful piece is truly inspiring,” she said.
Established in 2019 by the not-for-profit Mandurah Plein Air Artists Inc, Plein Air Down Under offers a unique opportunity for artists to paint and exhibit their works in stunning outdoor settings.
“I’ve painted in some beautiful parts of the world, but there’s nothing like setting up an easel in your own backyard with 200 other artists beside you,” said Leon Holmes, a Mandurah-based artist and 2026 Feature Artist.
Watching is free. Artist registrations are open to all skill levels: $10 for youth aged 18 and under, and $120 for adults.
