15th & 16th AUGUST 2026
Art Faoin Aer is a weekend plein air art festival and competition held at Belvedere House and Gardens, Mullingar, County Westmeath.
The Competition
Art Faoin Aer welcomes 60 artists to take part in our two-day Plein Air art competition.
Artists will arrive on Saturday morning to register and receive a warm welcome to the festival. Each participating artist will be provided with a welcome pack, along with lunch on both days of the festival to help keep them fuelled throughout the competition.
Following registration, artists will be assigned a location within the festival grounds where they can begin creating their work.
Participants will paint, draw, sketch, or work within their chosen medium from 10am–5pm on Saturday, and return to continue or begin new work from 10am–2pm on Sunday.
On the final day, artists have the opportunity to move location and create a new piece if they wish, allowing for fresh inspiration and a different response to place. By 2pm on Sunday, each artist must select and submit one final artwork for judging.
*Art Faoin Aer celebrates diversity in artistic practice. From abstract artists and fine art realists to mixed media and experimental creators, artists work side by side in the open air, each bringing their own interpretation of place to life. Art Faoin Aer is more than a competition; this is an opportunity to develop artistic practice, build community, and share the creative process with the public. By creating “live” within the landscape, artists are invited to fully immerse themselves in their environment, connect with fellow creatives, and help bring art beyond gallery walls and into the heart of the community.
congratulations to our 2025 winners
Our workshops
*Limited spots available, book early!.
Painting - Acrylic
€45
Landscape painting workshop with kieran Guckian
Saturday 15th August
11pm to 2pm
led by the acclaimed artist Kieran Guckian, a finalist in Sky - Landscape Artist of the Year.
Kieran brings a wealth of experience and insight into this engaging session, encouraging participants to develop their own expressive response to place through acrylic painting.
Painting - Acrylic
€45
Master the art of Acrylic with Dave WEst
Sunday 16th August
10pm to 1pm
Join acclaimed plein air painter Dave West for an inspiring landscape painting workshop exploring observation, atmosphere and expressive mark making in the outdoors.
Known for his dynamic response to place and light, Dave encourages participants to work directly from life, capturing the energy and character of the landscape through paint
Printmaking
€45
Printmaking workshop led by master printmaker Hilary Kinahan.
Saturday 15th August
2pm to 4pm
With a wealth of experience in contemporary print practice, Hilary offers an engaging and supportive approach, guiding participants through process, mark making and creative experimentation. This workshop is suitable those with experience who wish to deepen their understanding of printmaking in a relaxed and inspiring festival setting.
landscape inspired craft workshops
booking link opening soon
creative village workshops for kids led by Andrea Cullen.
Saturday 15th
11am - 12pm | 2pm-3pm
Sunday 16th August
11am - 1pm
A series of playful, landscape inspired workshops led by Andrea Cullen, inviting children to explore the outdoors through creative making, imagination and discovery. Across the sessions, young participants will engage with nature in new ways . . collecting, building, experimenting and responding to the world around them through hands on creative activities.