Plein Air Painters of Australia (PAPA)
Plein air painting has a long and proud history in Australia — from early colonial artists working outdoors to today’s painters capturing light, weather and place directly from life. In recent years, that tradition has seen a strong revival, with more artists choosing to paint on location and more groups, workshops and festivals emerging across the country.
For many years, much of this connection happened informally online. What began as a simple Facebook group created by Leon Holmes to connect like-minded outdoor painters has grown into a large and active national community. Alongside this growth, Australia has seen a steady increase in plein air events, paint-outs, workshops and festivals — each helping to strengthen the movement in their own way.
As the community expanded, it became clear there was a need for something more permanent: a central place that could act as a home base for Australian plein air painting.
Plein Air Painters of Australia was created to fill that gap.
A Home for the Australian Plein Air Community
This website exists to support and connect the growing network of plein air painters across Australia. It’s a place where artists can:
- Learn more about the plein air movement in Australia
- Discover upcoming events, festivals, workshops and paint-outs
- Stay connected with what’s happening around the country
- Find and support other artists and organisers working outdoors
Rather than replacing existing groups or events, this site aims to bring everything together — helping build a clearer picture of the vibrant plein air activity already happening nationwide.
Who’s Behind the Site
Plein Air Painters of Australia is a collaborative initiative between:
- Leon Holmes — Co-Founder of Plein Air Down Under and long-time advocate for outdoor painting in Australia
- Barb Thoms — Co-Founder & Director of Plein Air Down Under
- Natasha Ruschka — Co-Founder & Festival Director of Capital Plein Air
- Chan Dissanayake – Co-Founder of Capital Plein Air
Together, we share a commitment to strengthening the Australian plein air community while keeping the focus where it belongs — on painting.
How the Site Will Work
We’re painters first, and this platform is intentionally simple.
Over the next 12 months, we’ll be encouraging plein air groups, festivals and event organisers to list their activities on the site. This will help build a national snapshot of what’s happening across Australia and make it easier for artists to find opportunities to paint outdoors.
In the future, we may introduce a small listing fee to help cover website and hosting costs. Any changes will be communicated clearly and well in advance.
Get Involved
If you run a plein air group, workshop, festival or regular paint-out — or know of one that should be included — we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us to list your event, group or initiative, and help grow a connected, supportive home for plein air painting in Australia.