Plein Air Bray 2026

Plein Air Bray brings painters out onto Bray seafront for a weekend of outdoor painting on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August 2026, run by Signal Arts Centre. Visiting artists Kieran Guckian, Laura Cronin, Heather Flynn and Santa Silina lead paid workshops across the two days, and everyone taking part shows their finished work at an exhibition and wine reception at the Martello that evening.

What to expect

Plein air painting, working outdoors in front of the subject rather than from photographs in a studio, has a long tradition on the Irish coast, and Bray’s Victorian seafront and headland give painters a full day of changing light. Registered participants can book workshop slots with the visiting tutors, who cover different subjects and techniques; places in each workshop are limited, so early booking is recommended. The weekend builds towards an evening exhibition in the Martello, the historic tower on the seafront, where the day’s paintings go up on the walls alongside a wine reception for artists, friends and the public. It is a sociable, informal event rather than a formal gallery opening, and passersby on the seafront can watch the painters at work over the course of the weekend.

Getting there

Bray seafront is a short walk from Bray Daly DART station, which puts it about 45 to 55 minutes from Dublin city centre. The Martello sits on the Esplanade itself; painters working outdoors are spread along the promenade and around Bray Head, so events on the day are easy to find on foot.

While you’re in Bray

The event doubles as a good excuse to walk the Esplanade and climb Bray Head afterwards, with the Harbour Bar at the far end for anyone finishing the day the traditional way. There is more to see in Bray and across Co. Wicklow.

Good to know

• Dates: Saturday 15 to Sunday 16 August 2026, 10am to 6pm
• Venue: Bray Seafront, with the closing exhibition at the Martello
• Price: viewing the exhibition and watching the painters is free; workshop places are paid and booked through Signal Arts Centre
• Recurrence: annual, held every August