Art Faoin Aer - Belvedere House

Art Faoin Aer, Irish for art under the open sky, is a two-day plein air painting festival held in the grounds of Belvedere House on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August 2026. Sixty artists work outdoors across the estate’s gardens and parkland, each producing a piece live over the weekend for judging, and the public can walk the grounds and watch the work take shape at every stage, from a blank canvas to a finished painting.

What to expect

Artists paint, draw or work in mixed media directly from the landscape, competing side by side across a range of styles, from abstract work and fine art realism to experimental and mixed media pieces. Painting runs from around 10am to 5pm on the Saturday and 10am to 2pm on the Sunday, when each artist submits a single finished piece for judging. Because the artists are spread across the wider estate rather than gathered in one room, visitors can wander between different painters and see very different interpretations of the same gardens and parkland develop side by side. The festival positions itself as taking art outside the gallery and into the open air, with the estate’s walled garden and lakeshore providing the backdrop for the weekend.

Getting there

Belvedere House Gardens and Park is on the Tullamore Road just outside Mullingar. The 160-acre estate has its own car park, and general entrance to the gardens is included as part of a visit to the festival.

While you’re in Mullingar

Belvedere’s lakeshore walks, walled garden and woodland trails are worth building extra time into a visit for, on top of watching the festival unfold across the grounds. There is more to see in Mullingar, the nearest town, and across Co. Westmeath.

Good to know

• Dates: Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August 2026, 10am to 5pm Saturday, 10am to 2pm Sunday
• Venue: Belvedere House Gardens and Park, Tullamore Road, Mullingar
• Price: €9 admission
• More information: artfaoinaer.com