Paint in the Park event at Stanley Park

Wednesday, 3 July 2024 13:02

By Shelagh Parkinson - Local Democracy Reporting Service

Artists from across the country are set to converge in Blackpool this weekend to test their outdoor painting skills.

Blackpool Art Society is holding its second Paint in the Park competition on Saturday (July 6) at the resort’s award-winning Stanley Park after last year’s successful event.

Forty artists from all over Lancashire and as far afield as Nottingham and Wales, will be out around the park to compete in the annual ‘Plein Air’ painting competition with a first prize of £300, and a runners-up prize of £100.

Residents are being encouraged to go along to the park between 10am and 4pm to see the artists at work, with this year’s event sponsored by Blackpool Council.

Susan Pugh, of Blackpool Art Society, based on Wilkinson Avenue, said; “We held the competition for the first time last year and we had 24 artists taking part and it was a great success.

“Everyone really enjoyed it and many of the artists are coming back. We are hoping to build on that and make the competition an annual event.

“Each artist sees a map of the park and they go off with their equipment and decide where they are going to paint. They set up their easels all over the park – last year they were around the clock tower and the lake, in the rose garden and in the trees. It was wonderful to see.”

This year is also the 140th anniversary of the Blackpool Art Society whose members visit places across the Fylde coast each Monday to take part in ‘Plein Air’ painting.

Susan added: “Plein air painting – which is when artists go out and about with their easels – is a really big movement now.”

Saturday’s event will also include an open exhibition of the paintings at 5pm at the Stanley Park Visitor Centre, after the judging by local artist Chris McLoughlin. Visitors will also be able to choose a piece of artwork fresh off the easel to buy direct from the artist.

Refreshments will also be available throughout the day at the Visitor Centre and the Art Deco Cafe.