Itinerary
ITINERARY
DAY ONE
Friday 28th May
10am–4pm | Check In & Paint Out
Barrington Hall
The festival gets underway at 10am at Barrington Hall. Come along to check in, collect your welcome pack and lanyard, meet some fellow artists and get settled in.
Once you’ve picked up your pack, you’re free to head out and explore one of our selected paint-out spots nearby and start painting your Weardale scene.
Barrington Hall will remain open until 4pm, so you’re welcome to pop back in throughout the day to use the loos, make yourself a hot drink and have a breather between painting sessions.
Please note: we won’t be stamping surfaces on Friday. This will take place on Saturday morning, ready for the competition.
11am–3pm | Colin Joyce – Beginners’ Workshop
Smithy Studios & Garden | Add-on
New to painting outdoors, or looking to build your confidence? Join artist Colin Joyce for a relaxed and practical beginners’ workshop at Smithy Studios & Garden.
Colin will guide you through the basics of plein air painting, helping you look at your surroundings with fresh eyes and turn what you see into a painting.
Expect plenty of helpful tips, demonstrations and hands-on painting, with time to experiment and ask questions along the way.
A friendly workshop designed to get you started and, most importantly, enjoy the process.
Evening | Artists’ Welcome BBQ
Local Country Pub | Add-on
Round off the first day with a relaxed evening of good food, good company and a few drinks at a lovely local country pub.
Our artists’ BBQ is a chance to put the brushes down, swap stories from the day and get to know the people you’ll be painting alongside over the weekend.
Expect a laid-back evening, plenty of chat and a warm Weardale welcome.
DAY TWO
Saturday 29th May
The Big Brush Off Plein Air Competition
9.30am | Competition Check-In, Surface Stamping & Pep Talk
Weardale Town Hall
This is an important part of the competition, so make sure you’re at the Town Hall for 10:00am.
Bring the painting surface you intend to enter and we’ll stamp it to officially mark the start of your competition piece. You’ll also collect your competition number and we’ll run through the rules, give you a quick pep talk and get everyone ready to go.
Then, at 10:30am, the starting whistle will sound — and you’re off!
10:30am–2:30pm | Painting Time
Head out into Weardale and find your perfect painting spot. Choose from our suggested locations or discover your own favourite view, and spend the morning capturing the landscape in your own way.
One painting per artist can be entered into the competition. You can also bring up to two additional works for the public exhibition, giving you the chance to show up to three paintings in total.
There’s just one important rule: all works displayed must have been created during the festival weekend. They don’t have to be competition entries, but they should be paintings you’ve created while you’re here.
Competition Categories
This year, prizes will be awarded across three categories:
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Oil
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Watercolour
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Other
Whether you work in acrylic, pastel, gouache or something completely different, there’s a category for you.
Before 3:00pm | Return & Submit
Bring your competition painting back to the Town Hall and place it on the wooden display stands before 3:00pm.
Please allow enough time to complete your price and details label and, if you wish, frame your work before submission.
Only work submitted by 3:00pm can be entered into the competition. Works arriving after this time can still be included in the public exhibition, but won’t be considered for judging.
While our judges get to work, take a breather, grab a drink and enjoy seeing what everyone else has been creating.
4:00pm | Winners Announced & Prize Giving
Join us at the Town Hall as we reveal the winners of this year’s Big Brush Off, with prizes awarded for Oil, Watercolour and Other Media.
Come along to celebrate everyone who took part — and cheer on this year’s winners!
4:00pm–6:00pm | Public Exhibition
The Town Hall opens its doors to the public, giving visitors the chance to see all the wonderful work created over the weekend.
Take a wander, meet fellow artists, admire the paintings and perhaps find something you’d like to take home.
7:00pm-11:00pm | Saturday Night Social
Town Hall | Add-On
DAY THREE
Sunday 30th May
10:00am – 4:00pm: Exhibition of Works
Up to three pieces per artist can be on display for the public to enjoy.
9.30am - 12 noon | Loose figure drawing
Norman Cornish style with Charles Knights
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12.30pm - 4pm | Cottage garden experience with David Curtis (ROI RSMA)
paint in a beautiful cottage garden with David Curtis and enjoy a posh cream tea lunch.
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12.30pm - 4pm | Cottage garden experience with Peter Woolley
paint in a beautiful cottage garden with Peter Woolley and enjoy a posh cream tea lunch.
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12.30pm - 4pm | Cottage garden experience with Stuart Jones
paint in a beautiful cottage garden with Stuart Jones and enjoy a posh cream tea lunch.
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6.30pm - 8.30pm | A relaxed life drawing session with cheese and wine.
DAY FOUR
Monday 31st
May
10:00am – 2:00pm: Exhibition of Works
Up to three pieces per artist will be on display for the public to enjoy.
11am onwards
Artist led paint out
11am - 2pm Quick draw competition
A quick draw competition packed with surprises, fun, and fantastic prizes. You never know what’s coming next!
2pm-4pm Collection of work and optional registration to the online gallery.
Back to the town hall to collect your work and have your work photographed for the optional online exhibition.