Catherine Cooper, Brevard Plein Air Festival 2025
Heart of Brevard has issued a Call to Artists for its Sixth Annual Brevard Plein Air Festival to be held September 14–19, 2026. Highlights of the week-long celebration include a juried painting competition, a quick draw competition, a public show and sale, and cash prizes to the top artists.
“Over the past few years, the Brevard Plein Air Festival has really found its place on the map—but what makes it special is that it still feels personal,” says Nicole Bentley, executive director of Heart of Brevard, an organization of professional staff members, residents, civic leaders, and business and property owners that focuses on revitalization. “It’s a smaller event where artists can truly connect with each other, our team and the community. That sense of camaraderie, paired with the beauty of this place, is what brings people back year after year.”
The event is open to all plein air painters 18 years of age and older who work in oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache and pastel. A selection panel will review all applications, and artists may apply through March 31. The application fee is $75. Juried artists are given a curated list of scenic destinations, overlooks and landmarks two weeks before the event.
Catherine Cooper was the featured artist at this year’s festival, and she enjoyed the interaction with curious onlookers throughout the event. “While painting in town, young adults often stopped to ask thoughtful questions and chat; it felt like such a promising sign for our community,” Cooper says. While out painting, she heard from fly fishers, cyclists and others who stopped to watch her work. “Moments like these remind me how much care, curiosity and kindness exist here in Transylvania County,” she says. “Brevard Plein Air is more than an event—it’s a celebration of community, creativity and the natural beauty that surrounds us.”
An exclusive Patron Preview Event will be held on Friday, September 18, and the festival concludes on Saturday, September 19, with the Wet Paint Art Show & Sale, open to the public.
Bentley notes that what began as a small, local event during the pandemic has grown into a highlight for the area’s arts calendar and a draw for artists from across the country. “That growth really speaks to the creative energy of this place and the way our community shows up to support and celebrate the arts,” she says.
Learn more and find applications at BrevardNC.org, or call 828.884.3278.
