Plein Air Nantucket

Artists Association of Nantucket (AAN) is pleased to host the annual Plein Air Nantucket, a plein air painting festival. Plein Air Nantucket 2026 is generously sponsored by nantucketarts.org. This week long event is free and open to all artists at any skill level or age who wish to paint outdoors and enjoy the camaraderie of painting with peers. Freshly painted works from this event come in and hang daily on our designated “Wet Walls” in the Johnson Gallery, and they are available for purchase. Frank Swift Chase Awards for excellence in en plein air painting are presented on the last day.

6/9-6/11 - Paint, paint, paint. Paint early and often.

6/12 - Sign up starts 10 am at Johnson Gallery, 8 federal Street, (see above: painting can begin 3 days before, to kickstart hanging art on our “Wet Walls” immediately at the
6/12 drop off). Artists can sign up any day, no fee to participate.

6/15 - Annual Paint Out day - Around Folger’s Marsh - 2 locations UMass Field Station and Shipwreck Museum - 10 am onward. Parking is limited! NRTA Wave (Sconset via Polpis route) will be running throughout the day with a stop directly opposite the Museum.

6/16 - Quick Paint day - 10 am to 12:30 pm - Oldest House and on the walk through .4 miles of Coffin Park to area next to Something Natural sandwich shop, a combined location.

6/17-18 - Paint, paint, paint. Last drop off for art is 1:00 pm on Saturday

6/18- Saturday Closing Reception and Frank Swift Chase Awards - Johnson Gallery - 5-7pm