Torbay Paint Out series returns with new two-day event at Torre Abbey and The Pavilion
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Three years after the Great Paignton Paint Out, the Torbay Paint Out series is returning on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September 2026.
The Great Torre Abbey Paint Out which is centred around two of Torbay’s most iconic heritage landmarks, Torre Abbey and The Pavilion, will form the culminating celebration of the National Gallery’s Art on Your Doorstep exhibition.
Acting as a spiritual successor to the Great Paignton Paint Out, the event will once again celebrate the Bay’s heritage through creativity in the outdoors. Dedicated to "plein air" painting - a centuries-old tradition translating to "out of doors," where artists leave the studio to directly observe and capture the landscape, the weekend will be a fitting close to the Torre Abbey’s Art on Your Doorstep trail, which took great masterpieces off the gallery walls and out into the world.
Utilising the historic tradition of plein air painting, the event will offer a modern interpretation of this practice by inviting artists who work across diverse, contemporary techniques to produce new pieces live on location. Just as the trail is bringing old masters to a modern setting, the Paint Out weekend too will meet audiences where they are and put creativity at the centre of our public spaces.
The weekend's activities begin on Saturday 5 September, with a Plein Air Artist Trail featuring ten professional artists working on location. Connecting two of Torbay’s architectural heritage icons, the route follows the Art on Your Doorstep trail and the Agatha Christie Mile. Visitors are invited to take a thoughtful walk between Torre Abbey and The Pavilion, taking the time to engage with the practitioners and observe their diverse creative techniques as they unfold in real time. Positioned at key historic and scenic vantage points along the route, such as Princess Gardens and Agatha’s Bench, the artists will offer visitors a unique opportunity to pause and see familiar landmarks from entirely new perspectives.
The following day, Sunday 6 September, the focus shifts entirely to Torre Abbey’s upper meadow and surrounding grounds for a Mass Paint Out. This day is open to all, regardless of prior experience. Whether participants paint regularly, prefer sketching on a tablet, or have never taken their supplies beyond the kitchen table, everyone is welcome to join in. To provide practical inspiration, still life and movement setups will be available on the grounds, alongside free art packs to encourage children and families to get involved.
Alongside the Mass Paint Out, the grounds will also host Torbay’s first Plein Air Art Competition Creatives of all ages and abilities are invited to test their skills as part of this competition, which challenges participants to capture the environment within a set timeframe. All works have to be started and finished on the day, giving entrants a strict four-hour window to interpret the landscape.
Competitors are invited to set up considerately within designated areas of the grounds and can produce as many pieces as they wish during the allocated timeframe, before selecting their strongest for submission. Designed to foster local engagement and celebrate diverse approaches, these submissions will be reviewed by a panel of professional judges and partner representatives.
There is a main cash prize for the overall winner, additional themed awards, and a dedicated young person's category for those under 18.
Following the weekend, works produced will be curated into winter exhibitions hosted at both Torre Abbey and The Pavilion. By drawing together community pieces from the Mass Paint Out, professional works from the Artist Trail, and final submissions from the Plein Air Art Competition, these exhibitions will document a shared public response to the town, its landscapes and its heritage.
Art on Your Doorstep was made possible with funding from Torbay Council, the National Gallery, the Friends of Torre Abbey and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players.
"The Great Paignton Paint Out showed us how effective it can be to bring artists and the public together outside of traditional gallery spaces," says Jacob Brandon, Director of Artizan Collective. "We are looking forward to building on that foundation with Torre Abbey and The Pavilion as our anchors, celebrating the environment, and encouraging everyone to participate in documenting our local heritage alongside practising professionals."
“Torre Abbey is proud to have hosted Art on Your Doorstep for Torbay. For six months we have brought art from the great masters to the public in this free to access trail provoking conversation and a greater understanding of how our heritage and landscape is reflected in art.” Says Lucinda Heron, Torre Abbey Manager. “The Great Torre Abbey Paint Out is the culmination of the Art on Your Doorstep initiative, we will be welcoming the community free of charge into Torre Abbey for the weekend.”
Councillor Jackie Thomas, Torbay Council Cabinet Member for Tourism, Culture and Events, and Corporate Services, said: “We’re proud to support initiatives such as this that celebrate Torbay’s rich heritage and local identity by placing creativity and culture accessibly at the heart of our communities and public spaces. It will be a fantastic opportunity for residents and visitors of all ages to experience art in new, engaging and accessible ways, bringing our community together, inspiring creativity and fostering a deeper connection with our heritage, history and landscapes.”
The Great Torre Abbey Paint Out is also seeking volunteers for roles including event stewarding and artist support, ideally suited to those with an interest in the visual arts.
For tips on getting creative outdoors, volunteer information, and to find the full schedule of events, please visit artizangallery.co.uk/paintout26.
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Notes to editors
Contact Information: Email: collective@artizangallery.co.uk Press Enquiries: Julie Brandon, press@artizangallery.co.uk Sponsorship & Partner Enquiries: partnerships@artizangallery.co.uk Website: artizangallery.co.uk/paintout26
About Artizan Collective
Artizan Collective CIC is a not-for-profit community interest company dedicated to the advancement of arts and culture in Torbay and South Devon. Operating accessible gallery and studio spaces, they champion local creativity, provide professional opportunities for artists, and deliver high-quality cultural experiences for local communities.
About Torre Abbey
Torre Abbey is Torbay’s most historic building complex dating from 1196. An ancient scheduled monument set within 17.8 acres of gardens and parkland. It’s an accredited museum owned by Torbay Council, home to a regionally important collection it’s been a centre of religious and artistic expression and hospitality for 800 years. It comprises two Grade I listed buildings, four Grade II listed buildings, an historic garden and Palm House, and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument of national importance. The Abbey is the best-preserved example of a medieval monastery in Devon and Cornwall. It also has one of the five most complete early medieval barns in England.
About Torquay Pavilion Restoration Project
Led by Torbay Council, the Torquay Pavilion Restoration Project is dedicated to reimagining this cherished Grade II listed landmark as a vibrant, year-round destination. The project supports the council's wider ambitions for cultural regeneration while creating new opportunities for employment, creativity and investment in the arts and culture sector.
Following the council regaining full control of the building in late 2024, comprehensive structural investigations were undertaken throughout 2025 to help inform a long-term restoration strategy. Work is now progressing to develop a fully costed restoration plan and identify a sustainable future use for the Pavilion, in collaboration with a range of heritage and cultural partners.
To support the building's long-term restoration and eventual reopening, the Torquay Pavilion Creative Engagement Group (CEG) has been established to reconnect the community with the Pavilion's rich history and significance. The Great Torre Abbey Paint Out marks the first event in the CEG's programme of public engagement activities, inviting people to creatively engage with the Pavilion, share their memories and contribute to shaping its future. As the inaugural event in this programme, it represents an important first step in building community involvement and momentum for the Pavilion's next chapter.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That’s why as the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
Over the next 10 years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund
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