SONOMA PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL 2026 is a wrap!

A Big, Heartfelt Thank You to all of our 2026 artists, attendees, patrons, sponsors and volunteers.   

See you next year for our 25th Anniversary Festival
September 13-18, 2027!

VOLUNTEER!
Be Part of the FUN & ACTION

Have fun getting in on the act while supporting art education for the kids of Sonoma Valley! 

We have committee positions available throughout the year as well as day-of shifts at our September events.
OUR ANNUAL

Sonoma Plein Air Festival

A favorite of artists and visitors alike, our next Sonoma Plein Air Festival will be held September 13-18th, 2027 in Sonoma, CA. 

Every September, we showcase the fresh work of nationally-acclaimed artists painting the outdoor views of this beautiful region over the week (painting "en plein air"). Their works are then on display available for purchase at the Friday Gala and Saturday Art Show of festival week.

A FESTIVAL WITH A MISSION:

Proceeds are not-for-profit, but directly fund art education grants and scholarships for Sonoma Valley's K-12 students. We've been supporting Sonoma Valley's art education for almost 25 years! Scroll down to learn about the Sonoma Plein Air Foundation.

We sincerely thank all of our Artists, Attendees, Art Buyers, Donors, Patrons and Volunteers for making our 2025 Festival a great success.

ABOUT SONOMA PLEIN AIR FOUNDATION:

Sonoma Plein Air Foundation is a non-profit organization in Sonoma Valley, CA. We are the primary funder of K-12 visual arts education for our local public schools and non-profits.

Since our founding in 2002, we've granted over $2.6 Million to sustain and grow visual arts programs, raising essential funding annually for teacher supplies, equipment, activities and scholarships for Sonoma Valley's children and youth.

Why we care:
The arts help our students with expression, self-discovery, academics and stress relief. Exploration and experience with art is proven to build thinking, creativity, problem-solving skills, and engagement in learning. The arts develop student curiosity, self esteem, discovery and wonder. They enhance lives and the community itself, binding us together.

Funding for our grants comes directly from donations and proceeds from our Sonoma Plein Air Festival, held each September and regarded as one of the best Plein Air artist events in the nation. Our board is all-volunteer, and scores of community volunteers help us produce the Festival each year.

The numbers above reflect the most current school-year grant requests, as granted.
What all have we funded?

Our grants support local K-12 art education by funding supplies, equipment and experiences for: classes in art, graphic design, video arts, film and photography, ceramic kilns, a 3D printer, murals and mosaics, jewelry smithing, maker labs, after school and summer art programs, museum visits, student art shows and much more.

We are able to do this each year thanks to the generosity of each professional artist taking part in our Sonoma Plein Air Festival, our patrons, donors, volunteers and art buyers!

Learn more about Sonoma Plein Air and consider getting involved!

See this year's video:

The Art Detectives - 2025

Video Production by the generous hands of
Russell Johnson and Pat Meier-Johnson, Thank You!