Confluences - International Watercolor Festival

ℹ️ Festival suspended. According to a press release from the town of Aiguillon published in October 2023, the international Confluences festival is no longer held. The Centre d'Animation Municipal that supported it was dissolved after its director's retirement, with no volunteers to take over its organization. This page preserves the memory of this major cultural event in Lot-et-Garonne.

Confluences: International Watercolor in Aiguillon

From 2008 to 2022, the Confluences festival made Aiguillon, a small town in Lot-et-Garonne at the confluence of the Lot and Garonne rivers, an unmissable event for watercolor and travel journal enthusiasts. This event drew its roots from the town's rich artistic past: in the 18th century, the Dukes of Aiguillon owned a fabulous collection of master paintings and watercolor drawings in their castle. The last documented edition, the 14th, took place from October 8 to 24, 2022.

An event of international scope

Each edition brought together about fifty watercolor and travel journal artists of national and international renown, from about ten different countries. Established talents rubbed shoulders with promising young artists, offering visitors an exceptional panorama of contemporary watercolor creation. More than 250 original works were exhibited in three emblematic venues in the town: the Musée Dastrac, the Espace Théophile de Viau and the Centre d'Animation Municipal.

Exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations

Beyond the exhibitions, Confluences offered a rich program of artistic activities:

• Watercolor workshops led by guest artists, allowing amateurs of all levels to perfect their technique
• Free public demonstrations where watercolorists shared their expertise live
• Urban sketchers gatherings (sketchcrawl) in the streets and landscapes of Aiguillon
• Meetings with artists and discussions about their works and careers

A festival rooted in its territory

Aiguillon, located at the confluence of the Lot and Garonne, offered a remarkable natural and heritage setting for this festival dedicated to the art of water. The town, rich in its ducal history and river landscapes, was a privileged source of inspiration for watercolorists and travel journal artists. The festival attracted thousands of visitors each year, contributing to the cultural and tourist dynamism of the Val de Garonne agglomeration community.

The end of an adventure

After about fifteen editions, the festival ended with the dissolution of the Centre d'Animation Municipal d'Aiguillon in 2023, following the retirement of its director and due to a lack of volunteers to ensure continuity. If a new structure were to take over the organization in the future, this page would be updated.