Landes Aquarelle Festival

Landes Aquarelle Festival: the art of water and pigments in the heart of the Landes

Since 2018, the Landes Aquarelle Festival has established itself as a must-attend event for watercolor enthusiasts and professionals in France and Europe. Organized in Morcenx-la-Nouvelle, between Bordeaux and Bayonne, this international festival celebrates the delicacy and richness of this ancestral pictorial technique for a week.

About fifty international artists

Each edition brings together around 50 watercolor artists from around the world – France, Peru, Switzerland, Belgium, Iran, Canada – to exhibit their works, share their techniques, and interact with the public. This international dimension distinguishes the festival and makes it a unique meeting place between cultures and artistic styles.

Three exhibition venues

The works are presented in three exhibition venues in and around Morcenx-la-Nouvelle: the Maroc hall, the Jean-Jaurès center, the media library, and the tourist office of the Morcenais region. The Arjuzanx Reserve, a remarkable natural site nearby, also hosts works related to the surrounding nature.

Demonstrations, workshops, and conferences

Beyond the exhibitions, the Landes Aquarelle Festival offers a rich program of activities:

• Filmed demonstrations: artists share their techniques and tips live at the Morcenx cinema, allowing the public to follow the creation on the big screen
• Watercolor workshops: led by master watercolorists, these workshops are for beginners and experienced artists alike
• Conferences: art history specialists speak, such as Isabelle Beccia, institutional mediator at the Bordeaux Museum of Fine Arts, on 18th-century watercolor masters
• Visit to the Atelier du Crayon: in Lesperon, to discover the behind-the-scenes of artisanal production

Artistic lottery

A lottery with 30 original watercolors to be won is organized each year, offering the public the chance to leave with a unique artwork.

A festival rooted in the Landes territory

Organized by the Landes Aquarelle association, the festival benefits from the support of the municipality of Morcenx-la-Nouvelle, the tourist office of the Morcenais region, and numerous local partners. The event contributes to the cultural and tourist influence of the territory, attracting nearly 5,000 visitors each year.