Laguna Plein Air Painters Association

The Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) is dedicated to preserving and promoting the renowned landscape painting heritage of Laguna Beach. We serve our members and the broader community by offering a vibrant schedule of events, programs, and educational opportunities.

LPAPA elevates the visibility and livelihoods of our artists through the prestigious Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational, year-round gallery exhibitions, and professional development programs. Committed to inspiring the future of art, we provide mentoring and scholarships to emerging artists and offer youth education programs dedicated to the next generation of painters. We proudly enhance our mission through key alliances with complementary arts organizations.

The Legacy of Plein Air Painting

Plein air, the artistic practice of painting the landscape outdoors and on-site, is a tradition deeply rooted in Orange County’s culture and geography. Founded in 1996 by five talented painters, the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) was created to preserve the history of this movement, support today’s artists, and foster a nationwide community. Today, our membership has grown to over 700.

As proud stewards of Laguna’s artistic legacy, we are committed to building upon a tradition that established our town as an artists’ colony over a century ago.

Our Flagship Event: The Annual Invitational

The Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational is our signature event and a vital source of support for our mission and year-round programs. This 9-day festival celebrates the art form by:

1. Raising awareness for the plein air movement and sharing our natural landscapes with the world.
2. Building community and tangibly connecting residents and visitors with the beauty of their surroundings.
3. Inspiring the next generation of artists by fostering a love of painting in young people.

Sustaining LPAPA as a nonprofit arts organization by providing unique, interactive opportunities that engage the public in a conversation about the value of place-based creativity.

Through the Invitational, we ensure that the tradition of plein air painting in California, across the nation, and around the world, continues to thrive.

The LPAPA Story: More Than a Mission

With a membership exceeding 700, the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) is a testament to the thriving art community we serve. In 2024, our small but mighty team—led by one full-time employee and a legion of dedicated volunteers—created a powerful year of impact.

Supporting the Artist Journey

LPAPA is a crucial partner for our artist members, many of whom are independent business owners. We provide the essential infrastructure for their success, from juried gallery and exhibition opportunities to business management and marketing support. Our commitment to career-building opportunities and learning experiences is at the heart of our mission.

In 2024, we proudly presented 7 juried exhibitions, hosted 4 global Virtual Learning Conferences, and facilitated 5 community paint-outs.

A Legacy for Future Generations

Our Plein Air Project is a multi-generational education program that is building the future of plein air painting. From hands-on mentoring for fourth-graders to college-level workshops, we educate and inspire young artists with the history of Laguna’s artistic legacy. By providing immersive experiences and museum visits, we ensure the tradition that established our community more than a century ago continues to flourish.

Your gift is an investment in the future of plein air art. Funding is needed to address our most pressing challenges and strengthen the foundation of our organization:

1. Securing Our Flagship Event: The cost of services and venue for our annual Invitational is our largest annual expense. This event needs to successfully raise the funds needed to sustain our year-round arts and education programs. Your support is crucial to help us cover these costs and ensure this beloved event continues to honor Laguna’s plein air painting legacy.

2. Sustaining Our Community Hub: We need your help to maintain our gallery space, which serves as a vital venue for juried exhibitions and community education programs throughout the year.

3. Expanding Our Educational Reach: To inspire the next generation, we seek funding to provide essential program supplies, expand our outreach, and compensate the talented artists who serve as mentors.

4. Strengthening Our Organization: Additional staffing is required to manage our ongoing growth and ensure we can continue to deliver high-quality programs and events to our expanding community.

5. Broadening Our Audience: We must increase our marketing efforts to grow our membership and invite more supporters to join us in preserving this artistic tradition.

While LPAPA is headquartered in the heart of Laguna Beach, our mission and programs have a far-reaching impact. We proudly serve our members and the greater community throughout Orange County and beyond, solidifying Laguna's legacy as a cornerstone of the global plein air movement.

As the Executive Director of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA), I’m bursting with pride and gratitude as we prepare to embark on our 27th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational. We’re delighted to welcome 30 exceptional, award-winning artists for an unforgettable week of creativity, brilliance, and inspiration.

Laguna Beach, with an artistic heritage deeply rooted in the plein air painting tradition, comes alive each year with brushstrokes that honor our legacy, expand our horizons, and furthers our Mission. I look forward each year to see how each artist will add their voice to our storied landscape, lifting Laguna’s global art reputation to even greater heights.

LPAPA's plein air celebration wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our dedicated artists, devoted patrons, sponsors, and community members. The steadfast belief in our mission ensures that LPAPA continues to thrive, nurture emerging talent, provide support for working artists, and sustain the plein air legacy that defines us.

I am grateful for every artist, supporter, donor, volunteer, and art lover! Our mutually rewarding partnership lights the way for what’s next. Here’s to more plein air, more inspiration, and an unforgettable 2025 Invitational that sustains us successfully into the future!

-- Bonnie Langner, LPAPA's Executive Director

Building the Future of Plein Air

My journey with the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) began nearly two decades ago as a volunteer in 2007. In 2013, I was invited to join the Board during a period of significant challenge. I have served as Board President since 2015. Initially, with the loss of our museum partnership in 2013, the future of our annual Invitational and the nonprofit itself were at risk.

Our Challenge. Our Success.

The Invitational, our flagship event, requires us to raise over $150,000 annually to continue—a task we had never faced on our own until 2013. For the past twelve years, we have risen to that challenge, successfully raising the necessary funds and independently producing this world-class event that has gained national recognition as the "power house" of plein air Invitationals. In 2025, we will celebrate our 27th consecutive annual Invitational.

This challenging but rewarding transition has transformed LPAPA into a stronger, more independent organization. We have more than tripled our membership, doubled our art and education programs, and we are committed to sustaining this growth. We need to grow our members and supporters to accomplish this.

Our Legacy. Our Mission.

Plein air painting has been intertwined with Laguna Beach for over 100 years, beginning with early artists who established our town as an art colony. LPAPA is dedicated to preserving this vital cultural history.

We believe that without our continued efforts, this rich artistic legacy and painting tradition could be easily forgotten. We are committed to bringing our community together to celebrate the art form's past, present, and future, ensuring it continues to inspire artists for generations to come to go outdoors and paint!

-- Toni Kellenberg, LPAPA's President