Paint Knutsford returns for 2026

Organised by Knutsford Town Council, this popular event will once again transform the town into a living canvas, with artists capturing some of Knutsford's best-loved locations, including Gaskell Tower, The Heath, Drury Lane and the Ruskin Rooms.

New for 2026 are two additional activities. Drawing in the Woods offering a relaxing and inspiring outdoor life drawing session in Wallwood, while Little Artists on the Moor gives children the chance to get creative in a free, family-friendly art session.

The event will once again coincide with alfresco dining on King Street and Silk Mill Street, with participating hospitality venues serving refreshments throughout the day.

The Tabley House Collection and Clarendon Fine Art Gallery will showcase works by L.S. Lowry and a reproduction of a J.M.W. Turner painting from 2pm in Knutsford Market Hall. The Market Hall will also host the live judging at 4.30pm.

This year's judging panel includes Laura Blansky, Gallery Manager at Clarendon Fine Art, local artist Kay Davenport and Anna Bates Patel from the Tabley House Collection. Prize winners will be announced by the Mayor of Knutsford.

For the first time, an exhibition of the completed artworks, with selected pieces available to purchase, will be held at Knutsford Heritage Centre on King Street from 11am to 4pm on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday following the event.

Mark Lee Kilgariff, owner of Tatton Perk and one of this year's event sponsors, said:

"Everyone at Tatton Perk loved the first Paint Knutsford event in 2025. It was such an original idea for our town - drawing on our heritage, green spaces, and vibrant artist community which, along with alfresco dining, created a perfect day out in our beautiful home town.

Our Knutsford coffee shop showcases original artworks by local artists and at our Chelford coffee shop and bar, we host regular gallery evenings (with live jazz) where you can meet the artists and chat about their work. So, it was a natural choice for us to be one of the sponsors for this year's event. We are looking forward to seeing everyone enjoy the canvasses being created, hopefully with a cup of Tatton Perk  speciality coffee in hand!"

Caroline Haynes, Event Manager at Knutsford Town Council, said: "Last year's event was a resounding success for artists, visitors and our hospitality sector. We've expanded the programme for 2026 with new activities suitable for all ages and abilities, as well as a post-event exhibition, giving people the opportunity to enjoy the artwork for even longer. We're also extremely grateful to this year's sponsors – Tatton Perk, Tabley House Nursing Home and King Street Dental Practice – whose support has helped make this event possible."

On the day, artists will have their blank canvases stamped at Knutsford Market Hall before heading to their chosen location to create their artwork. Completed pieces will then be returned to the Market Hall for the live judging, with artists competing for cash prizes.

Visitors will be able to pick up a map showing where artists are working across the town, offering the chance to watch paintings come to life throughout the day.