En Plein Air Painting Competition

A live painting competition in Cecina

The En Plein Air Painting Competition is a new artistic event held in Cecina, in the province of Livorno, in the heart of the Tuscan coast. Organized by UNITRE Cecina APS together with the Sirio Bandini Cultural Association APS, with the collaboration of the San Vincenzino Archaeological Park management and the patronage of the Municipality of Cecina, the event brings painters to paint outdoors, live, immersed in one of the most evocative places in the region.

The San Vincenzino Archaeological Park

The setting is the San Vincenzino Archaeological Park, which preserves the remains of a Roman villa from the Republican and Imperial ages, with its famous underground cistern still open to visitors. Painting among olive trees, ancient artifacts, and the light of the Livorno Maremma makes this competition a unique experience, where contemporary art and archaeological heritage engage in a dialogue in the same space.

Three competition categories

The competition is open to three categories of participants, with a maximum of fifteen entrants for each:

• Youth under 25 and art school students, to provide space for new generations;
• UNITRE students enrolled in the painting courses of the University of the Third Age;
• Citizens and artists of all backgrounds and experience levels.

Total capacity is limited to 45 artists. Participation is completely free.

Prizes and municipal collection

A jury of artists awards the three painters who distinguish themselves in their respective categories, in addition to a special recognition for critical merit. The three winning works become part of the Cecina municipal art collection, while the best works are showcased in an exhibition circuit that runs throughout the Cecina summer, from Villa Rossa to the Municipal Exhibition Center.

Cecina and its cultural summer

The competition is part of the rich summer calendar promoted by UNITRE Cecina in the Archaeological Park, featuring concerts, recitals, readings, and meetings. For those visiting Tuscany and the Etruscan Coast, it is an opportunity to discover a creative and welcoming Cecina, where local artistic tradition meets the charm of antiquity.