There are moments in a creative life that divide things into before and after. Attending the Urban Sketchers Symposium is one of them.
If you’ve ever sat down with your sketchbook and thought I wish I could share this with someone who truly gets it — this is your invitation. Every year, hundreds of sketchers from all over the world gather for four days of drawing, learning, and filling pages together. In 2026, that city is Toulouse, France. An amazing pink city !
July 15–18, 2026. Mark it in your diary.
A Gathering of Kindred Spirits
There’s something quietly magical about being surrounded by people who all speak the same language — not French or English or Japanese, but the language of pen on paper. A Truly Universal Language! You’ll sketch alongside people from countries you’ve never visited, watch how they hold their pens, see the colours they reach for, discover new art supplies (yummy yummy!) and realize that the world looks beautifully different through every pair of eyes.
At the symposium, you’ll find that language spoken fluently by beginners who’ve been sketching for six months and veterans who’ve filled hundreds of books. You’ll sketch alongside people from countries you’ve never visited, watch how they hold their pens, see the colours they reach for, and realize that the world looks beautifully different through every pair of eyes. That realization alone is worth the trip.
The community ethos of Urban Sketchers has always been one of generosity and encouragement. Nobody here is competing. Everyone is lifting each other up. A beginner nervously showing their first wobbly cityscape will be met with genuine enthusiasm, not judgment. That atmosphere of safety and warmth is what allows creativity to truly breathe.
Four Days That Fill More Than Your Sketchbook
The symposium isn’t just about drawing & painting — though there will be a lot of drawing & painting. Workshops and demonstrations taught by instructors from around the globe give you the chance to try new techniques, push beyond your comfort zone, and discover approaches you’d never have found on your own. Whether you want to loosen up your linework, explore watercolour washes, tackle architectural perspective, or simply learn to see more carefully, there’s something for every level and every style.
And crucially, everyone brings their own style. That’s one of the most creatively liberating things about being there. You’re not being taught to draw like anyone else. You’re being encouraged to draw more like yourself. Seeing a hundred different interpretations of the same Toulouse square — some loose and gestural, some tight and detailed, some drenched in colour, some almost monochrome — is an extraordinary reminder that there is no single right way to put the world down on paper.
And amazing news for myself: this year, I have been selected to be one of these instructors doing a demo ! So I’m super excited! It as a great challenge for me, pushing beyond my comfort zone!
The Creativity Boost Is Real
When you immerse yourself in creativity for four days straight — sketching from morning to evening, talking about drawing over dinner, flipping through each other’s sketchbooks — something shifts. The resistance that keeps many of us from picking up our pens simply dissolves. You come home inspired, energized, and with a notebook full of momentum that sustains your practice for months.
Don’t Wait Until You’re “Good Enough”
And if you’ve been waiting until you’re “good enough” — stop waiting. Beginners aren’t just tolerated at the symposium; they are celebrated. Go. Sketch boldly. Let the community carry you.
If there’s one thing the Urban Sketchers community has always believed, it’s that you don’t need to be a professional artist to deserve a seat at the table — or a spot on the pavement with a sketchbook. The symposium welcomes all levels with open arms. Some of the most joyful, vibrant work on display will come from people who only started sketching recently.
So if you’ve been waiting until your drawings are better, until you feel ready, until you have more confidence — stop waiting. Go. Sketch badly. Sketch boldly. Let the community carry you.
The 14th International Urban Sketchers Symposium takes place July 15–18, 2026, in Toulouse, France. Find out more at urbansketchers.org.
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