Molly O’Connor/Winonan
In less than a week, Winona will undergo an epic battle with the tools of paint, canvas and talent.
To kick off the month of March, Some Sum Studio on Third Street in downtown Winona will be hosting an art battle: a chance for local artists to join and partake in some friendly competition for fundraising purposes on Saturday, March 1.
For eight local artists, it will be a chance to compete in a battle of the artists through a system of one-on-one battle rounds, followed by single round eliminations.
Each battle will last for 30 minutes, giving each artist plenty of time to work with a medium that produces a piece they are pleased with. This is followed by short intermissions between each round.
Local puppeteer Robert “Dr. Bob” Armstrong will be DJing, judging and providing commentary throughout the event, and the Boathouse will be providing food and drinks a-la-carte.
Winona State University graduate Sydney Swanson, in collaboration with Noah Short, one of the artists to compete in the battle, has been working hard to promote the upcoming battle. Step one: making sure more people are aware of what exactly an “art battle” is.
“We’ve got a Facebook event up already, and that’s been working out well,” Swanson said. “I will also be getting in touch with Winona Radio and KQAL for radio interviews. And I submit to ‘The Noisy Neighbor’ and will be posting event information on their site.”
The Art Battle isn’t just happening for its own sake. Proceeds from the event are going toward another local art event.
“This event is a fundraiser for Mid West Music Fest,” Short said. “All artwork created at the event will be auctioned off at Some Sum Studio after the event.”
The Mid West Music Fest is working on preparations for its fourth annual music festival. Though the schedule is set for April 24-26, Mid West Music Fest is still in the process of lining up a schedule and booking performers.
Meanwhile, back at the Art Battle, there are seven artists announced for a chance to compete. Confirmed artists to participate in the battle include Jamie Harper, Carol Slade, Lyon Smith, Brianna Klapperich, Noah Short, Danielle Barack, Ryan Mingone.
Admission to the event is $10.
