ART 64: Wauwatosa, NEWaukee seek artists painting tournament with $20K grand prize

Credit: iStock/Mikhail Spaskov

WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The City of Wauwatosa and NEWaukee are looking for 64 artists from around the nation to compete in ART 64.

The one-of-a-kind, four-day bracket-style live painting tournament will take place in four rounds on June 3-6, 2020. Artists will be paired to go head-to-head and given two hours to create a work of art on a predetermined theme on a 2’x3’ canvas.

According to a news release, members of the public will be invited to watch the paintings come to life and vote for their favorite paintings on a specially designed ART 64 web application. The artist in each pairing with the most votes will advance to the next round. 

There is no cost to apply. The participating 64 artists will each receive a $50 stipend, their 2’x3’ canvas per round, easel and drop cloth. The final 32 artists will each receive $100, the final 16 artists will each receive $150 and the final eight (8) artists will each receive $500. In the last round, eight artists will compete for a $20,000 grand prize and an artist in residency at Serendipity Labs in Wauwatosa to exhibit their work.

“Live art making is an incredible performance and takes great skill. We look forward to celebrating artists and welcoming visitors to local Wauwatosa businesses for this special experience,” says Melissa Weiss, Director of Administrative Services for the City of Wauwatosa.

The application to participate can be found at art64tosa.com. All applications are required by midnight CST on Monday, March 9, 2020.

“We are excited to produce this signature art experience in Wauwatosa,” says Jeremy Fojut, Chief Idea Officer and Co-Founder of NEWaukee. “As part of NEWaukee’s mission, we’re proud to provide a platform for artists and small businesses to build and connect to new audiences.”

All applications will be reviewed and participants will be selected by NEWaukee and the Art64 Advisory Council, which includes representatives from City of Wauwatosa, Milwaukee Artist Resource Network and Cuatro Uno Cuatro. Selected artists will be notified on April 1, 2020. Selected artists will be paired through random selection for the creation of the bracket.

Artist matches will be free and open to the public to attend in various venues and businesses across the City of Wauwatosa, featuring drinks and music as part of the experience.

The Wauwatosa Tourism Commission has sponsored several initiatives to celebrate public art and drive visitors to the area, including community voting for temporary sculptures in Hart Park and the installation of six murals on the exterior walls of East Tosa businesses. These past projects recruited highly-skilled artists locally, regionally and internationally.

For more information about ART 64 and to apply to participate, CLICK HERE

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