Vancouver artist, Noah NJ Bowman, intently works on his piece — Photo courtesy of Natasha John

Vancouver is home to a vast array of artists, some of whom are well known around the globe, while others are up and coming in the local art scene. Art openings are very common throughout the city, and going to a reception to meet the artist and see their finished work can be really fascinating. While the finished product is something to admire, the process that got it there is often unseen and can be underappreciated. Art Battle Canada is changing that!

What is Art Battle?

Art Battle is a paint-off amongst a dozen local artists who paint to the death, and the decision is in the audience's hands. There are usually three rounds, each round allowing the artist 20 minutes to paint their piece. The first two rounds are made up of six artists who are given the same sized canvas and color palette (acrylic paint) to choose from.

The audience is encouraged to walk around the artists while they paint and see the progression in action. It's a very cool experience to see just how much they can accomplish in such a short amount of time! After the first two heats are over, the two artists with the most votes from their group make it to the finals.

The final four are then given 20 minutes to paint another piece, and again, the voting is in your hands. The artist who comes out victorious scores a pretty sweet prize of $500 and a spot in the Vancouver finals, plus the glory.

The pieces created over the evening don't just fall by the wayside - a silent auction between rounds is set up. Bidding starts at a very reasonable price, making a piece of art very affordable. An added bonus for the artist is that 100% of the sale goes into their pocket.

Where is Art Battle?

Art Battle is held each month in downtown Vancouver at Fanclub on Granville Street. It's the perfect set-up, because you can watch from above on the second floor, or grab seating on the main floor.

Fanclub is a fun venue to check out any night of the week, but Art Battle makes it worth going out on a school/work night. The turnout is great, and it gets pretty packed in there.

Throughout the week, Fanclub hosts live music and performances and plays a great role in supporting artists locally and internationally. Fanclub serves both food and drinks, so you can enjoy dinner and a live show.

Tickets for Art Battle can be purchased ahead of time for $10, or they cost $15 at the door.