Wicked Weed announces Festival of Artistry, issues call for Asheville artists

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Wicked Weed Brewing has announced a new festival that will celebrate Asheville’s arts community.

The first ever Festival of Artistry is set for Nov. 4 along Coxe Avenue. Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium is located there on the South Slope. The event will include art stations, food trucks, Wicked Weed beer stations, live music and performance artists. Proceeds will benefit Asheville’s Open Hearts Art Center.

 

In its call for artists, Wicked Weed Brewing writes that it “values the contribution of artists to the culture of Asheville and, in recognition of the importance of supporting Asheville’s art community and showcasing its relevance to the beer community,” it planned to host the event.

Wicked Weed Brewing stunned the Asheville beer scene, and the craft brewing world, with its May announcement that it had been acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev. Backlash to that announcement included fans and breweries announcing that they would not attend, or were pulling out of, Wicked Weed’s annual sour beer festival, the Funkatorium Invitational.

Wicked Weed first said it would postpone the summer event to the fall, then dropped it completely. Proceeds from the Funkatorium Invitational benefitted the Asheville nonprofit Eblen Charities, which remains near and dear to the brewery founders’ hearts. Earlier this summer, Wicked Weed received two checks for $100,000 each, with the money earmarked for community assistance programs. Wicked Weed handed out several other checks to nonprofits at $50,000 a pop.

 

Here’s more about the logistics of the Festival of Artistry:

Artists will be provided with a 10×10 tent and 8 foot table from which to sell their original artwork. All other necessary items for displaying and selling artwork must be provided by the artist/vendor.

Artwork must be submitted via online application (click here) no later than Friday, September 29th . The $20 application fee will be donated to the AAAC 2018 Art Builds Community Grant. Space is limited therefore final decisions regarding acceptance will be made by a team of jurors, comprised of members of Asheville’s art community.

Applicant Conditions: Artists must be local to Buncombe County.

Artwork Restrictions: No medium restrictions except for anything toxic or dangerous. Artwork must exclude that which involves graphic violence or genitalia. WWB reserves the right to make the final decision regarding appropriateness.

For each selected 2D artist vendor, WWB will also call for one art piece selected by the artist to enter for a chance to be the first bottle label to launch our new Artist’s Series of beers. WWB will pay the artist $5000 for use of this piece and the artist will receive recognition on the label.

Please contact [email protected] with questions.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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3 Comments

  1. Gary September 23, 2017

    Ah, appeal to the artisits in the Asheville community and they will forgive you. Nice try Wicked Greed! We can see right through that. I suspect most local independent artisit will too.

    Reply
    1. Ej September 25, 2017

      Get over yourself and climb down from your hypocritical soapbox. So WW made it and made it big. Nearly every artist, brewery, and small business owner in Asheville would sell if they had a buyer. Find a better cause to gripe about.

      Reply
      1. Santa September 27, 2017

        Ej is right.

        Reply

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