Battle of the Brushes: Round 5!

Description

Call to Artists: "Battle of the Brushes: Round 5!"
An annual event hosted by local artist Justin Alsedek, in partnership with 8th Ave. Gallery, Artify Ocala & the Marion Cultural Alliance.

Description of Event: Battle of the Brushes: Round 4 Champion, Lili Hart, will return to defend her title against last year's people’s choice DJ Reynolds, Second place overall Jordan Shapot and nine (9) other Artists (could be you!). Each selected artist will have to start and finish a 4ft x 4ft painting live at the event! Painting will begin promptly at 2:30pm following the opening ceremony and brushes will stop at 9:30pm. Three (3) Judges will then select a winner and the final people’s choice votes will be cast and tallied.
There will be three (3) Cash prizes:
$2,500 for Winner of Battle of the Brushes: Round 4!
$750 for People’s Choice
$250 for Host’s Choice
Note: It is possible for one person to win all the prizes!
Display: Each participating Artist will also have the opportunity to display 2-3 pieces in the main gallery during the event. All work that is shown must be for sale, split 60% to the artist and 40% to 8th Ave. Gallery.
Support: This event is not only a fun and unique experience but a fundraiser for two (2) of Ocala’s great art non-profits, the Marion Cultural Alliance (MCA) and the Magnolia Art Xchange (MAX). We will have an official event merch table with T-Shirts, limited edition Event Posters, and stickers! We will be raffling off Original Artworks as well as auctioning all the work created at the Battle the week following the event. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to these wonderful Non-profits.
Medium requirements: Artists will provide and work on a 4’x4’ 2D surface of their choice (Canvas, Cradled Wood, Cradled Hardboard, plexiglass, reinforced cardboard, etc.) Artists can work with Acrylics, Oils, Water Color, Pastels, Charcoal, Pen/Markers, Graphite, Air Brush, Spray Paint, Collage, crayons, tufting, assemblage and Found Objects. Please Email Justin Alsedek at Gypseaarts8318@gmail.com if you have questions about working on a surface or with a medium not listed.
Who’s Eligible: This call is open to anyone in the world who wants to come to Ocala and battle, even if you have participated in the past! 
Entry Guidelines:
• All entries are to be submitted digitally to battleofthebrushes.artcall.org
no later than Sunday, January 11th 2026 at midnight. Artists must follow the online application process and include:          ➢ Artists’ Contact Info (Name, phone, address, email, and social media handles/website)          ➢ High-res images in JPG, PNG or PDF format showing the artists work. Each artist may submit up to three (3) pieces from their portfolios (Paintings, Mural work, Drawings, etc.) for consideration. All work must be your original art created in the past 5 years.In order to upload your images and have your application considered you must pay a $20 application fee.
Wild Card: Everyone who submits an application and is not selected to compete by the committee will automatically be put into a drawing for the 12th spot and given the opportunity to battle!
Please read our full Submission Guidelines submitting
Deadline for Submissions: January 11th, 2026 (by midnight)
Status Notification: January 18th, 2026 (by 6pm via ArtCall email)
Event Date & Location: March 21st 2026 | 8th Ave. Gallery (1531 NE. 8th Ave. Ocala, FL. 34470.)
Drop Off Date For Gallery Work:  The week of February 23rd.
Pick Up Date: The night of the event or the week following the event!
Shipping: The artist is responsible for shipping costs to and from 8th Ave. Gallery. Specific shipping and labeling details can be requested from the Gallery Manager. You are expected ship to 8th Ave Gallery by February 23rd to compensate for possible delays.
Contact: Gallery Manager; Justin Alsedek | Email: Gypseaarts8318@gmail.com