You may have heard that MAC’s 10th annual Flat Out Under Pressure 24-hour art making competition took place this year from Friday, June 14 to Saturday, June 15. But something we bet you didn’t know: It was inspired by a similar arts festival in Italy.

MAC board member Janette Wesley (owner of Vicario Wine and Spirits here in town – and in Italy), came up with the name for Greenville’s festival after being inspired by the Italian festival. She pays homage to those roots by having the top prize for Flat Out Under Pressure be an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Cortona, Italy to stay in her own Villa Sant’ Andrea for one week. 🙌

Flat Out Under Pressure is named after the nature of the competition, in which local artists are challenged to create a piece of work from start to finish within 24 hours.

Here’s how it works:

Greenville County artists pick up a stamped canvas from MAC HQ and spend the next 24 hours creating something amazing – just look at 2019’s winning pieces.
The jury picks eight winners.
The top winner gets that week-long, all-expenses-paid trip to Italy. This year’s first-place winner was Yelitza Diaz.
The other seven winners receive cash prizes. These winners (in order of place, from second to eighth) were Keith Grace, Kent Ambler, Jean Wilson Freeman, Douglas Piper, Olivia Perreault, Carey Lee Hudson + Drew Conley.
All of the participant’s works will be on display through July 26th (on display now at the MAC gallery, 16 Augusta St.), and later, the 8 winners’ works will be reproduced on recycling bins all over Main Street from 2020-2021 to encourage artistic spirit (and help keep the “green” in Greenville) even in the most everyday places.

Get more info about the event here and see the exhibit for yourself through July 26 at MAC. 🖼️Ⓟ