If you arrive at John Hopkins Middle School (701 16th St S), hear the sound of spray cans being shaken, and smell fresh paint, you’re in the right place. On April 18, the school’s visual arts department is hosting its very first Art Battle, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: local muralists racing the clock to bring brand-new murals to life. 

From noon to 4 pm, five teams of artists will each take on a blank wall and a four-hour countdown, with the public invited to watch as the murals come together. Each team will be assigned a different-colored wall, then build their mural using black, white, and one bold highlight color. Designs can be planned ahead of time, but once the clock starts, it’s just paint and problem-solving on the fly. 

Mural by Zulu Painter; image via artist’s website

Five teams, four hours, and a lot of paint

As you check out the murals in progress, you’ll have a front row seat to the artistic process. You’ll see ideas take shape, shift, and sometimes completely change as the artists respond to the wall, each other, and the ticking clock. 

Around 3:45 p.m., the crowd gets a say, voting for their favorite mural before the event (and the murals) wrap up. A local printmaker will also be on site throughout the afternoon, printing shirts, bags, and posters live—so you can watch something being made and take a piece of it home.

Mural by Chris Dyer; image via artist’s website

Familiar names, fresh walls

The artist teams include some of the most talented muralists in the area, and if you’ve spent time around St. Pete or Tampa Bay, a few of these names will likely sound familiar. The teams include:

Chad Mize & Miss Crit

Johnny Vitale & Zulu Painter

Meatyard & Merritt Horan Capurro

Chris Dyer & Jason Harvin

Tracey Jones & Quinn Cale

It’s a mix of familiar pairings, contrasting styles, and artists who don’t usually share a wall—which is part of what makes the afternoon unpredictable (and a lot of fun).

Mural by Miss Crit; image via artist’s website

Different styles, same vision

Expect to see a wide range of styles on display, from Chad Mize’s playful doodles to Miss Crit’s spooky, psychedelic illustrations and Jason Harvin’s geometric designs. Between the contrasting artist pairings and the tight time constraints, there’s no doubt that plenty of personality will come through on every wall. 

One of the participating artists, Merritt Horan Capurro, summed up the spirit of the event best, sharing that it’s about more than finishing a mural on a deadline—it’s about showing students what creating really looks like.

“At the end of the day, we are all coming out to share our love of creating with the next generation,” she said. “That’s what matters. To share our processes and tricks with them in real time—while they get to see us in our element with open-ended design freedom. It’s going to be amazing vibes.”

The Art Battle takes place during the John Hopkins Spring Fling and feels like a creative hangout: artists working, people wandering, kids watching paint take shape, and lots of color filling the space. For more event details and updates, follow the John Hopkins PTSA on Facebook.