Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We have all heard that expression. And that may be especially true when it comes to art. But what happens when the artwork is exceptionally ugly – and it’s ugly on purpose? Kate Smith reports on Bad Art Night – a monthly program co-sponsored by Cornerstone Center for the Arts and the Muncie Public Library.

The beauty of art is in the eye of the beholder… especially when the artwork is exceptionally bad. Anyone who is worried about making good art is in the wrong place at Bad Art Night because traditional, good art is not the goal.

Muncie Locals entered the Maring-Hunt Library this fall to face off in an art competition requiring no talent and encouraging bad art.

Walking into the library you smell paint and hot glue as participants use odd supplies to create their artwork. They are given a canvas, and from there participants can add paint, glitter, magazine clippings and even fabric to finish their masterpieces.

Dan Allen is the IT Coordinator for the library and has been working with this event since its beginning in 2015.

“I know it’s going to sound cliché,” Allen said. “Everyone’s got that creative urge inside them, and we kind of tell it not to happen. This is a safe place for you to try out the weird, the wacky and the thing you didn’t think you might like, and find out that you do.”

Every month the Muncie Public Library teams up with Cornerstone Center for the Arts to host Bad Art Night. It encourages adults to come out, use their creative side and have fun without the pressure of making mistakes.

“My favorite part’s got to be a little bit of the music and that moment when someone comes through who was dragged in by a friend actually sits down and touches a little bit of paint to canvas and then finds out they are actually having a lot more fun than they thought they would coming in,” Allen said.

At the end of the event is an award ceremony where participants nominate their favorite pieces. Each winner gets a certificate as well as a gift card worth $90 for free art classes at Cornerstone.

On this night, four awards were given. Marissa Barnett’s creation, “Ostentatious Aren’t We?,” a giraffe bedecked in paint, glitter and fabric, won top honors. This was Barnett’s first time attending Bad Art Night.

“It was like that mix of relaxing and funny and social,” Barnett said. “I really enjoyed it.”

Next month’s Bad Art Night will be held at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts on Nov. 30 from 6-7:30 p.m. The event is free, but a $5 donation is suggested to help cover the cost of supplies.

Kate Smith is a reporter for a Ball State University arts journalism class.