By SIONA SHISHAK
Every fall, one of Beloit’s favorite festivals takes place. Marketed as “Part art show, part party!” Deviate provides a space for creatives, merrymakers, and all curious community members to come together– for one night only. This year, Deviate is scheduled for September 28 2024, running from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.. If you’ve attended in previous years, be careful when navigating to the new location, which is under the covered pavilion in the Rakuten building. Head on over to Third Street & Ironworks Drive, located on the Ironworks campus downtown. If you’re planning to attend, we recommend buying tickets ahead of time for a reduced rate of $10. However, tickets will also be available at the door for $15.
This year, a wide variety of mediums will be represented. While there are primarily traditional forms of art available for purchase, such as paintings, sculptures, and photographers, there are many interesting exhibits to choose from. Some unusual displays include woodworking, glass-blowing, virtual reality, and jewelry. For more information, a full list of artists and additional links can be found on the Deviate Beloit website. The space functions as both a gallery and storefront. If you expect to make purchases, we recommend bringing both cash and card, as accepted methods of payment will vary. Be aware that ATM service is not available. At this event, artists are entitled to 100% of all sales profits. Performing artists will also be present at the event, varying from rock bands to burlesque dancers to fire-spinners!
As the name might suggest, Deviate attempts to create a space for new, interesting, and sometimes provocative forms of art. This allows artists to openly explore chosen themes and share with an open-minded audience. This is a contributing factor to the age limit, which is set at 21. Because of this, If you plan to attend, please make sure to bring your driver’s license or other valid identification. Another reason why the age limit is 21 as opposed to 18 is because alcoholic beverages will be served throughout the night. These drinks, along with soft drinks and water, will be available for purchase. In the same vein, popular Beloit restaurants will be setting up food trucks for the night. Five options are available, including Mexican cuisine, soul food staples, and the forever popular smash burgers.
Some additional things to consider before you go include accessibility, health and safety, and logistical concerns. Luckily, Deviate outlines answers to these questions on their FAQ page; however, here’s a brief rundown: The event is ADA compliant for disabled guests, a first aid station will be located at the Main Entrance, service animals are allowed inside, weapons are not permitted, temporary restrooms and hand washing stations will be set up, and guests consent to photos by on-site photographers by attending. For any further practical concerns, please visit this page or contact the organizers.
In an effort to provide a more personal account, we sat down with one of Deviate’s performers to gain an artist’s perspective on the event. DJ Nonsense, the stage name of Marek Oseth, is a local personality well-known within the Beloit community. His frequent sets at popular venues like 5Bar have gained him both an audience and a reputation. Also a supervisor at Blue Collar Coffee Co, Marek is widely loved by the community and is known to be kind, approachable, and is always putting others first. Marek has been involved with Deviate since its inception, shifting roles from guest to volunteer to artist. As a musician in a small town, he’s found it somewhat difficult to find creative opportunities.
As he explained to us, “At the end of the day, I feel like if you connect with the right people you can make stuff happen. Deviate is one of the few events we have in this area, that I know of at least, that promotes local artists and gives them an opportunity to showcase what they have going on.” Originally coming from Madison, a Wisconsin city with a vibrant DJ scene, Marek has had to create some of his own opportunities within the community. However, Deviate seems to be a wonderful resource for local artists looking to make connections, gain an audience, and make a bit of extra money.
As someone familiar with many of the featured artists, we asked Marek to give us a couple of creators to look out for. Of course, he’s excited to hear the lineup of spinners this year, who will be playing dubstep and house mixes. However, he specifically recommended Alyssa Ochetti and Luis Reyes, commenting that he’s been impressed with their booths from previous years.
Additionally, it seems like there will be a large variety of live performances this year, mentioning bands, fire dancers, and sword swallowers! For all those attending Deviate this year, we highly recommend catching Marek’s set from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.. Largely inspired by Tape B, Levity, and ODESZA, he’ll be debuting some original remixes during this set. To get a sample of his style and information about future performances, check out @nonsensemixes on Instagram and NONSENSE on Soundcloud.
With these new insights into a popular Beloit phenomenon, we hope you’ll consider joining the thousands of guests expected to attend next Saturday. As a reminder, any further questions can likely be answered by visiting deviatebeloit.com or the Instagram account @deviate_beloit. Pick up the next paper for an account of how the night turned out!
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