The bustling scene of downtown Fullerton showed promise on April 27 of its streets becoming more lively with the relocation of Xzbt, an art exhibit that aims to use its platform alongside collaborations with local businesses and organizations to cultivate community engagement for artists and art enthusiasts.

As the sun set and downtown came alive with the sounds of boisterous sociability and muffled music coming from the inside of bars, Xzbt’s free, all-ages event, The Showroom: An exhibit of creativity, their first at their new location, guests to step into a world where art thrives, and stories unfold.

“I think this is the start to how you get to a larger audience,” said Nevi Outlyr, a rapper, co-curator and the event host, reflecting on the benefits for creatives who participate in such functions. Outlyr said he was active in open mic events in college five years ago, crediting them for helping him become more comfortable in the craft and make connections.

Not a traditional, static art gallery, Xzbt’s goal is to be a dynamic and engaging space beyond its building walls to provide artists of various disciplines and experience a proving ground to showcase and sell their work, network, and find support in their artistic journey.

“Xzbt has become a place where it doesn’t matter; we bring it all. We have people that will bring their first paintings ever, and we have people who have been doing it for 20 years,” said Xzbt’s owner, who solely goes by Will for privacy concerns.  

Now located between the busy streets of East Commonwealth Ave. and Amerige Ave. near city staples such as Chomp Rockin’ Sushi and Hopscotch Tavern, Xzbt’s event demonstrated the potential of bringing new energy into the vibrancy of the city with their public art displays, including live performances and competitions.

One of the night’s highlights was an art battle, where competing artists took to canvases in a thrilling display of creative talent. Tasked with painting a masterpiece within 20 minutes, with the audience deciding the winners after three rounds, the interactive activity proved a successful innovative element, captivating all in attendance.

Alma Gonzalez, a psychology major at CSULA who took second place in the art battle and had her work displayed at the event, pondered the impact of art and shared that her goal is to incorporate it into her career field.

“I am trying to do art therapy because I think art is just a powerful tool to just kind of really get to a lot of the things that sometimes regular therapy doesn’t get you to,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez further pondered the importance of art collectives, even lesser-known, underground, or emerging ones like Xzbt could be for creatives. 

“We’re building connections as we go; so it’s like, you meet an artist today or tomorrow, and like one artist might have an art event or might have an opportunity and might want to share that with you, and then or like collaborate with you,” Gonzalez said. “So it’s important you make these connections.”

Champagne Aramis, a rapper from the Inland Empire, emphasized the learning curve of live performances and underscored the value of mistakes and feedback.

“You’re gonna go through mishaps and trial and error,” Aramis said. “You’re gonna go through people staring at you, not knowing if they liked the song or not. All of that is an experience, but it should make you—it should teach you what to do and what not to do at the next show.”

He also contemplated the unpredictable nature of up-and-coming artists.

“You never know who’s the next big thing,” Aramis said. “You expect you can see a lot when you come out to these shows with this upcoming talent.”

Discussing the profound impact art has on public perception, Outlyr underscored the transformative power of songs like Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright,” a protest song, and “How Much a Dollar Cost,” about homelessness, can be catalysts that provoke critical introspection and spur social awareness.

“Now my mind or my thought process on how I should navigate the situation is being pushed differently,” Outlyr said about Lamar’s “‘How much a Dollar Cost.’” “So I think that music and art in general have a massive appeal—an ability to shift public consciousness, and are very powerful.”

Emerging out of the COVID-19 pandemic with the aspiration to become a media platform for promoting music artists before expanding to include more art forms such as dancing and hands-on art, Will said the exhibit has also embraced its role as a newcomer to Fullerton by working with the city’s Boys and Girls Club to help bring art education and enrichment to young minds, as well as collaborating with local businesses like Let it Brie, Sweet Scoops Homemade Ice Cream and Comic Book Hideout.

With its innovative approach to showcasing art and encouraging camaraderie within the arts, Xzbt aims to be a hub of creativity and connection for locals and visitors alike. 

Those interested in participating in or attending Xzbt can learn more about it and its events online at xzbtlife.com or Instagram @xzbtlife. Their next event, “The Showroom: An Exhibit of Creativity,” takes place June 1 in downtown Fullerton. XZBT | Art Gallery & Apparel, 151 E Commonwealth Ave, Fullerton