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Organizer Bill Harbort describes the name of the Minot State University's NOTSTOCK as "a synthesis of a number of ideas."

"There's Woodstock, of course, a three-day celebration of music, peace and art," he said. "Then there's FLATSTOCK, an annual show by the American Poster Institute held in different localities around the country as a kind of gathering for music and art. 'Stock' is what poster artists call their work.

"So for our music and art festival that began three years ago, we thought, 'Why Not Minot' and called it 'NOTSTOCK.' "

Much of the format for Oct. 21-23 is the same as in past years, with poster artists screening in the MSU Student Center's Beaver Dam from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. and performances by musical groups and individuals during the same time.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday Jeff Johnson, founder of Spunk Design Machine in Minneapolis, will present a talk in the Conference Center. Internationally known poster artist and designer Art Chantry, Seattle, will speak on Oct. 22 in the same venue.

Chantry advocates a low-tech approach to design that is informed by the history of the field. His work has been exhibited at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum of Modern Art, Seattle Art Museum, the Smithsonian and the Louvre.

"I don't produce art. I produce cultural artifacts," he said.

Reception

On Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. there will be a reception at 62 Doors, the gallery at 11B South Main Street in downtown Minot, with MSU NOTSTOCK artists speaking at 8 p.m. followed by performances by Al Scorch from Chicago and Minot bands Diabolic Octopus and Father Son and Holy Smokes. NOTSTOCK guest artists include Chantry along with Minneapolis artists Jeff Johnson, Miss Amy Jo, NOTSTOCK newcomer TOOTH and Bjorn Christianson.

"All of this is free and open to the public," Harbort said.

Wednesday is a special high-school student poster-printing day, with groups from schools in Gwinner and Glendive, Mont., being bused in.

On Oct. 22 there will be a special session between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. when anybody can bring in a T-shirt and print it free. Also that day there will be a special skateboard deck printing.

"This is something that intrigued Art (Chantry)," Harbort said. "He has never done a skateboard before, and we have 40 to 50 which will be sold as funding for next year's NOTSTOCK. Students will be doing all the work, but Art has designed it. Some of them will be given to our guest artists as an honorarium, too."

The bands are all local, including Rick Watson & the Crackpot Prophets, Less than Organic, The Morning Red and Echo's Answer.

"For a place this size, we have a real good music scene," Harbort said.

Chantry's posters will be in evidence all over town with exhibits at 62 Doors, the Taube Museum of Art and the Northwest Art Center's Gordon Olson Library Gallery at MSU.

"He sent us over 300 posters!" Harbort said. "He's lo-fi, not hi-fi -- no computer-generating images -- so anybody can come in and enjoy the artistry, listen to the music, and have a good time."