Chicago’s Version Festival is an annual gathering of artists, activists, educators and musicians from all over the world. Every spring the theme changes to inspire counter-cultural and socially progressive art and action. Last year’s the group planned a coup of sorts led by Ed Marzewski – a well known name in the Chicago independent art scene. He complained that the big arts festival, Artopolis ain’t so inclusive. Marzewski led a siege on the Merchandise Mart where the annual mainstream art festival is held. He and a battalion of artists and activists dressed in homemade golden shields and broom-top helmets. They rode on bicycle chariots with a guillotine and catapult in tow. This year, only the tail end of Version Festival overlaps with Artropolis so perhaps there won’t be a siege? But rest assured there will be plenty of counter-culture art and events nonetheless. Version 08 starts today and runs until April 27.

Related: Ed Marzewski sits down with host Justin Kaufmann on Hello Beautiful!