Art Walk on Wilton Drive Gets New Owner, Ambitious Plans for Development
Thomas Alford is the third owner of the Art Walk on Wilton Drive, and the most ambitious one yet.
Held along Wilton Drive from 7 to 10 p.m. on the third Saturday of every month from November through April, Art Walk on Wilton Drive features more than 40 artists in all kinds of mediums: painting, sculpture, photography and jewelry to name a few. During the event, each artist is hosted by a business owner. Many offer free wine and hors-d'oeuvres for those who wander in to enjoy the art. The next Art Walk on Wilton Drive will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2015.
Alford's plans involve increasing community involvement, adding more artists and a music festival, enticing artists from other South Florida art walks, bringing more displays of public art including the wrapping of utility boxes and increasing the number of people who attend the event. "It's very important we network different artist and switch them back and forth between different art walks," said Alford. "Ultimately, the increase in foot traffic should be of benefit to local businesses by putting more money into the pockets of owners and employees."
"I would like to see this become the main hub for art in South Florida. We have the bars, the restaurants, the infrastructure," said Alford. "I want to bring art to this community. I want to keep it alive."
So far, he's already made some major changes to the event, including a change of date from the third Friday to the third Saturday of the month and the inclusion of businesses not on Wilton Drive; businesses such as Eucalyptus Gardens, a collection of shops and restaurants, located on Dixie Highway, that sell natural, organic and vegan items. Art galleries on Dixie Highway are also getting into the act.
The Hopper, an electric shuttle service, will also be transporting people up and down the length of the art walk. "Our whole community should be involved in this," said Alford.
Major sponsors include Manic Art Designs, Alford's company, Forre Fine Art, Rework Design, Inc. and Hunters Nightclubs. Other sponsors include Scarfone's Pizza, Smoke this Too (Wilton Manors), Wilton Creamery, Ed Lugo Resort, and Island City Eye Care. Visit www.artwalkonwiltondrive.com for more information.
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