Art Walls Mural Fest Redefines What a Mural Festival Can Be in Broward County
- Evan Snow
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Downtown Fort Lauderdale is about to witness something different.
Not just murals going up on walls, but stories taking shape in real time. Not just artists painting, but nonprofits being seen. Not just a weekend event, but a new benchmark for how public art, community impact, and cultural collaboration can coexist.
On February 28 and March 1, Business for the Arts Broward, in partnership with the Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority, will debut the inaugural Art Walls Mural Fest at History Fort Lauderdale. While Broward County has no shortage of public art initiatives, Art Walls stands apart in both intention and execution.
This is not a mural festival built around spectacle. It is built around purpose.
More Than Murals, A Platform for Impact
At its core, Art Walls Mural Fest pairs 12 local artists with 12 local nonprofit organizations, asking each collaboration to translate a mission into an original 8-by-8-foot mural. The result is not just visual beauty, but storytelling that carries meaning long after the paint dries.
“The BFA Art Walls Mural Fest is more than just an art show. It’s a platform where artistic expression intersects with community service,” said Robyn Vegas, Executive Director of Business for the Arts Broward.
Unlike traditional mural festivals that often prioritize scale or tourism optics, Art Walls is intentionally human in scale and deeply local in focus. Every mural is rooted in an organization actively serving Broward County, and every artist is interpreting that mission through a personal, place-based lens.
Why Art Walls Is the Premier Mural Festival in Broward County
What elevates Art Walls beyond other mural initiatives is not just the artwork itself, but the ecosystem surrounding it.
First, the festival is mission-driven, not theme-driven. Each mural exists to amplify a nonprofit’s work, whether that is arts education, youth development, science learning, music, theater, or LGBTQ+ history. The art becomes a vehicle for awareness, not just decoration.
Second, the festival is live and participatory. Visitors can watch murals come to life over the course of the weekend, speak directly with artists and nonprofit leaders, and understand the stories behind the visuals. This transparency creates connection, not distance.
Third, Art Walls is intergenerational by design. Youth from participating nonprofit organizations will paint their own murals on-site, ensuring the festival is not just something young people attend, but something they actively shape. That commitment to access and creative confidence is rare and intentional.
“In a rapidly changing society, there is a vital need to expand access to the arts,” Vegas added. “By pairing talented artists with local nonprofits, we’re not only creating public art, but amplifying the missions of the organizations that make Fort Lauderdale thrive.”
Finally, the festival is anchored in downtown Fort Lauderdale, not as a backdrop, but as an active partner. Hosted at History Fort Lauderdale and supported by the DDA, Art Walls reinforces the role of arts and culture as essential infrastructure for a vibrant, walkable urban core.
The Collaborations Bringing It to Life
The strength of Art Walls lies in its pairings. Each collaboration reflects a shared commitment to creativity and community, including:
Art and Culture Center Hollywood with Surge by Sergio Quinonez
Art Prevails Project with Ashlee Sanford
Developing Dreams Foundation with Stefan Smith
Florida Children’s Theatre with BK Foxx
Inside Out Theatre Company with Luis Valle aka El Chan Guri
Museum of Discovery Science with Stephanie McMillan
New City Players with Priver Murals
Old Davie School Museum with Gabby Shepherd
South Florida Pride Band with Mongo Art
South Florida Chamber Ensemble with Samara Ash
Stonewall National Museum and Archives with Nate Dee
Pompano Beach Arts Foundation with Ivan Roque
Throughout the weekend, nonprofit representatives will be on-site sharing their work and inviting the public to engage, volunteer, and learn more. The murals become conversation starters, not endpoints.
A New Standard for Public Art in Broward
Art Walls Mural Fest sets a new standard by proving that mural festivals can do more than beautify space. They can build bridges, elevate missions, nurture young creatives, and strengthen the cultural fabric of a city.
This is what happens when artists are trusted, nonprofits are centered, and community comes first.
As the murals go up, Art Walls does more than mark walls. It marks a moment. One that signals where Broward County’s cultural future is headed.
Event Details
BFA Art Walls Mural Fest
February 28 and March 1
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
History Fort Lauderdale - 231 SW Second Avenue, Fort Lauderdale
Free and open to the public
Full details at bfabroward.org/programs/bfa-art-walls-mural-fest
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