Art Week South Walton | May 2018 SoWal Events

Art Week South Walton is an initiative of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County with the purpose to bring communities, organizations and businesses together to present quality arts and entertainment to the community. Spanning at least ten days, Art Week will feature visual, performing and literary arts programming in diverse formats and in various venues throughout South Walton.

Art Week South Walton Kick-Off Event with Billy the Artist | May 9
Foster Gallery at Grand Boulevard
The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) announces the Art Week South Walton Launch Event at The Foster Gallery in Grand Boulevard on Wednesday, May 9th. The official kick-off event will showcase a special exhibition and live mural painting performance by internationally renowned artist Billy the Artist (BTA), as well as an introduction to the recently selected group of Summer Rotation Artists.

The Art Week Launch Event will take place from 6 – 9 PM with celebratory hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and music. Guests can meet BTA, purchase his work and witness a live mural painting performance inside the gallery. The event will also introduce the work of twenty local and regional artists who will be featured in the gallery through July 22nd.

ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival | May 12-13
Grand Boulevard
In its 30th year, ArtsQuest is a fine arts festival that takes place in the Town Center of Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. Produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, ArtsQuest provides an opportunity to view and purchase original art from over 200 artists from around the country while also experiencing live musical entertainment, ImagiNation (where kids rule), student exhibits and great food & beverage options in the Town Center of Grand Boulevard at Sandestin.

Digital Graffiti | May 18-20
Alys Beach
Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach is a one-of-a-kind projection art festival where artists use the latest digital technologies to project their original works onto the iconic white walls of Alys Beach.Sometimes referred to as “Photon Bombing,” “Guerilla Projection” or “Urban Projection,” underground artists around the globe have been using the latest design, animation and projection technologies for many years to cast dynamic images onto skyscrapers and other urban structures as a means of artistic expression. Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach is a festival geared towards bringing these artists together in one place to celebrate and showcase their unique talents. Each year, the festival attracts digital artists, filmmakers, musicians, interactive designers, photographers, VJs, producers, celebrities, agency executives and fans of art, technology and architecture. Thousands of dollars in cash prizes are awarded to artists, with digital submissions being received from as far away as Israel, Austria, Canada, Germany, London, India, France, Italy and China.

Justin Gaffrey Art Exhibit: Equation | May 11
Justin Gaffrey Gallery in Blue Mountain Beach
Equation: Movable Art That Solves the Problems of the World
The public is invited to Justin Gaffrey Gallery for an exhibit and reception on Friday, May 11 from 6-9pm. Experience Justin's new body of mixed media pieces entitled Equation, in conjunction with the CAA Art Week South Walton 2018. Enjoy contemporary art works, wine, light hors d'oeuvres and conversation. Justin Gaffrey Gallery is located at 21 Blue Gulf Drive in Blue Mountain Beach.

Longleaf Writers Conference | May 13-20
Seaside
Longleaf Writers Conference, formerly The Seaside Writers Conference, is an annual gathering of creative writers from all over the nation, featuring award-winning writers in poetry and fiction and screenwriting who will offer a full week of intensive writing workshops, one day seminars, school outreach programs, and social events. This event occurs every year in May, and offers the opportunity for beginning, intermediate and advanced writers to celebrate writing, to network with other writers, and to hone their craft. There will also be seminars hosted by professional editors and literary agents who will offer one-on-one consultations. All participants who pay the full conference tuition fee will be able to take part in all daily activities, while those paying a la carte pricing will have the pick of which classes and workshops they would like to attend. The Seaside Writers Conference is one of the only conferences in the nation to take place on one of the most beautiful beaches in the US, and every year will feature notable guest writers, literary agents, and professional editors.

All Workshops, Seminars, and Readings are in Assembly Hall, Seaside Institute Academic Village, unless otherwise noted (you never know—sometimes faculty like classes on the beach)!

Northwest Florida Theatre Festival | May 16-20
Emerald Coast Theatre at Grand Boulevard
The Northwest Florida Theatre Festival is an inclusive and creative celebration of a community of artists embracing what makes us the same and what makes us unique. Engage in the Northwest Florida Theatre Festival as a performer or participant in the experience and become part of an innovative avant-garde gathering of arts and artists. #AStageForAll

Hosted by Emerald Coast Theatre Company at 560 Grand Boulevard, Upstairs, Miramar Beach, Florida, unjuried and uncensored, groups may submit to produce a show. Performances are open to the public. Check out the FULL Schedule and purchase tickets at www.NWFTheatreFestival.com

Modus Photography Art Week Bash
39 Logan Lane Grayton Beach
Come out to Grayton Beach on Thursday, May 17 from 5 – 8 PM for an Art Week Bash at Modus studio gallery featuring new art from Chandler Williams, door prizes, live music, food, drinks and more.