Festival of the Arts In Destin Oct 26 & 27

The Festival of the Arts, produced by Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF), is one of the Southeast’s premier juried art festivals.

A celebration of art, food and family fun, it is staged in the MKAF Cultural Arts Village in Destin. Stroll outdoor tents Saturday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to browse original artwork by more than 100 premier artists from across the United States. Enjoy artist demos, live music, creative children’s activities, street performers, food truck fare, beer & wine garden and more. Join in the festivities and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award (Saturday). This event is free for attendees.

In its 29th year, the Festival of the Arts offers continuous live music, artist demonstrations and art projects for children as well as local cuisine.  The Festival is held in Destin, Florida an affluent and residential destination.

Jurying is by three art industry professionals. Repeat attendance by the public insures potential multi-year sales. Presented on the grounds of the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village, hospitality is a high priority.  Staff and volunteers work year-round to create a pleasant environment for artists.  Awards are given based on the Judges’ scoring of each artist’s body of work as displayed in their booth.  As a one of the Foundation’s signature events, the Festival of the Arts helps us fulfill our mission to enhance and inspire every life through Arts and Culture.

The $12,000 in cash awards include, Best in Show, People’s Choice Award, Awards of Excellence, Awards of Merit and Judge’s Recognition Awards.

Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) has named Kelly Pierre of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, the 2024 Festival of the Arts poster contest winner.

Recognized as one of Northwest Florida’s premier fine art shows, the Festival of the Arts, produced by MKAF, is one of the most anticipated cultural events of the year on the Emerald Coast. This year’s 29th annual event will kick off on Friday, Oct 25 evening with the Arty Kick Off Party at The Henderson in Destin. The Festival weekend follows on Saturday, Oct. 26, and Sunday, Oct. 27 at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village in Destin.

Artist Kelly Pierre hails from South Louisiana's vibrant culture, where his Cajun French-speaking family owned shrimp boats. He spent his summers learning the shrimping business along the Gulf Coast, and his family remains deeply connected to the seafood industry.

“I got to touch and hold all kinds of marine life. They are beautiful and amazing, and I wanted to save them all,” he says in a lilting Louisiana accent.

The winning artwork entitled Transcendent is a soothing 24” x 30” acrylic that features an elegant octopus carefully eyeing the viewer as it floats across the canvas awash in calming sea hues.

“People come here to experience the marine life. It is very inspiring to me,” Pierre explains. “I hope my painting reminds people of all the beautiful creatures on this earth and that we recognize that this earth it is something to preserve. We need to preserve our existence.”

Most of Pierre’s art reflects the beauty, culture, and diversity of this coastal area. He endeavored to paint ever since he was a child, recalling seeing an artist working at a festival when he was about seven years old and telling his mother, "This is what I want to do when I grow up."

Inspired by Alabama’s “smiling fish” artist Don Sawyer and Louisiana’s “blue dog” artist George Rodrigue as well as his travels to the Caribbean, seeing his world from the land above and the water below has offered an abundance of treasure to work from.

Pierre relocated to the Emerald Coast in 2013. He can paint almost anywhere, though it's usually from his studio by the sea, located at the HarborWalk Village in Destin, Florida. After 30-plus years as a professional artist, the 51-year-old still gets a flood of enthusiasm from the power of painting, believing that “a good place to paint is wherever I can.”

A previous Festival of the Arts exhibiting artist, this is Pierre’s second MKAF Poster Art Content win. He also won in 2019, but the thrill was short-lived when severe weather sidelined the Festival.

“This award means so much. Being an artist was just a dream, but now it’s a reality. But it’s not about me. I believe we’re all artists … and to everyone out there if you work hard and don’t give up, you can achieve your dream.”

As the annual Poster Art Contest winners, Pierre will receive a cash prize of $750. The winning artwork will be used to promote the 29th Annual Festival of the Arts by being prominently showcased on the official Festival poster, program guide, t-shirt, in the Festival marketing campaign, on the MKAF website, across MKAF’s social media channels, and more.

During the two-day Festival, more than 100 premier artists from across the United States will exhibit original artwork in the form of oil, watercolor, acrylic and paintings; photography, sculpture, pottery, glass, wood, paper, fiber, mixed media, jewelry designs and more in order to compete for more than $12,000 in cash prizes in 18 award categories, including the coveted Best in Show and People’s Choice Award which is selected by the festival fans. The Festival also will feature a Collaborative Art Exhibit, which showcases select artwork of adult and student artists.

A celebration of art, music, food, and family fun, special features of the Festival include a live music lineup, hands-on arts and crafts activities for children, art raffle, and more. A diverse menu of delicious cuisine served up by local food trucks, along with a wine and beer garden. Convenient on-site parking and free shuttle service are also available.

Admission is free. Proceeds from the Festival help MKAF and its community education outreach initiatives including ArtsReach serving K-12 students, students and adults with special needs, and the military with visible and invisible injuries.

To make a tax-deductible donation or provide a corporate sponsorship; or for more information about becoming a MKAF member, visit www.MKAF.org or call (850) 650-2226.

Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF), a non-profit arts organization with a mission to champion arts and culture for all. Since its inception in 1995, MKAF has inspired more than 420,000 children in more than 100 schools and partner agencies. Through its community education initiative ArtsReach, dynamic programming serves K-12 students, people with special needs, and the military community along the Emerald Coast. As a presenting organization, MKAF’s Concerts in the Village series showcases the Southeast United States’ most vibrant performing artists and bands to more than 15,000 patrons each spring. More than 100 artists convene in Destin each fall for the Festival of the Arts — one the preeminent arts festivals along the Gulf coast. MKAF has long partnered with multiple regional non-profits and school districts in the communities that it serves to ensure access to the arts for all.