Underwater Museum of Art Fundraiser May 9 at Grand Boulevard

 The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) welcomes back Shawn Mullins and his band Soul Carnival to South Walton to headline the “Under The Sea” party to raise funds for the Underwater Museum of Art (UMA), a collaborative project between the CAA and the South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA).
 
The “Under The Sea”party begins with a VIP hour from 6 - 7 PM where VIP ticket holders will enjoy a meet and greet with the artists, live music, open bar and light bites, as well as preferred and reserved seating for the Shawn Mullins concert. Doors will open at 7 PM for general admission event goers to buy raffle tickets and sample special menu items while enjoying an intimate yet lively concert experience with Shawn Mullins and his band, Soul Carnival. A cash bar will be available featuring signature Art Week cocktails, 30A Coastal Dunes wine and Grayton Beer. VIP tickets are $100 / person. General admission tickets are $50 / person in advance and $60 / at the door (if available). Tickets are on sale online now!

 
Since his first 30A Songwriters Festival appearance in 2010, Mullins has become an annual fan favorite, whether playing solo or with his band. After a series of indie record releases, Shawn Mullins’s critical breakthrough came when 1998 Soul’s Core album shot him to fame on the strength of its Grammy-nominated No. 1 hit, “Lullaby,” followed by AAA/Americana No. 1 “Beautiful Wreck” from 2006’s 9th Ward Pickin’ Parlor. His song, “Shimmer,” was used in promotion of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and was included on the Dawson’s Creek soundtrack. He co-wrote “All In My Head,” which was featured on the hit TV sitcom “Scrubs” and also co-wrote the Zac Brown Band’s No. 1 Country tune, “Toes.” Mullins is currently embarking on a recording project in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the release of Soul’s Core that will feature brand new recordings with new arrangements of the songs recorded with his band, Soul Carnival.  

Funds raised from “Under The Sea” ticket sales and raffle will be used for the 2018 UMA installation, which includes work by seven artists, including Marek Anthony, Justin Gaffrey, Rachel Herring, Kevin Reilly, Vince Tatum, Evelyn Tickle and Allison Wickey. Most of the sculptures will be on display at the fundraiser and throughout the weekend during the ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival before they are transferred to Orange Beach, AL to prepare for their deployment into the Gulf in a one-acre permit patch of seabed off Grayton Beach State Park.  

Raffle items will include an original mural by Billy The Artist, an UMA Sculpture Sponsorship valued at $5,000, other original artwork and more. Raffle tickets are $100 or $900 for ten.

The UMA is a presentation of the CAA’s 'Art in Public Spaces' program in partnership with South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) and will augment SWARA's mission of creating marine habitat and expanding fishery populations while providing enhanced creative, cultural, economic and educational opportunities for the benefit, education and enjoyment of residents, students and visitors in South Walton. UMA is presented by Visit South Walton and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, Alys Foundation, Visit Florida and 30A Coastal Dunes Wine Company. 

Purchase “Under The Sea” event and raffle tickets online at CulturalArtsAlliance.com on the #ArtMatters blog. For information on sponsoring one of the sculptures, please email jennifer@culturalartsalliance.com.