The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) is proud to announce the 21 local artists who were recently chosen to exhibit their original work in The Foster Gallery’s Spring Rotation, which runs January 29 through April 22, 2019 in the Grand Boulevard Town Center location and February 5 – April 29, 2019 in the Ruskin Place Artist Colony location. The selected artists for the Grand Boulevard location are Melody Bogle, Gayle Campbell, Donnelle Clark, Skip Deems, Sandra Horne, Linda Kernick, Jason Lindblad, Rosalyn O’Grady, William Polley, Mary Redmann, Kathleen Schumacher, Nikki Staks, Jenna Varney, Krista Vind, Judy Walton, and Heather Clements. The selected artists for the Ruskin Place Artist Colony locations are Melody Bogle, Marscha Cavaliere, Donnelle Clark, Patrick Connolly, Skip Deems, Victoria Guennewig, Marian Pacsuta, Mary Redmann, Nikki Staks, Jenna Varney, Krista Vind, Judy Walton, Christon Anderson and Heather Clements. Chosen by jury, all artists are members of the Cultural Arts Alliance and each will exhibit and sell their work in their own section of the gallery. The public is invited to join us in celebrating all of the artists at our upcoming receptions on Wednesday, February 13 at the Ruskin Place Artist Colony location from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and on Wednesday, February 27 at the Grand Boulevard location from 5 – 7:00 p.m. Enjoy tasty sips and snacks while perusing all of the beautiful works on display and available for purchase. Receptions are weather permitting. Founded in May 2016, The Foster Gallery is an artist collective led by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County that features at least a dozen artists on a seasonally rotating basis, along with special exhibits and invitationals throughout the year. Named for the late Susan Foster, founder of the Cultural Arts Alliance and one of the area’s first professional artists and gallery owners, The Foster Gallery also symbolizes the support the CAA strives to provide for artists in our community. Located in Grand Boulevard Town Center at 585 Grand Blvd., Ste. N102 in Miramar Beach, The Foster Gallery is open Monday through Sunday, 12 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the Ruskin Place Artist Colony open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The gallery is also available for outside group rental for workshops, meetings, classes, parties, and other special events. For more information, call 850.837.3037 or visit CulturalArtsAlliance.com.

Valentine’s weekend typically means romantic dinners and flowers for most, but for South Walton residents and visitors, it signals the highly anticipated annual Valentine Tour of Homes presented by the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) of Walton County. The tour is known for providing a rare opportunity to enter some of South Walton’s most interesting residences, showcasing stunning interiors, acclaimed architectural design and picturesque settings, which are sure to bring inspiration to tour goers’ winter beach weekend. This annual event, which is presented by Courtney Simpson State Farm Agency, will open the doors of six gorgeously designed South Walton homes to participants on Saturday, Feb. 16 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 17 from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Guests are invited to take a self-guided tour of a variety of homes. All net proceeds benefit the CAA’s “Art For All” program, which provides support to Walton County schools, teachers, students, artists and arts organizations to further arts education in the community. The 2019 Homes on the Tour include an exquisite Rosemary Beach home, a historic and charming lakefront cottage, two modern beachfront condos, a bay-front boater’s dream house, and a stunning contemporary waterfront home nestled between Redfish Lake and Scenic Hwy. 30A. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 the days of the event, valid for the entire weekend with one entry per house. Tickets can be purchased online at CulturalArtsAlliance.com and locally at Smith’s Antiques in Destin, The Foster Gallery in Grand Boulevard Town Center, the Bayou Arts Center in Santa Rosa Beach, Sundog Books in Seaside, and the Hidden Lantern Gallery in Rosemary Beach. Tickets will also be available for purchase at each of the homes throughout the weekend. At the end of the tour, all guests may submit their ticket stub for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate from Beau Interiors in Grayton Beach. Please note that as most of these homes are private residencies, they cannot be guaranteed as ADA compliant. Please notify the CAA office in advance for questions regarding access, and best efforts will be made for accommodations. To volunteer, please contact Beck England at beck@culturalartsalliance.com. Volunteers receive a complimentary ticket.

CALL TO ARTISTS The CAA is calling all artists interested in submitting work for consideration in the 31st Annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival scheduled for May 11 – 12, 2019 in Grand Boulevard Town Center. Artists who apply before January 31, 2019 will receive an early bird jury and booth rate fee. Artists are invited to apply in the categories of Mixed Media, Ceramics, Works on Paper, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Metal, Oils & Acrylics, Photography, Digital Art, Sculpture, and Wood (including furniture). The submission deadline is Friday, March 8, 2019 at 11PM CST. Application and further details available on Zapplication.

The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) is proud to announce the 13 local artists recently chosen to exhibit their original work in The Foster Gallery’s Fall/Winter rotation, which runs November 2, 2018 through January 27, 2019 in its new Grand Boulevard location. The selected artists are Melody Bogle, Donnelle Clark, Skip Deems, Joyful Enriquez, Hayley Green, Tim Harbeson, Linda Kernick, Rosalyn O’Grady, Mary Redmann, Kathleen Schumacher, Shelly Swanger, Jenna Varney, and Krista Vind. Selected by jury, all artists are members of the Cultural Arts Alliance and each will exhibit and sell their work in their own section of the gallery. The public is invited to join in celebrating all of the selected artists at an upcoming reception on Wednesday, November 14th from 5 – 7 p.m. Enjoy tasty sips and snacks while perusing all of the beautiful works on display and available for purchase. The new Grand Boulevard location is at 585 Grand Boulevard, Suite N102, next to Fusion Art Glass. “While the new location is smaller than our last space, the quality of the art will be as good as ever,” says CAA Executive Director Jennifer Steele. “The move has been a challenge but has also given us a great opportunity to expand and open an additional Foster Gallery along 30A, which will provide even more exposure for the artists.” The second Foster Gallery location will open in early November in Ruskin Place Artist Colony in Seaside, Florida. The Ruskin Place location’s first rotation will run November 16, 2018 through February 5, 2019 and will feature ten to twelve artists. “Ruskin Place is a perfect fit for a second Foster Gallery, and we look forward to being a part of and enhancing such a creatively-minded community,” says Steele. Artists, including painters, photographers, jewelers, sculptors, woodworkers and more, are invited to apply online at CulturalArtsAlliance.com before the deadline of November 5th. Founded in May 2016, The Foster Gallery is an artist collective led by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County that features at least a dozen artists on a seasonally rotating basis, along with special exhibits and invitationals throughout the year. Named for the late Susan Foster, founder of the Cultural Arts Alliance and one of the area’s first professional artists and gallery owners, The Foster Gallery also symbolizes the support the CAA strives to provide for artists in our community. The Foster Galleries are located in Grand Boulevard Town Center at 585 Grand Blvd., Ste. N102 in Miramar Beach, FL and in Ruskin Place Artist Colony at 201 Ruskin Place in Seaside, FL. The galleries are open daily from 12 p.m. until 7 p.m.

Jason isbell, brandi carlile, and felix cavaliere’s rascals are set to headline the 10th annual 30a songwriters festival along florida’s scenic highway 30a on january 18 – 21, 2019 Other highlights include patty griffin, steve earle, gregory alan isakov, suzy bogguss, amanda shires, shawn mullins, livingston taylor, john fullbright, the secret sisters, the war and treaty, aaron lee tasjan, robyn hitchcock, radney foster and many more. Event to feature 175 songwriters and over 225 performances at more than 25 venues in south walton county 2019 festival to benefit the cultural arts alliance of walton county as well as victims of hurricane michael. The 10th annual 30a songwriters festival – set for january 18-21, 2019 – has announced the initial headliners for the 2019 celebration of singers and songs. The festival, held in venues along scenic highway 30a in florida’s south walton county, will feature main stage performances in presenting partner grand boulevard’s town center by esteemed artists including jason isbell, brandi carlile and felix cavaliere’s rascals with his full band and horn section. Performing throughout the weekend are renowned songwriters including patty griffin, steve earle, gregory alan isakov, suzy bogguss, amanda shires, shawn mullins, livingston taylor, john fullbright, the secret sisters, the war and treaty, aaron lee tasjan, robyn hitchcock, jeffrey steele, chely wright, and radney foster. The 30a songwriters festival production team transforms amphitheaters, town halls, restaurants, theaters, bars and covered patios into unique music venues ranging in capacity from 75 to 500 seats indoors and 5,000 outdoors. Additional confirmed performers include: Steve poltz, bob schneider, amythyst kiah, david ryan harris, kim richey, hayes carll, liz longley, drivin n cryin, emerson hart (tonic), chris stamey and peter holsapple (the db’s), john driskell hopkins (zac brown band), griffin house, charlie mars, willie sugarcapps, lauren morrow of the whiskey gentry, the mulligan brothers, amy lavere and will sexton, robby hecht, tommy womack, farewell angelina and many more. Additional artists will be added to the website and announced over the next few weeks as the lineup is completed. TICKETS ON SALE HERE As with Isbell’s 2013 breakthrough, Southeastern, and his double-Grammy-winning follow up, 2015’s Something More Than Free, his most current album, The Nashville Sound was produced by Dave Cobb. The album was well received, winning two Grammy awards for Best Americana Album and Best American Roots Song (“24 Frames”). In May of 2016, Isbell was nominated for three more Americana Music Honors & Awards: Album of the Year (Something More Than Free), Song of the Year (“24 Frames”), and Artist of the Year. He ended up winning Album and Song of the Year. In 2018 he swept the awards winning Album of the Year, Duo/Group of the Year and Song of the Year. Why do Jason’s songs strike us so deeply? What makes this music of the soul? The answer has to do with Jason’s authenticity, his intellect, his rootedness in both tradition as well as modernity. As you listen to this record, you will hear many themes: humor, heartache, wisdom, beauty, hope. But chief among them, strangely, is leadership. Beloved by fans and critics alike, Carlile has performed sold-out concerts across the world and has appeared various TV shows including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Conan and CBS This Morning. Early in 1965, Cavaliere formed the ‘Young Rascals’ with Dino Danelli, Eddie Brigati and Gene Cornish. Signed to Atlantic Records, and then called The Rascals released the mega hit “Good Lovin’” which struck No. 1 in February 1966. They followed suit with a string of hits like “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long,” “Groovin’”(No. 1 in 1967), “How Can I Be Sure,” “A Girl Like You,” “A Beautiful Morning,” and “People Got to Be Free” (No. 1 in 1968). The Rascals are considered the best ‘blue-eyed soul’ group to come out of the 1960s, as well as one of the groups with the most record sales. The 30A Songwriters Festival is, as always, a benefit for the non-profit Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, which supports artists and non profit cultural events and businesses throughout the county. 100% of the net proceeds from the event are paid to the CAA to help fund its annual budget. For the 10th annual event, a portion of these net proceeds will be donated to the Hurricane Michael relief efforts organized on behalf of the many who have suffered devastating losses along the Florida panhandle to the east of 30A. Our hearts go out to those who have lost so much and we ask all to join us in helping them out. The 30A Songwriters Festival has once again teamed up with NPR’s Folk Alley on the syndicated Folk Alley Radio Show. The Sessions from the 30A Songwriters Festival are archived as well at folkalley.com. ASCAP returns as a sponsor with its popular showcase series at the Lake House in WaterColor. Featured ASCAP songwriters are Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Members CRAIG WISEMAN and ALLEN SHAMBLIN together with JAREN JOHNSON, JEREMY STOVER, RYAN GRIFFIN, SARAH ALLISON TURNER, CLARE DUNN, THE SISTERHOOD (ALYSSA BONAGURA and RUBY STEWART), DAVE BERG, TONY LANE, COREY CROWDER, and JORDAN SCHMIDT. “This will be our tenth annual 30A Songwriters Festival and we are delighted to welcome back some of our favorite performers from past years, including Jason Isbell, and introduce our audience for the first time to Grammy and Americana award nominee Brandi Carlile,” state Festival producers Russell Carter and Jennifer Steele. “We join with our ticket patrons, sponsors, the board of the Cultural Arts Alliance and RCAM to happily donate a portion of the net profit from the Festival to Hurricane Michael relief efforts in the Florida Panhandle.” Festival Weekend Passes are currently available for $280. VIP tickets that include premium seating on the lawn at Grand Boulevard for the headline shows on Saturday and Sunday afternoons along with access to the VIP tent serving complementary food, beer, wine and cocktails are available for $685; VIP Premier weekend passes with all VIP amenities plus the best seats in the house are $810. For a full description of each ticket package, VIP transportation packages for groups of two up to 12, and details for the special night of music and free craft beers at festival sponsor and local based Grayton Beer Company Taproom, go HERE. Please note weekend and VIP weekend passes can be purchased locally at the office of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County at 105 Hogtown Bayou Lane, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459, (850) 622-5970 as well as Central Square Records at 89 Central Square 2nd Floor, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. For more information on the 2019 30A Songwriters Festival, including live updates on confirmed artists, venues, and ticket purchase information, visit 30ASongwritersFestival.com.

CALL TO ARTISTS The CAA is calling all artists who are current members of the Cultural Arts Alliance to submit an application to be considered for the Fall/Winter 2018/19 rotation which will run November 2, 2018 – January 28, 2019. Please study the criteria and submit application ONLINE prior to 11pm on Thursday, October 4, 2018. ABOUT THE FOSTER GALLERY Named for the late Susan Foster, founder of the Cultural Arts Alliance and Professional Artist, The Foster Gallery is an artist collective featuring at least a dozen artists and special exhibitions on a quarterly rotating basis. We host artist receptions and openings, workshops, events, and serve as a community gathering point symbolizing the support the CAA strives to give artists in our community, especially those who are members of the CAA. Hours of Operation: Daily, 12pm – 7pm Location: 585 Grand Boulevard, Suite N102, Miramar Beach, FL 32550 (in Grand Boulevard’s Town Center) – This is the former Donna Burgess Gallery space next to Fusion Art Glass. HOW IT WORKS Ten (10) to fifteen (15) artists will be selected for each rotation. Each artist must commit to one of the following two staffing options: Option 1: Work a minimum of twelve (12) shifts throughout the 15 week rotation. Shifts are 7 hours. Schedules will be coordinated by CAA Executive Director and Director of Administration. Shifts may be traded among artists, but CAA management must be notified prior to shift changes. Option 2: Do a staff buy-out of $800, which enables the CAA to cover the cost of staffing your shifts. The artist is not obligated to work any shifts. Option 2 is only available up front as a full buy-out. Artists must also be available to attend the rotation opening reception. Artists are encouraged to utilize the gallery for their own special events in order to promote their work. The sales split is 60% artist and 40% CAA. The CAA is responsible for all overhead, including rent, utilities, commissions, marketing, event costs, and insurance of the gallery and its contents. All sales will be processed through the CAA, and artists will receive bi-weekly settlements. Any sales will include a 5% commission to the artist on duty. The gallery features ongoing special exhibitions throughout the year and may also host invitationals at the CAA’s discretion. TIMELINE Call to artists: September 26 – October 4, 2018 Artist notification: Friday, October 5, 2018 Mandatory installation & training: Thursday, November 1, 10am – 2pm Rotation begins: Friday, November 2, 2018 Opening reception: TBC Rotation ends: Monday, January 28, 2019 De-installation: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 ARTIST CRITERIA Accepted artists MUST meet the following criteria: Artist must be a current member of the CAA Artist must attend mandatory installation and training on specified date. Artist must attend mandatory de-installation on specified date. Artist must be available & physically able to work a minimum number of shifts OR do a staff buy-out of $800 to cover paid staff, which will be coordinated by CAA Executive Director and Director of Administration. Artist must be available to help with gallery events & receptions (as needed). All exhibited work must be original work created by the applying artist. All exhibited work must be for sale. Prints and giclees are not allowed on the exhibit walls (except photography) but may be for sale in bins within your exhibit space. Artist must have a minimum of six pieces on exhibit at any given time throughout rotation and must adhere to any rule regarding maximum number of pieces if gallery space is limited. Artist must agree to a 60% artist / 40% CAA split of each sale. Artist must be able to provide a replacement piece within 48 hours after the sale of an exhibited piece. Artist must provide an inventory of art pieces in a digital file that lists Price, Title, Medium, Dimensions & Weight upon installation. Artist must pay a 10% referral fee to the CAA for any commissions that are generated because of the artist’s participation in the gallery. HOW TO APPLY Submit your application ONLINE before 11pm CST on Thursday, October 4, 2018. You will need to set up an account with Submittable if you do not already have one. You only have to set up your account one time, but you will need to submit to artist calls individually.

On August 23, 2018, TIME revealed its first annual list of the World’s Greatest Places, which highlights 100 destinations that are breaking new ground, leading industry trends and offering visitors an extraordinary experience. See the full list here: time.com/greatestplaces See the international cover of TIME featuring World’s Greatest Places here: https://bit.ly/2o00KaX To create the list, TIME solicited nominations across a variety of categories—including museums, parks, restaurants and hotels—from TIME editors and correspondents around the world, as well as dozens of industry experts. TIME evaluated each one based on several key factors, including quality, originality, innovation, sustainability and influence. The result is a list as diverse as the world it reflects, with entries spanning six continents and 48 countries. World’s Greatest Places is the latest addition to TIME’s robust lineup of editorial franchises, which also includes the TIME 100 Most Influential People, Best Inventions, Person of the Year, Next Generation Leaders, and more.­ The Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) was included in the list of World’s Greatest Places in the Visit category. The UMA is the first presentation of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County’s (CAA) Art In Public Spaces Program and was produced in collaboration with the South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) with a purpose to create art that becomes marine habitat, expanding fishery populations and providing enhanced creative, cultural, economic and educational opportunities for the benefit, education and enjoyment of residents, students and visitors in South Walton. “It has been a wonderfully challenging experience for the CAA to reach outside our comfort zone and work with SWARA to create the nation’s first permanent underwater museum of art,” said CAA Executive Director Jennifer Steele. “To receive this kind of international recognition in our first year is extremely rewarding, and it inspires us even more as we continue to expand the UMA with original, beautiful artwork each year.” SWARA Board President Andy McAlexander added, “What an honor for the UMA to be included on such a monumental list.” The UMA opened in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park in South Walton, Fla. on June 25, 2018. Seven sculptures became part of the inaugural UMA installation: “Propeller in Motion” by Marek Anthony, “Self-Portrait” by Justin Gaffrey, “The Grayt Pineapple” by Rachel Herring, “JYC’s Dream” by Kevin Reilly, “SWARA Skull” by Vince Tatum, “Concrete Rope Reef Spheres” by Evelyn Tickle and “Anamorphous Octopus” by Allison Wickey. “I am amazed at how a common love of the sea, marine life and the beach community has brought this project to life,” said CAA Board President and 2018 UMA Artist Allison Wickey. “Having the Underwater Museum of Art recognized by a publication that shares our fascination with the earth is the highest honor and proof that projects rooted in the appreciation of nature capture the hearts of all living beings.” The UMA was deployed on June 25, 2018 with SWARA’s existing USACOA and FDEP permitted artificial reef project that includes nine nearshore reefs located within one nautical mile of the shore in approximately 50-60 feet of water. A one-acre permit patch of seabed off Grayton Beach State Park has been dedicated for the purpose of a permanent underwater sculpture exhibit. The UMA patch will continue to be filled with several sculptures annually. Admission to the UMA is free. No ticket or reservation is required. However, there is a fee to enter Grayton Beach State Park. The UMA is only accessible in person as a dive location. Divers who wish to visit the site can take a dive boat .7 miles off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park. The coordinates for the center sculpture (SWARA Skull) are Latitude N 30 18.754 Longitude W 86 09.522. Out of respect for the art, boaters are asked to find the center location and then move away from the park to anchor in order to avoid damage to the artwork. For non-divers, there are photos and videos of the sculptures online, which will be updated periodically to document the marine growth on each sculpture. The 2018 UMA installation is presented by Visit South Walton with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Alys Foundation, Florida Department of State Cultural Affairs Division, Visit Florida, 30A Company, BOTE, Bud & Alley’s Restaurant, O.B. Laurent Construction, and 30A Coastal Dunes Wine Company. Special thanks to Walter Marine, Spring Run Media, and Galati Yachts for their partnership in the deployment. Artists interested in submitting artwork for consideration to the 2019 UMA installation can visit UMAFL.org to complete a pre-application.

The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) is pleased to announce that seventeen Mini Teacher grants were awarded during the 2017 – 2018 school year benefiting ten area schools and hundreds of young artists. The purpose of the Mini Teacher grant is to enhance the visual, literary and performing arts experience of all Walton County school-age children K-12 in public schools, private 501c (3) schools and home schools through funding for special enhancement activities established by a teacher. “The CAA was founded on giving, and we are committed to making a deeper impact each year through the funding of arts education initiatives,” said CAA Executive Director Jennifer Steele.  “We encourage artists, teachers, schools, students and organizations to apply as often as possible. The application process is simple, and we are eager to support the efforts of those who are making our community a better place through the arts.” Quarterly and annual awards are available. Applications can be found and completed online at www.CulturalArtsAlliance.com/get-funded. The next deadline for submissions is August 15, 2018. Recent recipients include: Kristin Fliehman and Laurie Hudson from Freeport Elementary School; Andrea Schiller from Maude Saunders Magnet Program, Vivian Komando (Art) and Don Goodrum (Drama) from South Walton High School; Corinne Wilson and Susan Rockman from Paxton School; Corrie Sober (Music) from Bay Elementary School; Constance Rogers from Butler Elementary School; Jeri Jersey at South Walton Academy; Jeanna Meyer, Heather Hester, Sherry Ford, and Kristin Fliehman at Freeport Elementary School; Marla Sillivant at West DeFuniak Elementary School; and Faith Anderson at The Wise Center in DeFuniak Springs. “With the materials purchased by the grant from the CAA, over 100 students were able to create unique ‘Day of the Dead’ skull tiles after learning the basics of working with clay, firing their tiles and finishing with acrylic paint,” said West DeFuniak Elementary Art Teacher Marla Sillivant. “I would like to extend a huge thanks for the learning opportunity that the grant provided.” “Thank you so much for the grant for art supplies,” said Freeport Elementary School teacher Heather Hester. “The students loved all the crafts that were incorporated while learning each letter of the alphabet, and the parents loved the precious artwork and thanked us every day a new piece was brought home.” The mission of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County is to advance the arts through leadership, advocacy, funding, programs and education. The vision of the CAA is to make Walton County a creative place in which to live, work and visit. Membership information, grant and scholarship applications, and more can be found at CulturalArtsAlliance.com.

This week, the nation’s first permanent Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) opened in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park in South Walton, Fla. The UMA is the first presentation of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA)’s Art In Public Spaces Program and was produced in collaboration with the South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA). The purpose of the UMA is to create art that becomes marine habitat, expanding fishery populations and providing enhanced creative, cultural, economic and educational opportunities for the benefit, education and enjoyment of residents, students and visitors in South Walton. On June 25, seven sculptures became part of the inaugural UMA installation: “Propeller in Motion” by Marek Anthony, “Self-Portrait” by Justin Gaffrey, “The Grayt Pineapple” by Rachel Herring, “JYC’s Dream” by Kevin Reilly, “SWARA Skull” by Vince Tatum, “Concrete Rope Reef Spheres” by Evelyn Tickle and “Anamorphous Octopus” by Allison Wickey. Around 80 onlookers, including many of the artists and project partners, were on site to view the historic deployment. “After nearly two years of planning and fundraising, it was a surreal hour watching the artwork being lowered into the Gulf of Mexico,” said CAA Executive Director Jennifer Steele. “From the moment Allison Wickey, our board president, brought this idea to the table as a co-project with SWARA, we have been encouraged by the excitement from and support by our local community and the national and international interest it has received. It has been a wonderfully challenging experience for the CAA to reach outside our comfort zone to make this vision a reality, and it could not have happened without our partnership with SWARA and contributions from Visit South Walton, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Alys Foundation, Visit Florida and all of the sculpture sponsors who wanted to be a part of this unique project.” The UMA was deployed with SWARA’s existing USACOA and FDEP permitted artificial reef project that includes nine nearshore reefs located within one nautical mile of the shore in approximately 50-60 feet of water. A one-acre permit patch of seabed off Grayton Beach State Park has been dedicated to the CAA for the purpose of a permanent underwater sculpture exhibit. The UMA patch will continue to be filled with several sculptures annually. “The perspective when viewing the sculptures in a marine environment is drastically different than when on land,” said SWARA Board President Andy McAlexander who dove the UMA site right after the deployment took place. “The intent of the project was proven within an hour of deployment when we could see schools of bait fish swarming the structures, completely validating the entire effort. I have never been prouder to have had the privilege to work with such talented and visionary people in my life. This project has changed my perspective towards art.” Admission to the UMA is free. No ticket or reservation is required. However, there is a fee to enter Grayton Beach State Park. The UMA is only accessible in person as a dive location. Divers who wish to visit the site can take a dive boat .93 miles off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park. The coordinates for the center sculpture (SWARA Skull) are N 30*18.754  W 30*09.562. Out of respect for the art, boaters are asked to find the center location and then move away from the park to anchor in order to avoid damage to the artwork. Visit UMAFL.org for information about dive shops, tours and obtaining your certification while visiting South Walton. There will also be photos and videos of the sculptures online, which will be updated periodically, in order to document the marine growth on each sculpture. The 2018 UMA installation is presented by Visit South Walton with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Alys Foundation, Visit Florida, 30A.com, 30A Coastal Dunes Wine Company, BOTE, Bud & Alley’s Restaurant, and O.B. Laurent Construction. Special thanks to both Walter Marine and Galati Yachts for their partnership in the deployment. Artists interested in submitting artwork for consideration to the 2019 UMA installation can visit UMAFL.org to complete a pre-application.

Events taking place throughout south walton including a special exhibition & live demo with billy the artist, an underwater museum of art fundraiser with shawn mullins band, the 30th annual artsquest fine arts festival and more. Art Week South Walton, an initiative led by the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) of Walton County and sponsored in part by Visit South Walton, kicks off Wednesday, May 9th with a soirée to celebrate a Special Exhibition and Live Demo from internationally renowned artist Billy the Artist, as well as the recently selected Summer Rotation Artists at The Foster Gallery in Grand Boulevard. The Art Week calendar is full of creative offerings, including an ‘Under the Sea’ fundraiser for the Underwater Museum of Art featuring Shawn Mullins, the Northwest Florida Theatre Festival, ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival, Longleaf Writers Conference, Explore Creativity with Justin Gaffrey at the Justin Gaffrey Gallery, Equation Exhibition Opening at the Justin Gaffrey Gallery, Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach, and an Art Week Bash at Modus Photography Gallery in Grayton Beach. All events take place in South Walton and are part of the Art Week South Walton initiative to bring together communities, organizations and businesses to present quality and diverse arts entertainment. For details on each event, visit ArtweekSouthWalton.com. The Foster Gallery, which is the CAA’s professional artist collective showcasing over a dozen rotating regional artists, special exhibitions and featured guests, will host the Art Week Kick-Off soirée on Wednesday, May 9th from 6 – 9 PM in the gallery located at 560 Grand Boulevard, Suite L101 (across from Grand Park). The gallery will feature the work of the recently chosen local and regional Summer Rotation artists, in addition to a special exhibit and live mural demonstration by the internationally renowned and New York City-based artist, Billy the Artist. Guests will be able to interact with all the artists while enjoying wine, light bites and music. Billy the Artist (BTA) is an internationally renowned artist whose studio is based in the East Village of New York City. His projects and designs have been seen all over the world for such clients and global brands as Swatch, Viacom, Lamborghini, The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Museum, New Balance Shoes, Sony, The Champs Snowboarding Championship in Leysin, Switzerland, Gibson Guitar, Smart Car, Suzuki, Hyundai, Toyota, Mountain Dew, MTV, Puma, Microsoft, Chock Full O Nuts, Vans shoes, Cow Parade, race car driver Danica Patrick, Fashion Week Athens and Madrid, Enesco, Goebel and currently the designer of the new Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine world wide. Mural projects include Woodstock 99, Art Basel Miami, Casa Décor Miami, Delaguarda, The Rio Casino Las Vegas,  the Broadway, National, and London productions of the musical RENT. His paintings have hung at the prestigious Forbes Gallery as well as other galleries in New York, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, New Orleans, Austin, Cleveland, Mexico City, Hamburg, Paris, Carib Fine Art in Curacao, Foxx Galerie Zurich, Minsheng Art Museum Shanghai, Surge Art Fair Shanghai, and The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. Billy has been published in Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Elle, US Weekly, Juxtapoz, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, and numerous other magazines and newspapers around the globe. He has appeared on MTV, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, TLC, DISCOVERY, 60 MINUTES and other feature programs all over the world. The mural BTA paints during the kick-off event will be auctioned off the next evening during the ‘Under the Sea’ Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) Fundraiser with Shawn Mullins and his band, Soul Carnival, on Thursday, May 10 from 7 – 10 PM in Grand Park. 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. Many of the sculptures created by Marek Anthony, Justin Gaffrey, Rachel Herring, Kevin Reilly, Vince Tatum, Evelyn Tickle, and Allison Wickey 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 be prepared for their deployment into the Gulf in a one-acre permit patch of seabed off Grayton Beach State Park. The event begins with a VIP hour from 6 – 7 PM where VIP ticket holders are invited to enjoy a meet and greet with the artists, live music, open bar and light bites, as well as preferred seating for the Shawn Mullins concert. Doors will open at 7 PM for general admission event goers to bid on auction items and sample special menu items while enjoying an intimate concert experience with Shawn Mullins and his band, Soul Carnival. A cash bar will be available featuring signature Art Week cocktails. A limited number of VIP tickets remain and are $100 / person. General admission tickets are $50 / person in advance and $60 / at the door (if available). In addition to the Billy the Artist mural, auction items include an UMA Sculpture Sponsorship valued at $5,000, reservations for two to the Allison Wickey Sculpture Deployment Party with Galati Yachts and more. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased in advance online, here. Justin Gaffrey Gallery (21 Blue Gulf Drive in Blue Mountain Beach) invites everyone to “Explore Creativity with Justin Gaffrey” on Thursday, May 10 from 10 AM  – 6 PM. Attendees are encouraged to make a masterpiece as Justin teaches art lovers of all ages how to create a small palette knife painting, just in time for Mother’s Day. Supplies are included in this free family day at the Justin Gaffrey Gallery. Then on Friday, May 11, Justin will present a new body of work entitled “Equation: Moveable Art that Saves the World” from 6 – 9 PM at the Justin Gaffrey Gallery. The 30th annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival will fill Grand Boulevard’s Town Center with over 150 exhibiting artists over Mother’s Day weekend. Produced by the CAA and presented by Grand Boulevard, ArtsQuest includes a CAA Member Exhibition, live art demonstrations, continuous live music and performances, delicious food and beverage options, ImagiNation: where kids rule, and an exhibition of the Underwater Museum of Art sculptures. ArtsQuest is open to the public Saturday, May 12, 10am – 7pm and Sunday, May 13, 10 am –  5pm. A $5 donation per person is requested at the gate. A list of artists, the entertainment schedule and other details can be found online at ArtWeekSouthWalton.com. The 5th Annual Longleaf Writers Conference (formerly named Seaside Writers Conference) will take place in Seaside May 13 through 20, featuring award-winning, visiting authors Tom Franklin and Jill McCorkle. Other special guests include Oxford American Editor Eliza Borné, Ballantine Books/Random House Senior Editor Sara Weiss, and literary agent Annie Hwang. Full conference registrations and a la carte seminars are available, along with options to participate in special events throughout the week, including personal consultations, readings and a low country boil. Register and purchase tickets online at LongleafWritersConference.com. May 16 is opening night of the Northwest Florida Theatre Festival featuring 24 performances by theatre groups and playwrights from around the Southeast. Presented by Emerald Coast Theatre Company, the Festival runs nightly through May 20. Tickets range from $15 – $25 per show for adults and $10 for children 5-12.  All access passes are also available for $100. For tickets and more information regarding performance dates and times, visit EmeraldCoastTheatre.org. Join the Modus Photography team on Thursday, May 17 from 5 – 8 PM for an Art Week Bash at the Modus Studio Gallery (39 Logan Lane, Grayton Beach) featuring new art from Chandler Williams, door prizes, live music, food, drinks and more. Celebrating its 11th anniversary, Digital Graffiti is a one-of-a-kind projection art festival where artists use the latest digital technologies to project their original works onto the white walls of Alys Beach. This year’s event takes place Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19 culminating with a DG brunch on Sunday, May 20. Each year, the festival attracts international digital artists, filmmakers, musicians, interactive designers, photographers, VJs, producers, celebrities, agency executives and fans of art, technology and architecture. Visit DigitalGraffiti.com for tickets and details. Art Week South Walton sponsors include Grand Boulevard, Visit South Walton, Dugas Family Foundation, Grayton Beer Company, Courtyard Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard, White Dog Insurance, the University of Mississippi, The Seaside Institute, Sundog Books, Oxford American Magazine, Emerald Coast Magazine, SoWal.com, The Walton Sun, The Destin Log, The Beachcomber, Cecelia Baker, Wine World, Hibiscus Coffee & Guesthouse, Amavida, UPS Store Grand Boulevard, Cabana Man, and The Donut Hole. Additional event sponsors are listed on individual event websites. ART WEEK SOUTH WALTON SCHEDULE MAY 9 ART WEEK SOUTH WALTON KICK-OFF PARTY FEATURING BILLY THE ARTIST LIVE DEMO The Foster Gallery, 560 Grand Boulevard, Suite L101, Miramar Beach 6 – 9 PM MAY 10 EXPLORE CREATIVITY WITH JUSTIN GAFFREY Justin Gaffrey Gallery, 21 Blue Gulf Drive, Blue Mountain Beach 10 AM – 6 PM ‘UNDER THE SEA’ FUNDRAISER WITH SHAWN MULLINS BAND BENEFITING THE UNDERWATER MUSEUM OF ART Grand Park, 600 Grand Boulevard, Miramar Beach 7 – 10PM MAY 11 EQUATION EXHIBITION OPENING Justin Gaffrey Gallery, 21 Blue Gulf Drive, Blue Mountain Beach 6-9 PM MAY 12 – 13 30th ANNUAL ARTSQUEST FINE ARTS FESTIVAL Town Center in Grand Boulevard, Miramar Beach MAY 13 – 20 LONGLEAF WRITERS CONFERENCE Academic Village and other locations in Seaside, FL and Hibiscus in Grayton Beach May 16 – 20 NORTHWEST FLORIDA THEATRE FESTIVAL 560 Grand Boulevard, Upstairs, Miramar Beach May 17 ART WEEK BASH WITH MODUS PHOTOGRAPHY, 5 – 8 PM Modus Studio Gallery, 39 Logan Lane, Grayton Beach MAY 18 – 20 DIGITAL GRAFFITI Alys Beach

Billy The Artist to join Summer Rotation in a Special Exhibition and perform a live mural demonstration at Opening Reception scheduled for Wednesday, May 9. The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) is proud to announce that 19 artists were recently chosen to exhibit their original work in The Foster Gallery’s Summer Rotation, May 6 – July 22, 2018. The artists are Melody Bogle, Cheryl Burgess, Carol Ann Cain, Jacques Camp, Marscha Cavaliere, Donnelle Clark, Skip Deems, Judy Dewar, Joyful Enriquez, Capri Boyle Jones, Linda Kernick, Rosalyn O’Grady, Marian Pacsuta, William Polley, Lesha Porsche, Mary Redmann, Kathleen Schumacher, Jenna Varney, and Krista Vind. Selected by jury, all artists are members of the Cultural Arts Alliance and each will exhibit six to ten pieces of work in their own section of the gallery. Additionally, we are excited to share that Billy the Artist (BTA) will have 19 pieces of his work featured in the Gallery as part of a Special Exhibition through July 22. BTA is an internationally renowned artist whose studio is based in the East Village of New York City. His projects and designs have been seen all over the world for such clients and global brands as Swatch, Viacom, Lamborghini, The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Museum, New Balance Shoes, Sony, The Champs Snowboarding Championship in Leysin, Switzerland, Gibson Guitar, Smart Car, Suzuki, Hyundai, Toyota, Mountain Dew, MTV, Puma, Microsoft, Chock Full O Nuts, Vans shoes, Cow Parade, race car driver Danica Patrick, Fashion Week Athens and Madrid, Enesco, Goebel and currently the designer of the new Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine world wide. The public is invited to join us in celebrating all of the artists at our upcoming Art Week South Walton kick-off event on Wednesday, May 9 from 6 – 9PM at The Foster Gallery. Meet the artists, watch a live mural painting performance by BTA, and enjoy tasty sips and snacks while perusing all of the beautiful works on display and available for purchase. Founded in May 2016, The Foster Gallery is an artist collective led by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County that features at least a dozen artists on a seasonally rotating basis, along with special exhibits, including the annual CAA juried show, One Size Fits All, and invitationals throughout the year. Named for the late Susan Foster, founder of the Cultural Arts Alliance and one of the area’s first professional artists and gallery owners, The Foster Gallery also symbolizes the support the CAA strives to provide for artists in our community. Located in Grand Boulevard Town Center at 560 Grand Blvd., Ste. L101 in Miramar Beach, The Foster Gallery is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. The gallery is also available for outside group rental for workshops, meetings, classes, parties, and other special events. For more information, call 850.837.3037 or visit CulturalArtsAlliance.com. For more information on this and other Art Week South Walton events, please visit ArtweekSouthWalton.com.

Billy the artist to open art week south walton on may 9th with a foster gallery special exhibition and live mural painting performance. Twenty Additional Local and Regional Artists to be Introduced for the Summer Rotation. 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. The Foster Gallery, located at 560 Grand Boulevard, Suite L101 in Grand Boulevard’s Town Center, is the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County’s (CAA) professional artist collective that showcases rotating regional artists, special exhibitions and featured guests, in addition to special events, workshops and student educational opportunities. An internationally renowned artist based in the East Village of New York City, this is Billy the Artist’s first introduction and exhibition to South Walton and the Emerald Coast, thanks to friends and half-year residents Andre & Diane Dominick. BTA’s projects and designs have been seen all over the world for such clients and global brands as Swatch, Viacom, Lamborghini, The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Museum, New Balance Shoes, Sony, The Champs Snowboarding Championship in Leysin, Switzerland, Gibson Guitar, Smart Car, Suzuki, Hyundai, Toyota, Mountain Dew, MTV, Puma, Microsoft, Chock Full O Nuts, Vans shoes, Cow Parade, race car driver Danica Patrick, Fashion Week Athens and Madrid, Enesco, Goebel and currently the designer of the new Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine world wide. Mural projects include Woodstock 99, Art Basel Miami, Casa Décor Miami, Delaguarda, The Rio Casino Las Vegas, the Broadway, National, and London productions of the musical RENT. His paintings have hung at the prestigious Forbes Gallery as well as other galleries in New York, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, New Orleans, Austin, Cleveland, Mexico City, Hamburg, Paris, Carib Fine Art in Curacao, Foxx Galerie Zurich, Minsheng Art Museum Shanghai, Surge Art Fair Shanghai, and The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. Billy has been published in Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Elle, US Weekly, Juxtapoz, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, and numerous other magazines and newspapers around the globe. He has appeared on MTV, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, TLC, DISCOVERY, 60 MINUTES and other feature programs all over the world. For the world launch of Billy’s watches for Swatch, he painted a 40×30 foot mural live in front of 30,000 people while 300 foot animated projections of his work adorned the walls of Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy during the Venice Biennale. BTA was also one of the first American artists to be allowed by the Chinese government to paint live on the famous Bund in Shanghai. Philanthropic projects include work with The American Red Cross, Live On NY, The Fresh Air Fund, Covenant House, St. Mary’s Foundation for Children, The JCC of Manhattan, The Breathe Foundation Brazil, and various schools both in the U.S and abroad. The mural BTA paints during the kick-off event will be part of a benefit the next evening at the “Under the Sea” Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) Fundraiser on Thursday, May 10, from 7 – 10pm in Grand Park at Grand Boulevard Town Center. The event will feature delicious food, a Tiki bar and a special concert by Shawn Mullins with his band, Soul Carnival. For more information on all Art Week South Walton events, including tickets to the “Under the Sea” party, please visit ArtweekSouthWalton.com. Art Week South Walton is sponsored in part by Grand Boulevard and Visit South Walton.