Five Days of Murals, Student Art, and Street Culture: Avenue of the Arts (AOTA) Fest Returns January 21–25

Fort Lauderdale’s streets are about to get painted. From January 21–25, 2026, the Avenue of the Arts Festival (AOTA Fest) returns for its fourth year, transforming the Historic Sistrunk Corridor and Thrive Arts District into a walkable, open-air gallery packed with live mural painting, fiber installations, spray paint battles, and hands-on community events, all free to the public.

Over five days, visitors can watch more than 5 new large-scale murals take shape across NW 7th Avenue, meet artists at public events, take free guided tours, and bring the whole family to interactive programming that makes art accessible at every level.

But AOTA Fest isn’t just about watching walls come to life, it’s about participating.

Why it matters
In Broward County, where nearly 45% of public schools lack formal arts programming, AOTA Fest is embedding art education directly into public space. This year, the festival expands to serve more than 300 students across six public schools and three Boys & Girls Clubs through structured mural field trips that combine lesson plans, artist interaction, and hands-on learning tied to live public art.

“AOTA Fest turns Fort Lauderdale into a walkable art experience; linking Historic Sistrunk, Thrive Arts District, and Flagler Village into one vibrant cultural corridor,” said Maxence Doytier, Founder and Festival Director. “We’re creating access points to art where people already live, work, and gather.”

Art with staying power
Since launching, AOTA Fest has commissioned 83 murals, worked with 117 artists, and added more than 46,000 square feet of permanent public art to Broward County. This year’s murals will remain long after the festival wraps, continuing to shape the neighborhood’s visual identity.

Some participating AOTA Fest 2026 artists include:

Event Rundown
Wed, Jan 21: Festival kickoff at South Side Cultural Arts Center (4:00 PM) with fiber art installations by
Cielo Tejdio and Karelle Levy

Thu, Jan 23: Artists Appreciation Party at Rhythm & Vine (8:00 PM) — open to the public

Fri, Jan 24: City ribbon-cutting at Plunge Beach Resort (5:30 PM) + “20/20 Vision” gallery exhibition (6:30
PM)

Sat, Jan 25: Free mural tours + Spray Paint Battle at Uncommon Path Brewing (7:00 PM)

Sun, Jan 26: Kids Educational Art Day (11:00 AM – 4:00 PM) with free tours and parking

Throughout the week: Student mural field trips, artist meet-and-greets, Black Book ($10) for collecting
signatures, and custom AOTA beer ($10)