Maxence Doytier believes the Avenue of the Arts (AOTA) Fest is exactly the kind of event Broward wants to help fund.
“This cultural project is free to the public and allows the artists a seven-day time frame to paint their artwork designs to completion,” says AOTA Fest’s founder and director. And it provides the public ample time to explore and meet the artists, some local and some traveling.” This year’s event is Sunday, Jan. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 26.
The festival has received funding from Broward Cultural Division since it began in 2023.
The total awarded amount any group receives will be no more than $50,000 per grant cycle. This year’s funded events must take place between Oct. 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025.
“The distinguishing factor is that the organization’s primary mission needs to be arts and culture,” says Dunlap. “And the event that we’re funding, in addition to having to be located in Broward County, the primary focus or mission of that festival or special event needs to be arts and culture related, as well.”
The cultural division seeks to have festivals and special events throughout Broward, not just east of Interstate 95 in downtown Fort Lauderdale and on the beach, he says.
“Ultimately, what we’re looking to do is impact communities and neighborhoods and municipalities. We know that a lot of great work, a lot of great events and festivals happen in neighborhoods, happen in communities, happen in our cities.”
Another key component: the program seeks to prioritize local artists, vendors and small businesses.
Fund applicants will receive a bonus point in the scoring if their festival vendors are “majority local,” says Dunlap.
Dunlap also envisions that expanding festivals and special events will boost a different kind of tourism in Broward: “We want people to be tourists in their own community on some level. Explore different neighborhoods, communities, cities that they may not have gone to before.”
For application information, visit Broward.org/Arts.
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