COAT = color + collaboration & new life in So Flo Cities

PROJECT COAT (Community of Artists Transform)

If you want to witness the power of a brush stroke and how a hand from the artist transforms people and their communities, especially in urban settings, into revitalized places, then come experience COAT aka Community of Artists Transform in 2018.

Project COAT unleashed its creative muralists and art partners onto the streets of Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach and Miami, November 13–20th, 2017, and January 2018 and is planning a petti-coat in summer 2018!

Project COAT featured a series of panel presentations and discussions between creative professionals and published scholars on the impact of art found in archaeology, architecture and Florida history - and the special relationship South Florida shares with another landmark water-based society and city - Venice, Italy.

The COAT TALKS panels were free and open to the public.

Click here for the COAT TALKS 2017 schedule.

“I am pleased to welcome Project COAT otherwise known as Community of Artists Transform to Fort Lauderdale. Our city has a lively and growing arts scene, and public art helps beautify our communities and bring art into the lives of many residents. I’m glad to support your efforts to bring art to the streets and buildings of our city.” Scott Wyman, Assistant to the City Commissioner (now Mayor of the City of Fort Lauderdale), Dean Trantalis.

Conceptually Project COAT’s mission is to:

- transform streets into galleries

- blur the line between museum and street artists

- install murals by international and local artists. These artists work side by side, and partner with curators to literally coat a series of walls with contemporary art images and composition

- engage those neighborhoods infested with blight, human trafficking, drugs, crime and homelessness to redirect to humane solutions and even secure ‘village scale’ development

- preserve landmark architecture, home ownership and small business growth

Project COAT Hallandale Beach

Project COAT evolved out of notion that a high rise boom can overwhelm and deter efforts to retain a ‘village’ character. Eliminating blight remains a problem despite large investments and a number of historical properties are at risk. Homeowners and numbers of industrial warehouse owners with vernacular architectural value wanted to identify finances and innovations to sustain low to mid rise higher quality development and brand neighborhood identity in the most cost effective way.

Another important wall engaged by the artists will be at the previous Gulfstream Middle School set to reopen as ‘ELLA,’ Early Learning Language Academy, a prototype campus for young parents and their pre-K babies to learn English as a second language on the same property. This mural is being created by Ruben Ubiera from Broward County (one of the Centennial Celebration Muralists from 2015) and Jack Fox, a nineteen year old son of noted South African Muralist, Faith47, who’s making his own waves in the street art world in the footsteps of his mother.

PNC Bank’s ‘Grow up Great’ initiative was a major contributor to this project (seen in the photographs below).

Project COAT MIAMI

Project COAT creatives converged at the Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center in the historic neighborhood of Spring Garden where a new COAT mural engaged a new generation of visitors and supporters of the Center’s prolific arts programming. The wall will erected along the property line enclosed the courtyard and parking area as a urban stage. It's dancing feet of the late Pedro Pablo Pena and his Cuban Classical Ballet dancers highlights the nearby sculpture, creating a backdrop to the many international dance companies that perform there for the annual International Ballet Festival of Miami.

Artists included: Ruben Ubiera and Keya Tama (Hallandale Beach), Martin Ron (Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center), El Cekis, David Petroni, Bisco Smith, Hec1Love, Bik Ismo, Rigo Leon (MASS District) Fort Lauderdale.

COAT started as a response to areas at the periphery of high rise development. Many homeowners, commercial and industrial property owners want their properties to become new opportunities for creative professionals, small boutiques, and tech offices to create sustainable safe neighborhoods and a more secure future. The Community Foundation of Broward Art of Community grant supported the COAT Talks about Architecture, Street Art and Venice in 2018 at the Vanguard Theater and collaboration with ArtRepublic in Jacksonville efforts of 2018 (see photos below of Jessica Santiago, CEO ArtRepublic with members of COAT).

For more information contact Clare Vickery 954.816.3324