Fort Lauderdale Art and Design week is a festival designed to showcase arts and culture within the greater Fort Lauderdale area. Art Fort Lauderdale is going on its 3rd year, taking place on the international waterways. In a joint effort to connect communities through the arts, the Sistrunk a Fair was created.
Welcome to Sistrunk
Fort Lauderdale’s Northwest community AKA SISTRUNK is the historic African American community of Fort Lauderdale. Named after Doctor James Franklin Sistrunk, the first Black physician in Broward County. It is home to Old Dillard High School, the first public school for Black children in Fort Lauderdale. The high school is now a muse that holds many artifacts that tell the history of the northwest community of Fort Lauderdale that was once known as ‘Colored Town’.
The Sistrunk a Fair is spearheaded by Art N Soul CEO Al Huggins who has worked in the art industry for over a decade. The event seeks to shine light on not only the history of Broward County but on the artists.
The Sistrunk a Fair is creating a platform for artists of color that are from the neighboring communities to showcase their talents. With the help of Emmanuel George, the two seek to uncover the hidden talents within the communities of Broward County and bring them to the forefront of the local art industry that has kept many of the artists of color in the shadows for years.
The Art business is one of the major industries in the world today. Unfortunately, it is only made up of a small percentage of artists of color.
The launch of the Sistrunk a Fair seeks to change the outcome by creating an art destination for artists of color to be able to share their stories.
Sistrunk a Fair consists of two main exhibitions. One exhibition will be held at the African American Research Library, titled “We Love Art TOO.” It will house over twenty pieces of artwork from local and national artists.
The other exhibition will be held at the Old Dillard Museum. It is entitled “The Beauty of Black Broward,” curated by Emmanuel George, will high light local Black artists from Broward as they pay homage to Broward’s Black history through art, mobilizing the audience to move throughout the Sistrunk community and learn what they may not know.
This event will also bridge the gap between the local Black community and its surrounding neighbors, through the usage of art, creating a dialogue among all on the importance of art. Sistrunk a Fair will also focus on the future of Broward’s Black communities as all the development and gentrification continue to take place.
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