Youth Sailors and Street artists in Fort Lauderdale Ready their Sails for the annual Street ARt Regatta

Fort Lauderdale

On Wednesday, February 9th the Intracoastal Waterway in the City of Fort Lauderdale will be transformed into South Florida’s most expressive art show on the water. Get ready for StAR. A theater of street and pop art featuring competitive sailing!

The Street ARt Regatta also known as StAR is an interactive art installation featuring youth sailing teams guided by award-winning coaches based at the Lauderdale Yacht Club Sailing Foundation (LYCSF).

The annual installation sets sail in front of LYC showcasing competitive racing tactics ‘choreographing’ the boats and painted sails. The Project is presented as a collaboration of Grace Arts Center, Inc. (GAC) and Lauderdale Yacht Club Sailing Foundation (LYCSF).

“StAR is the culmination of many years of working with artists beyond gallery walls to revitalize neighborhoods and engage communities through art and innovative conceptual projects. The Artists envisioned ‘dancing on the water’ painting unique original images on each side of sail canvases. This year New River Fine Art painters, Tom Rossetti and Andrew Cotton, interpreted the glamor of Hollywood beaches and sailing in their own brilliant way with direction from Gallery owner, Lisa Burgess,” said Clare Vickery, Director of Grace Arts Center, StAR co-curator.

StAR

History

In 2006, GAC commissioned the late Miami Florida Hall of Fame Artist, Purvis Young, to paint thirty-foot sails for the Winterfest Boat Parade. The Artist’s iconic images appeared to move across the sail canvas pressed by the ocean breeze. In 2020, local, national and international artists joined a new non-profit initiative creating walkable…