AOTA Fest 2026 Paints Fort Lauderdale in Five Days of Street Art

Fort Lauderdale’s streets are about to explode with color. From January 21–25, 2026, the Avenue of the Arts Festival (AOTA Fest) returns, turning the Historic Sistrunk Corridor and Thrive Arts District into a vibrant, walkable canvas where art doesn’t just hang on walls but it’s created in real time.

For five immersive days, visitors can watch massive murals rise from blank concrete, feel the pulse of spray paint battles, wander through fiber art installations, and step into hands-on experiences that invite the entire community to take part. More than five new large-scale murals will be painted live along NW 7th Avenue, transforming the neighborhood into an open-air gallery that’s free and open to all.

AOTA Fest is about more than spectacle. It’s about access. In a county where nearly 45% of public schools lack formal arts programming, the festival brings art education directly to the streets. This year, AOTA Fest will engage over 300 students from six public schools and three Boys & Girls Clubs, offering guided mural field trips that blend lesson plans, artist interaction, and hands-on creativity alongside working muralists.

Since its launch, AOTA Fest has left a permanent mark on Broward County with 83 murals, 117 artists, and 46,000+ square feet of public art that continues to define the area’s visual identity long after the paint dries. The 2026 murals will join that living legacy, reshaping Fort Lauderdale’s cultural landscape for years to come.

“This festival turns the city into a walkable art experience,” says Founder and Festival Director Maxence Doytier, connecting Historic Sistrunk, Thrive Arts District, and Flagler Village into one bold cultural corridor where art meets everyday life.

The week features a packed lineup, from the opening celebration at South Side Cultural Arts Center, to an Artists Appreciation Party at Rhythm & Vine, a city ribbon-cutting and gallery exhibition, free mural tours, a high-energy Spray Paint Battle, and a Kids Educational Art Day designed to inspire the next generation of creatives.

With artists like Max Kolo, CP Won, Nerone, Ales, Zoinky, Michele Del Campo, and Cielo Tejido, AOTA Fest 2026 promises five days of color, culture, and community—followed by years of art that stays.

Learn more, volunteer, or get involved at www.aotafest.com