By Michelle Mulak
When it comes to original art, no two pieces are exactly alike. The same could be said about original art festivals. Here on the Space Coast, the Cocoa Beach Art Show has a decidedly different feel than the Space Coast Art Festival. The Melbourne Art Festival is different from the Eau Gallie Fine Arts Festival — even though they’re both technically in the same city.
In February, it’s Titusville’s turn to establish itself as one of Brevard’s prime artistic destinations. The inaugural Playalinda Festival of the Arts, February 2-4 at the Titus Landings Lifestyle Center, will feature local art, music, performances, technology and films with a Central Florida backdrop.
“Working together with area art, film and tech organizations, we are creating an art festival that will inspire new artists for the future,” said Cathy Musselman, executive director of Greater Titusville Renaissance, the non-profit hosting the
three-day event.
An evolution of the former Arts and Algorithms Festival, version 2.0 aims to highlight the many talented artists and performers in our area, while giving a nod to the technology-based industries our area is known for. The goal is a more regionally focused event featuring local culture, artwork and production.
“After hosting the Art & Algorithms festival for four years, I’m excited that we are taking art and technology and combining it with other forms of art to create a festival that embraces art in many configurations,”
said Musselman.
Throughout the planning process, Musselman and event chairman, Michael John Foster, strived to be inclusive of a wide variety of art forms. The festival highlights traditional, performance, installment, technology and interactive art, and has come together by way of community collaboration. Though the event is hosted by Greater Titusville Renaissance, several local organizations play a key role in making the
magic happen.
The North Brevard Art League will host the juried art show featuring works from more than 200 local artists. Space Coast Fab Lab will host an interactive STEAM exhibit. KidstART will host the children’s activity tent. Titus Landing and Epic Theaters will host a Florida-centric film festival.
Among the live music lineup are performances by central Florida electric violinist, Jared Burnett, the Walden Street Jazz Trio, JT Douglas, Sunday Gospel on the Green featuring the Reflections Band,
and more. In other words, it’s stacking up to be a team event.
“The festival is a collaborative effort between several organizations,” said Foster, a long-time champion of local arts, collegiate professor of voice and theater, and owner of EA Group. “Titusville and its surrounding areas overflow with talent. The Playalinda Festival of the Arts shines a positive light on those talented people, while providing residents and tourists with a fun excursion and a chance to see the potential
in our community.”
