The Akumal Arts Festival & Residency will hold its free, inaugural event on November 9-11, 2018. Unusual in the male dominated urban art form, close to half of the guest artists who will be painting around Akumal Pueblo are women.
“Exposing the Mayan Mexican girls and young women in Akumal to accomplished creative women
offers a window of possibilities to their future that they may have never been exposed to” said Jennifer
Smith co-owner of Turtle Bay Cafe & Bakery and co-founder of the festival along with Iran Beltran,
Delegado Municipal de Akumal.
A festival objective is to #BeautifyAkumal. Says Smith, “What better way to celebrate the many ways that beauty manifests than with a platform of women artists”.
One of the most transformational street artists today is TooFly. According to Miss Crew Women Making
History edition, they write “In the world of urban contemporary art, Toofly [USA] has quickly become a
grandmaster. Her unstoppable moves have helped push female graff artists to the forefront of the urban
community.” Named by Widewalls Magazine “One of street art’s finest female duos,” Nomad Clan from
England is on tour in the Americas.
More than 70 established street artists, muralists, musicians, and performing artists from United States,
United Kingdom, Columbia, Cuba, Argentina and Europe will collaborate with local artists, students, and
civic groups to develop a series of creative projects that celebrate the rich culture, vibrant community, and
natural beauty of Akumal.
There is something for everyone at the Akumal Arts Festival & Residency. Opening ceremonies begin in
the evening of Friday, Nov. 9. Weekend activities will include workshops for children and adults, guided
art walks, exhibit booths with art for sale, food and drink, and live music and performances.
Public events will be held in the Akumal Pueblo, the Paseo de Akumal, at the park, bandstand, and
community center. Artists create new artistic works on the walls of the overpass bridge, government
buildings the park, and schools.
Akumal Arts Festival & Residency is a community based, global initiative. The vision is to bring a fiesta
of art to Akumal Pueblo through an international consortium of artists making art, engaging community,
enhancing and beautifying the town for locals and our many worldwide visitors.
Friday, November 9th
9:00am Art Walk Tour – Begins at park
5:00pm OPENING Ceremonies – Park
○ Mayan Ceremony
○ Acknowledgement of Youth Participation Community
Projects (Library, Kindness Club, Recycling Project,
Enrique Mural, Painting Club)
Performing Arts at the Concha / Basketball Court
Saturday, November 10th
9:00am Art Walk Tour – Begins at park
10:00am-6:00pm Artists Workshops at the Community Center
12:00pm-7:00pm Artists Fair at the Park
11:00am-7:00pm Artists at Work: Paseo de Akumal and various walls
5:00pm Art Walk Tour – Begins at park
6:00pm Performing Arts at the Concha / Basketball Court
Sunday, November 11th
9:00am Art Walk Tour – Begins at park
10:00am-5:00pm Artists Workshops at the Community Center
12:00pm-5::00pm Artists Fair at the Park
11:00am-5:00pm Artists at Work: Paseo de Akumal and various walls
5:00pm CLOSING Mayan Ceremony – Park
© Festival de Arte Akumal, 2018
www.tortuga-escondida.com * [email protected]
For more information about confirmed artists and sponsors, please contact Marti Johnston at
[email protected], Kerra Bolton at [email protected] or visit our website www.tortuga-escondida.com
