OAKLAND — As part of the annual Black History Month in Central Florida, the historic town of Oakland is inviting artists to “Hold Fast To Dreams.”
The Healthy West Orange Arts & Heritage Center in Oakland is inviting artists of all ages to submit 2D + 3D art for their annual Black History Month art exhibition inspired by Black culture, and are seeking art by Black artists. Works can include:
- Multimedia
- Pottery
- Sculpture
- and more
To get more information on the kind of art being accepted, submit the following information to arts&heritage@oaklandfl.gov.
1. Artist name and contact info
2. Title
3. Medium
4. Size
5. Sale price
6. Photo
“Please feel free to submit as many pieces as you wish,” the agency noted in a news release.
What is the Deadline for Submitting Art for this Exhibit?
The submission deadline is Thursday, Jan. 19. If your artwork gets accepted, the drop off will be between Jan. 24-26.
The exhibition will be on display from Saturday, Jan. 28 through March 15 at the Healthy West Orange Arts & Heritage Center at the Town of Oakland.
As the agency noted, a QR code will be placed next to your artwork if you want to make it available to buy. The code provides a link to your website or payment method.
“When a piece is sold while on exhibit, the artist will receive 100% of the sale but must agree to keep it on display until the exhibition ends,” Healthy West Orange noted. “2D artwork must be able to be hung on the wall with our gallery hook system. Photography/other mediums are also encouraged. The artists are responsible for insuring their artwork. Artists must sign a liability agreement upon acceptance of the artwork. If you have any questions about this, please contact us using the email above.”
Where is Oakland, Florida?
Established in 1887, Oakland is one of the oldest municipalities in Orange County and celebrated its 130th Anniversary in 2017. Their downtown once had an opera house, although a deadly fire decimated much of the downtown that never got rebuilt. Still, their historic City Hall dates back to 1911.
Oakland is also known for its parks and trails, which provide enormous recreational activities for area residents and visitors alike, who enjoy the beauty and natural wonder of parks such as Pollard Park, Speer Park, and VanderLey Park.
The Heritage Center, 126 W. Petris Ave., has permanent exhibits, including the historic Oakland Presbyterian Church’s illuminated stained-glass window that dates back to the 1919 brick structure, and a video presentation on the continuing historic preservation of Oakland’s Historic African-American Cemetery.
The Center is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the 4th Fridays of the month during the summer and on select Saturdays.
The mission of the Healthy West Orange Arts and Heritage Center is preserving Oakland’s past, present and future. The Center supports the mission of Healthy West Orange, a grassroots movement to inspire west Orange County to become the healthiest community in the nation.
Michael Freeman is an Orlando journalist, playwright, and author of the book A Christmas Eve Story. Contact him at Freelineorlando@gmail.com.
