Historic Trail Tour Presented by Alex Van Mecl

In partnership with Alex Van Mecl, resident preservationist of Opa-locka Preservation Association aka #DiscoverOpalocka, take stroll through downtown Opa-locka exploring the rich history of this Moorish designed city.

Wednesday, December 4th 6:30 PM | Opening Reception @ The ARC

Thursday, December 5th 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM | African Heritage Celebration @ The ARC

Friday, December 6th 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM | Jamaican Heritage Celebration @ The Pavilion & The ARC

Saturday, December 7th 10:00 AM | Historic Trail Tour by Alex Van Mecl @ Historic Train Station10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Conversation with Professor Yacouba Konate & Artist Sriki Ky @ The ARC11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Conversation with Curator Phillip Thomas: Panel Discussion on "Aliveness and Livity" @ The Pavilion6:30 PM | Museum Night Cocktail Experience @ Historic Train Station

Sunday, December 8th All exhibitions open. No special events.

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The 2024 AOT will feature six main exhibitions, each focusing on a different aspect of Black aliveness:

Jamaica on My Mind: Aliveness and Livity (Pavilion), curated by Professor Phillip Thomas, presents Jamaican artists from home and abroad who explores the interconnections of Aliveness to Livity as a moment of accomplishment, an instant in which what has matured in the alchemical athanor metamorphoses into perfection or, rather, an epiphany or an event---an accomplishment.

Embodiments of Aliveness: The Sculpture of Siriki Ky (Art and Recreation Center), curated by Dr. El Hadji Malick Ndiaye, explores Black resilience and identity in Ky’s powerful bronze sculptures.

Under the Bridge, Beyond the Beach, Above the Muck (The Train Station), Snapshots of the Ten North's collections, this exhibition articulates the Group's approach to collection, embodying and enacting black memory principles. It serves as a locus of memory, a landmark around which past events structure present memory.

As Is: The Black Florida Project (The Hurt Building), curated by Melissa Hunter DavisAs Is presents the photography of Johanne Rahman, focusing on the complex and evolving landscapes of Black communities across Florida.

Site Memory: The Sculpture Garden (VFW Garden), led by landscape architect James Brazil. The former Veterans of Foreign Wars site becomes a space through which past and present experiences fuse to commemorates Black history through sculptures and installations inspired by banned African American literature.

Tales of Opa-Locka: A Heritage Journey (Historic Train Station) curated by Alex Van Mecl, Founder, Opa-locka Preservation Association. This inaugural historical experience presents an in-depth exploration of the city’s near-century-long history and cultural heritage, offering visitors a carefully curated journey through Opa-locka’s unique architectural and social legacy. The exhibition also examines the City’s military history as a training site for the U.S. Naval and Marine Corps before and during WWII

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The ARC (Arts & Recreation Center), 675 Ali Baba Avenue, Opa-locka, United States