FREE OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES IN WYNWOOD CONNECTS COMMUNITY TO CREATIVES

Photo credit Sieuwert Otterloo via Unsplash.

Miami’s very own art district just got a whole lot more creative this upcoming cultural season.

Joining Wynwood’s mural artscapes and galleries is its Live Music Series, a monthly, free outdoor concert experience that will draw talent from the neighborhood to beautify it for South Florida natives.

The initiative is spearheaded by the Wynwood Business Improvement District (BID), the area’s municipal board of property owners, in partnership with Young Musicians Unite (YMU), a nonprofit committed to providing students of Miami-Dade Title I schools with a free music education.

“Music brings people together,” emphasized Manny Gonzalez, Wynwood BID’s executive director. “By adding in a family-welcoming and open-air element, we will have an ongoing program that will make Wynwood an even more inviting, culturally exciting place to visit.”

Launched on Jan. 13, the series’ next installation will be on Saturday, February 10 and continue through March 16, April 20, and May 11. Audiences can expect to hear diverse genres including folk, singer-songwriter, pop, and jazz from the terraces, bars, and lobbies of five staple Wynwood locations: Rodilla, Lombardi Properties, Panther Coffee, J. Wakefield Brewing, and Miami Mojito Company.

Sammy Gonzalez Zeira, Young Musicians Unite’s CEO, leads a class of percussion students. The nonprofit’s goal is to empower underprivileged youth with a free music education. Photo courtesy of Young Musicians Unite.

Beyond adding to Wynwood’s ambiance, the heart of the initiative is to connect the community with its creatives. By showcasing the talent birthed out of the art district, the series hopes to remedy any disconnect between the two by fostering an appreciation for the arts and serving as an inspiration for community members who wish to dabble in the creative themselves.

“If you’re a stakeholder in the community or paying tax dollars, you want to know ‘What is the work being done?’ in our institutions,” said YMU Chief Operating Officer Zachary Larmer. “Having a public display of the amazing progress and work [being accomplished] is something really enriching for everybody.”

It seems the love goes both ways as local businesses involved in the effort have welcomed the cultural benefits brought to Wynwood through the series with excitement and pride.

“We’ve seen the neighborhood change and evolve around us dramatically,” shared Alfred Hernadez, taproom manager for J. Wakefield Brewing, one of the venues to host the series.

“Being able to still be here and give back to the ever-changing community is extremely important.”

WHAT: Wynwood’s Live Music Series
WHERE: Rodilla, 282 NW 27th St, Miami; Lombardi Properties, 160 NW 26th St Unit 201, Miami; Panther Coffee, 2390 NW 2nd Ave, Miami; J. Wakefield Brewing, 120 NW 24th St, Miami; Miami Mojito Company, 2509 NW 2nd Ave, Miami
WHEN: February 10, March 16, April 20, May 11
COST: Free
INFORMATION: www.wynwoodmiami.com or 305-316-8202

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