Digital Graffiti At Alys Beach May 16-17

The white walls of Alys Beach's architecture are a pristine canvas, and for a couple of nights each May, they come alive and pulse with vibrant, shifting light and color, creating unique patterns and images. Often pleasing and thought provoking, groups of friends, couples, and families stroll the streets and winding pedestrian paths of our beloved SoWal town, soaking in an experience unlike no other found anywhere else in the world.

It's that time of year again: Digital Graffiti Festival 2025 is May 16th and 17th, presenting a collision of cutting-edge technology and the serene, almost otherworldly architecture of the town. Forget paint cans and spray nozzles, this is a canvas of pixels, projected onto the very soul of South Walton.

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"It's like watching the buildings dance," mused a woman wearing glowing necklaces, her gaze fixed on a swirling vortex of color projected onto the vast expanse of Caliza Courts. "The walls have rhythm!"

John Collette, Digital Graffiti Curator and a man whose name was synonymous with the festival, stood nearby, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Digital graffiti is a conversation between technology and place. It's about finding the hidden language of light."

And what a conversation it is. Each year, the festival draws artists from across the globe, each given an opportunity to transform a piece of the town into their own digital playground. Abstract patterns morph and dance, creating an illusion of moving architecture. Often included are narrative pieces, stories told in light and shadow, unfolding across the smooth surfaces of the town's signature white buildings.

During last year's Digital Graffiti, a group of teens, their faces illuminated by the shifting projections, were captivated by a piece that seemed to turn the walls into a living, breathing ecosystem. Vines of digital flora climbed the buildings, blossoms of light unfurling and fading, mimicking the rhythm of nature.

"It's like… magic," one of them whispered, his voice filled with awe.

The festival wasn't just about spectacle; it was about pushing boundaries. One installation, projected onto the iconic butteries, used interactive sensors to respond to the movements of the crowd. As people walked by, the light shifted and changed, creating a dynamic, collaborative artwork.

"We're not just passive viewers," Collette explained to a group of onlookers. "We're part of the art itself."

As the night deepened, the festival reached its crescendo. The entire town seemed to shimmer and glow, a kaleidoscope of light and color. The air buzzed with energy, a palpable sense of wonder and excitement. It was a reminder that even in a place as meticulously designed as Alys Beach, there was always room for the unexpected, the innovative, the truly magical. And for one weekend every year, the walls of Alys Beach don't stand idle, they dance.

Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach is a collection of events which celebrate the creative process of integrating art, technology, and architecture, the New Urbanist town of Alys Beach providing the open-air, nighttime gallery space with an exhibition footprint spanning just under one mile. Roughly 70 works of art are projected onto the canvases of exterior walls and architectural features, pathways, and landscape in a show that combines juried pieces submitted by artists from around the world, as well as those of Residency Artists, emerging artists and creative partners. Winner of the 2024 CODAawards: Collaboration of Design + Art for Residential Projects Featured by National Geographic as one of the top “Unconventional Art Destinations Around the World.” Recognized by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the “top five” light-projected art festivals.

2025 GRAFFITI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

DG+E Panel 1, Art + Architecture - Thursday, May 15 | 4 - 6PM 
Curator John Colette and Alys Beach Town Architect Marieanne Khoury-Vogt lead a guided tour though the Digital Graffiti festival path to discuss the intersection of architecture and digital projection art. This casual, informative, pre-sunset walk will explore Alys Beach's white stuccoed exteriors with geometric angles and detailing as the ideal living canvas for projection mapping and digital art projections. Glean insights into the creative and technical process behind the placement of each piece and gain a deeper understanding of how the architecture and urban landscape inspires audience engagement. SoWal Insider Tip: don't miss this great opportunity to dig deep into the DG experience and learn about the artists' vision, methods, and about the artists themselves. You might even get the opprtunity to meet an artist!

DG+E Panel 2: Art/Life Balance - Working in the Arts, Central Park - Friday, May 16 | 10AM - 12PM
Behind the audience experience of Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach is an incredibly talented and hard-working team of creative, technical, and production professionals. This panel will engage professionals from different areas of the creative industries in a conversation around what it looks like to make a living in the arts fields. Many of the artists and technicians contributing to Digital Graffiti are working on extraordinary projects, from arena concert productions for high profile performers to "Magical" light displays and The Sphere in Las Vegas. This is your chance to hear about their creative process, the balance between personal creativity and commercial work, and how to translate creative talents into a career-driven skillset.

DG+E Panel 3:  Art Meets World, Central Park - Friday, May 16 | 2 - 4PM
This panel of creatives and educators will explore the role of commercial art in our daily lives. What influence does the history of art have on how art interfaces with the world today? This will be a lively discussion on the relevance of art from past to present and future from the perspectives of creatives, commercial artists, and arts educators.    

Digital Graffiti Awards Party: Friday, May 16 from 6PM-8PM, Gulf Green
Join the festivities on the Gulf Green to kick off Digital Graffiti 2025 and formally announce the winning artists for this years festival! Tickets required for attendance.

Digital Graffiti – All Inclusive Night, 21 & Up Friday, May 16 from 8-11PM
Digital Graffiti opens with the exhibition integrated with an all-inclusive food and beverage experience for adults (21+). The festival path is lined with art installations intermixed with tasting presentations from the region’s best chefs, restaurants, winemakers, distilleries, and breweries.

DG+E Panel 4: Judges Panel, Central Park - Saturday, May 17 from 1 - 3PM
The 2025 Digital Graffiti Judges for the juried show discuss the criteria for assessing each finalists' submission. What makes each work successful from the perspective of each judge? Curator John Colette, alongside an esteemed panel of judges representing various relevant fields of art, design and technology, share their individual insights into their selections and the responses these works elicited for them as audience participants.

Digital Graffiti – All Ages Nigh,t Saturday, May 17   from 8-11PM
Digital Graffiti culminates in an exhibition for guests of all ages with food and beverage vendors positioned throughout the path. Stay tuned for details on special features designed to entertain younger guests and encourage them to engage with the exhibition.

The festival not only showcases innovative digital art but also fosters a sense of community by bringing together art enthusiasts, creators, and visitors. In addition to the immersive art experience, Digital Graffiti offers an educational component: DG + E (education). This is a collection of panels designed for conversations around art, technology, and architecture, the intersection of these fields in the Digital Graffiti landscape, and on how trends, current events, and the educational climate influence the creative processes. The panels are intended to extend the engagement between art and audience into the realm of process and production, offering more in-depth insight into the Digital Graffiti experience.

Exhibiting Artists and the Juried Show
Digital Graffiti is underwritten by the Alys Foundation to provide a fully immersive festival experience, including the juried show of original works of digital projection art. The Alys Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to support the long-term community values of the town. Funds can be used to finance community, environmental, cultural, and educational programs at Alys Beach as well as to help other nonprofit organizations in the greater community. The Foundation continues to give back to the community by hosting Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach, 30A Wine Festival, and Alys Beach Crafted.

Prosepctive digital graffiti artists from around the world submit work for consideration via an open call for entries, with the selection of finalists made by the festival curator, in conversation with a select team of production and Alys Beach representatives. Finalists’ installations are reviewed by an esteemed panel of judges representing experts in art, architecture, and technology and considered for the Best in Show ($5,000 prize), Curator’s Choice ($2,000 prize), and Special Recognition (3 prizes of $1,000) awards. Residency Artists are pre-selected to receive a modest stipend and are hosted in Alys Beach leading up to the festival for research and development. Finalists are also encouraged to attend Digital Graffiti in-person, with lodging accommodations and access to events and special functions provided. The Alys Foundation has donated more than $300,000 in awards and artist stipends over the past 17 years, with the goal of furthering digital work in the public realm.

DG + E | Expanding Education Initiatives: since its inception in 2007, Digital Graffiti has grown to encompass new initiatives promoting education and a deeper sharing of the production process. It’s become a natural laboratory for exploring digital media alongside the built environment, drawing international attention as an annual event of renown both for audiences and for the community cultivated around the artists, the technical production, and the collaborative workshop conversation between students of art and professionals.

To facilitate this collaborative and developmental environment for participants and members of the audience, Digital Graffiti has incorporated panel discussions and student outreach programming: DG + E (education). A collection of panels is designed for conversations around art, technology, and architecture, the intersection of these fields in the Digital Graffiti landscape, and on how trends, current events, and the educational climate influence the creative processes. The panels are intended to extend the engagement between art and audience into the realm of process and production, offering more in-depth insight into the Digital Graffiti experience.

Additionally, Digital Graffiti partners with area schools and university programs to provide a platform and collective 'laboratory' for emerging artists, the Emerging Artist Showcase. These students are given the opportunity to display their art within the festival exhibition, showing alongside and engaging with professional artists and creatives, and participating in functions and gatherings for the artists and media.

Digital Graffiti also engages in creative partnerships with other educational outreach organizations, incorporating creative installations designed to inform and engage audiences within the festival path. Examples include an art projection of digital medical screenings in partnership with the Point Washington Medical Clinic, and specially mapped digital displays from The Paper Bear Film Project, which aims to educate people on the biodiversity unique to the Northwest Florida region, within the exhibition path and as part of a specially designed scavenger hunt for younger guests during 2024’s Saturday night all-ages event.