GULFPORT, FL — Gulfport Art in the Yard, a biannual citywide open-air gallery, returns Saturday with more than 70 artists showcasing and selling their works from their homes and, in some cases, inviting visitors into their personal studio.
The event launched in March 2021, “on the heels of COVID,” Courtney Prokopas, a Gulfport artist and one of the grassroots organizers, told Patch. “It was a way that the community could come together and support one another, while allowing you to interact as much as you would like to interact.”
Since then, it’s been held on the first Saturday of November and the third Saturday of March.
The festival showcases the spirit of Gulfport, Prokopas said. “It really was a way for the artist community to celebrate artists of all abilities but particularly, it was to honor elder artists who weren’t involved in the art circuit any longer because it is difficult to show your work, set up at markets, set up at fairs.”
She added, “Gulfport is this beautiful little microcosm where you really get to know your neighbors and there really is an intergenerational exchange. The city lends itself to getting to know your neighbors.”
The event features a range of artists and mediums, from masterclass oil paintings to yard art to jewelry to refurbished and upcycled vintage chandeliers.
There will be artists as young as 5 and some as old as 90. Mayor Karen Love, one of the event’s early organizers, is also participating on Saturday.
A full map of artists can be found below:
“It’s really fantastic. Something a lot of people say is, ‘Oh, I don’t really know if I’m an artist,’ and everyone in the community will speak up and say, ‘You’re an artist. You’re absolutely an artist. Are you kidding me? You’re an artist,’” Prokopas said.
A big part of the fun is getting to explore the community and meet people along the way, she added. “It’s a scavenger hunt. It’s as much about getting inspiration and meeting your neighbors or meeting an entire town, as much as it is about buying art.”