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<\/p>\nDowntown Arts District ‘Art after Dark’ returns to Orlando March 14<\/p>\n
Downtown Arts District executive director Barbara Hartley and Orlando Collage Club director Xine join WESH 2 to preview the event at CityArts Orlando <\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGET READY FOR AN EVENING FILLED WITH ART, COMMUNITY, GOOD EATS AND A WHOLE LOT MORE. ALL FOR A GREAT CAUSE. THE ART AFTER DARK SOIREE FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS RETURNS TO ORLANDO NEXT WEEKEND. THIS IS PART OF A POPULAR PROGRAM HOSTED BY THE DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT, AND JOINING ME NOW WITH YOUR INVITATION. WE\u2019VE GOT THE NONPROFIT\u2019S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BARBARA HARTLEY. GREAT TO SEE YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. YEAH, WE LOVE HAVING YOU HERE. AND DIRECTOR OF ORLANDO COLLAGE CLUB SCENE IN STUDIO. GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT\u2019S A PLEASURE. YEAH. WE\u2019RE GOING TO SEE YOUR ART THERE. WE\u2019LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. BUT FOR, FOR PEOPLE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA WHO GO I\u2019VE HEARD OF THE DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT. I DON\u2019T KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT THE MISSION AND THE WORK THAT\u2019S BEING DONE. WHAT DO YOU WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW? WELL, I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW WE HAVE AN AMAZING, CREATIVE CULTURE HERE AND A GREAT ECOSYSTEM AND SO MANY SUPPORTERS AND PARTNERS. AND WE\u2019RE IN THE HEART OF IT. WE\u2019RE IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, THE BEAUTIFUL GREEN BUILDING. IT\u2019S THE ROGERS COUNTY HISTORIC BUILDING, AND WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO BE THE STEWARDS OF CITY ARTS, WHICH IS A GALLERY OPEN TO ALL ARTISTS AND OPEN FOR ALL AGES AND ENJOY ART EVERY DAY, SIX DAYS A WEEK, ACTUALLY, AND IT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT MISSION HERE TO SUPPORT THE ARTS. SO FOR YOU, WHY? WHY IS IT SO CRITICAL THAT CENTRAL FLORIDA HAS THIS THRIVING ART COMMUNITY? I MEAN, IT\u2019S DEFINITELY IT\u2019S IT KIND OF DRIVES PEOPLE TOGETHER AND BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS BETWEEN PEOPLE. AND I THINK THAT IT MAKES US ALL VULNERABLE TO ONE ANOTHER. AND WE GET TO SHARE OUR HONESTY AND OUR LIVES TOGETHER AND JUST GROW STRONGER AS A COMMUNITY. I LOVE THAT, AND WE\u2019RE GOING TO SEE YOUR WORK AT THE SOIREE. BARBARA, WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT\u2019S HAPPENING NEXT WEEKEND? WELL, WE\u2019RE VERY EXCITED TO BRING IT BACK. SO ART AFTER DARK STARTED AS A WAY FOR INVITING PEOPLE INTO A GALLERY SPACE THAT MAYBE AREN\u2019T ART ENTHUSIASTS, BUT TO GIVE THEM A DIFFERENT REASON TO GET TOGETHER TO MEET THE LOCAL ARTIST COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TO MAKE IT INTERACTIVE. SO IT\u2019S CREATED FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND IT\u2019S IT\u2019S BECOME SOMETHING THAT\u2019S OPEN TO YOUNG AT HEART. ALL AGES ARE INVITED. I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, I FEEL LIKE I\u2019M OUT OF THE YOUNG CATEGORY ANYMORE. AND THEN WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEE FROM YOU AS WE SEE YOUR WORK ON DISPLAY? WELL, WHAT I\u2019LL BE DOING IS I\u2019LL BE POPPED UP WITH MY CLUB AND WE WILL BE WE WILL HAVE LIKE A LIBRARY OF VINTAGE BOOKS AND KITSCHY MAGAZINES, LIKE VINTAGE WRESTLING MAGAZINES. THAT\u2019S ALWAYS REALLY FUN. AND WE\u2019RE JUST GOING TO SIT AND CREATE LIV WHAT WE CAN EVEN, LIKE, SHARE AND SWITCH OUR WORKS MIDWAY THROUGH. KIND OF LIKE BUILDING, LIKE A DIFFERENT KIND OF COMMUNITY. IT\u2019S ALL VERY INTERACTIVE, AND IT KIND OF GROWS AS IT GOES. SO AND SO YOU\u2019RE CREATING ART, AND EVEN WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE AND LIKE, IT\u2019S SO ACCESSIBLE, LIKE YOU DON\u2019T HAVE TO BE A TRAINED ARTIST OR HAVE GONE TO ART SCHOOL AT ALL. YOU CAN JUST SIT THERE AND KIND OF MIX AND MATCH AND YOU CAN DO A VISION BOARD. I MEAN, THERE\u2019S JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO WITH IT. SO IS THAT WHY A COLLAGE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY HAVE TAKEN TO AS A FORM OF? YES, BECAUSE IT\u2019S FULLY ACCESSIBLE. IT\u2019S PRETTY CHEAP. I MEAN, YOU CAN GET FREE MATERIALS, VERY CHEAP MATERIALS FROM A LIBRARY AND THEN JUST GET TO WORK IF YOU WANT TO GET YOUR FEELINGS OUT, GET YOUR HOPES OUT. THAT\u2019S NICE. THAT\u2019S AWESOME. AND FOR AN EVENT LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO SEE AS THEY TAKE PART IN THIS SOIREE? CAN DO IT. OKAY. THEY CAN GET INVOLVED. WE CAN DO THIS. AND WE\u2019RE ALL GOING TO BE INCLUDED. THAT\u2019S THE BEAUTY OF ART. BARBARA. HOW DO WE GET TICKETS TO THIS? SO YOU CAN GET TICKETS AT DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT.COM. IT\u2019S ALSO ON EVENTBRITE. IT\u2019S A 2026 EVENTBRITE.COM. OKAY. AND THEY ARE DISCOUNTED RIGHT NOW AT $25 A TICKET. SO THE GENERAL ADMISSION IS 50, BUT IT\u2019S DISCOUNTED UNTIL THE 11TH. SO GET YOUR TICKETS WHILE THEY\u2019RE ON SALE. OKAY. THAT\u2019S GREAT NEWS. WE\u2019VE GOT THE QR CODE ON SCREEN. IT WILL LINK YOU TO ALL OF THIS INFORMATION. WE\u2019RE ALSO GOING TO MAKE IT REAL EASY BY POSTING ON WESH.COM. IF YOU\u2019VE BEEN INTIMIDATED TO BECOME AN ARTIST, THIS IS THIS IS THE WAY TO DO IT. ABSOLUTELY. I LOVE THAT THAT WE CAN ALL GET THERE BECAUSE I SEE PEOPLE DRAWING AND PAINTING. I DON\u2019T HAVE THAT KIND OF TALENT, BUT MAYBE I CAN DO THIS. IT\u2019S WAY SCARIER TO TRY TO DRAW SOMETHING. IF YOU CAN JUST CUT IT OUT AND PUT IT TOGETHER AND PUT YOUR OWN FLAVOR IN IT. YEAH, I LOVE THAT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS BECAUSE THIS IS OPEN TO US ALL UP TO THIS WORLD OF ART. AN\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Downtown Arts District ‘Art after Dark’ returns to Orlando March 14<\/p>\n
Downtown Arts District executive director Barbara Hartley and Orlando Collage Club director Xine join WESH 2 to preview the event at CityArts Orlando <\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\tUpdated: 9:49 AM EST Mar 6, 2026\n\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\tEditorial Standards \u24d8<\/a><\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\tDowntown Arts District “Art after Dark” program returns to Orlando on Saturday, March 14, 2026 from 7-10 p.m. Downtown Arts District executive director Barbara Hartley and Orlando Collage Club director Xine join WESH 2 to preview the event. “Art after Dark” introduces professionals to the Arts District and its mission through social interaction, arts engagement and networking. Guests will enjoy the celebration within CityArts\u2019 seven different galleries and CityArts Caf\u00e9. Festivities also include interactive art experiences, live music, meet-and-greet opportunities, photo opportunities, a silent auction, whiskey and beer tastings and light bites by local vendors. Guests can enjoy $25 early bird ticket access through March 10, 2026. CityArts | 39 S. Magnolia Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801Click here to purchase tickets.Click here to learn more.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Downtown Arts District “Art after Dark” program returns to Orlando on Saturday, March 14, 2026 from 7-10 p.m. <\/p>\n Downtown Arts District executive director Barbara Hartley and Orlando Collage Club director Xine join WESH 2 to preview the event. <\/p>\n “Art after Dark” introduces professionals to the Arts District and its mission through social interaction, arts engagement and networking. <\/p>\n Guests will enjoy the celebration within CityArts\u2019 seven different galleries and CityArts Caf\u00e9. <\/p>\n Festivities also include interactive art experiences, live music, meet-and-greet opportunities, photo opportunities, a silent auction, whiskey and beer tastings and light bites by local vendors. <\/p>\n Guests can enjoy $25 early bird ticket access through March 10, 2026. <\/p>\n CityArts | 39 S. Magnolia Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801<\/p>\n