The Aruba Art Fair, AAF, transforms San Nicholas into the largest outdoor art gallery in the Caribbean.
The AAF has been taking place each November, since 2016.
For the first edition, we were totally surprised by the excellent content on display and by the great interest it provoked among islanders, when in September 2016, AAF attracted 10,000 visitors in just one weekend and injected a tremendous energy into the otherwise sleepy town.
The local artist community and a remarkable number of foreign artists left their mark on walls and building around the main street of San Nicholas, Aruba’s oil town. The murals stayed behind to tell the story and we love visiting them, combined with lunch at O’Neil’s Caribbean Kitchen or Kamini’s Kitchen, we don’t get there often enough.
Among local artists contributing to the collection of murals: Omaira Silva, Robert Solognier, George Rosel and Paul Wong. Many international artists, most of them 3D street painters, such as Juandres Vera, Mexico; WD Street Art, Greece; Lina Arias, Colombia; Odeith, Portugal; Chemis - Dmitrij Proskin, from Kazakhstan & Czech Republic; Zedz, The Netherlands; Leon Keer, The Netherlands; Adele Renault, Belgium; ASA, The Netherlands; Jorit Chi, Italy; Giovanni Abath, Curacao; Diogo Machado, Portugal; EELCO - Eelco van der Berg, The Netherlands and Dopie, also from the Netherlands.
Aruba’s National Library building, features a group artwork by Mr Dheo - Andre Alberto Texeira , and Pariz One - Luis Miguel Ferreira Martins, both from Portugal, inspired by children’s books.
Alice van Romondt, representing Prins Bernand Cultural Fund, the main sponsor has her own mural across Kultura Café.
AAF also hosts educational programs, including Art Talk, a photography contest, and school art activities.
AAF is supported by the Aruba Tourism Authority, Divi Resorts, Prins Bernhard Fund, many local companies, and unfolds annually in San Nicholas, organized by Tito Bolivar.
