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“In Delray Beach, Arts Warehouse (artswarehouse.org), an arts incubator in the Pineapple Grove district, opened in late 2017 as a place for artists to work. Visitors can pop in to view roving exhibitions and see the artists at work in their studios, with a chance to purchase pieces directly from them.
The striking building, painted in canary, mint green, blue and red, is home to 30 artists who have been carefully selected and offered leases between three to four years at a subsidised rent of $2 (£1.50) per square foot. In addition to an affordable studio of one’s own, the artists are also given a place on an incubator programme designed to teach them how to think like entrepreneurs when it comes to the marketing and sale of their work.
There’s a sense of Shoreditch at arty Pineapple Grove, where trendy restaurants and boutiques sit alongside art galleries and bright murals, including the Instagrammable Dancing Pineapples by artist Anita Lovitt. The artists in residence are loyal to the area. Resident painter Tommaso Fattovich grew up in Milan but feels that his art has flourished in Palm Beach County. “I’ve lived in New York, LA and Chicago and I grew up in Italy and have been to the rest of Europe, from London to Paris. But after seeing everything and everywhere, Florida, where I first got my big break, feels like home.”
Jenny Kiker, another Arts Warehouse resident, agreed. “I’m from Charlotte, North Carolina, and went to art school in Savannah, Georgia. I’ve been living in the Palm Beaches for six years. I love Florida: the plants, trees, the greenery, the beautiful weather, which all inform my work. I’m happy to be living in a creative beach town.”
