WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Palm Beach Atlantic University wrapped up its three-day Hispanic Heritage Festival on Saturday, celebrating Hispanic art, culture and music during Hispanic Heritage Month in South Florida.
The annual festival featured a contemporary art exhibition and a series of musical performances designed to showcase the cultural contributions and artistic traditions of the Hispanic world. Organizers say the event continues to grow as it enters its 17th year.
In a region with a large Hispanic population, organizers say the festival provides an opportunity for students and community members to engage with artists and musicians while learning more about the diversity of Hispanic cultures.
Artists from across the Hispanic world
The festival began Thursday with an art exhibition featuring artists representing more than 10 countries.
Visitors viewed a wide range of artistic styles and mediums, including oil paintings, photography and metalwork.
Among the featured artists was Franco Sotillo, a visual artist originally from Lima, Peru, who said his work combines mixed media and reflects both his heritage and personal experiences.
"I'm a visual artist and came from Lima, Peru," Sotillo said. "I moved to this country 12 years ago."
Sotillo said his work incorporates materials including oils, paper and other raw elements. He said sharing his art allows him to introduce audiences to Peruvian artistic expression.
"I'm an immigrant, but also bringing my culture to the states to show people how Peruvian art is expressed," Sotillo said.
Festival expands music offerings
Festival Director Michael O'Connor said the event continues to evolve each year.
"We're expanding every year," O'Connor said.
O'Connor said this year's festival marked the first time organizers expanded programming beyond art and classical music to also include popular music from Hispanic cultures.
"What we want to do is we want to celebrate the Hispanic artistic heritage, because here in South Florida, especially, we have a very, very large Hispanic population," O'Connor said.
Inspiring students and the community
Organizers said they hope attendees leave with a deeper appreciation for Hispanic artistic traditions and the people behind them.
"We hope they'll be inspired too to see the artworks here at the exhibition and to see how the Hispanic world makes itself known through visual arts," O'Connor said. "Not just the art is Hispanic, but also the artists are Hispanic."
The festival concluded Saturday with performances featuring both classical and popular Hispanic music.
Organizers say they hope the festival continues for many years to come as it celebrates the art, music and cultural heritage that help shape South Florida's diverse communities.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
