Artist Daniel Fila, AKA Krave, owns and operates El Fresco, one of the last independent art galleries in Miami's Little Havana that acts as a workspace and incubator for other Miami artists.
On the second Tuesday of every month, he holds "Vinyl Tuesdays," an event that aims to foster community and give artists a platform. The themed art shows combine artwork with live music. Guests can freely look at the work on display at the gallery while DJs, rappers and other musicians showcase their own form of art.
Fila started the monthly series last year as a response to what he saw as the growing displacement of local artists.
" When artists come in and they're like, 'This is like home,' that's the best thing," Fila said. "When I feel like they're that comfortable here and they're that happy to be here, I just know I have to keep this thing going on for that reason."
He didn't expect the event to grow as much as it has, but he noticed quickly that there was a need for an event like this, and that appreciation has kept him and others going.
It's an entirely grassroots operation that has seen growth solely through word of mouth, without any paid advertising.
Each event has a theme, that either comes from Fila himself or a submission from another artist.
This month's theme is "Screen Time", with a focus on keeping handcrafting relevant. It'll be a print show where artists will put their designs on t-shirts physically rather than digitally.
READ MORE: Miami-Dade Mayor restores arts funding, but only temporarily
" I thought about it and I was like, t-shirt culture I love because we all would rock art on our shirts and that was like our identity … And I made shirts when I was like 15 years old," Fila said. "That was my intro into hip hop."
The goal is to not only keep the event experiences rich and free, but also communal. Patrons can attend Vinyl Tuesdays, view and purchase art pieces they love, and engage with the artists themselves. 60% of the profit goes directly to the artists.
" They really love being able to come here and meet the artist, and see the artist's friends … you know, get real personal," he said. " And they're like sitting there and the guy's drawing in front of 'em on the bench while he is sipping a beer, listening to great hip hop."
Fila finds the recent loss of arts funding tragic, especially in a city he considers not only the current epicenter of urban art, but also has always been an incubator for the arts.
Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed $32 million of arts funding for the state budget last year, and Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava proposed to cut arts funding by about 52%, or $12.8 million, before walking that back and restoring arts funding, albeit only temporarily.
Earlier this year, sweeping cuts hit the National Endowment for the Arts, as the Trump administration began cancelling grants from the agency. Cultural nonprofits, artists, and studios in the state and across the country have had to close or are at risk of going dark.
" You can't cut something so vital just because it doesn't look clearly on paper like it's worth money to investors, or however it may seem," he said. "You can't put a value on that.
IF YOU GO
What: Vinyl Tuesdays
When: Tuesday, September 9
Where: El Fresco, Little Havana
Cost: Free. Find more information here
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