Opa-Locka’s Art of Transformation Festival Spotlights Diaspora Renewal During Miami Art Week

Opa-Locka, FL – December 7, 2025 – Nestled in Miami’s multicultural mosaic, Opa-Locka’s Art of Transformation 2025 festival concluded on December 6, capping a whirlwind four days from December 3–6 that fused African diaspora artistry with the city’s storied Arabian Revival architecture. Hosted by the Ten North Group amid Miami Art Week’s frenzy, the event, now in its fifth year, drew 10,000 attendees to restored landmarks like the newly unveiled City Hall, transforming minarets into canvases for resistance and rebirth. Curator Nicole Logan emphasized “identity as alchemy,” curating 50 works by emerging Black artists exploring renewal amid displacement.

Friday’s marquee, “Loan Me Your Dreams: African and African Diaspora Art of the Ten North Collection,” featured

of veiled women reclaiming visibility, juxtaposed with Texas-born Charisse Pearlina Weston’s kinetic sculptures of chained forms breaking free, echoing Basel’s Zero 10 vibes. Sales topped $1.2 million, with a holographic mask by Rashaad Newsome fetching $80,000 from a local foundation. “This is Opa-Locka’s moment to shine beyond the glamour,” Logan said, highlighting community workshops that engaged 500 youth. Synced with Prizm’s pan-African push and MoAD’s cosmic dialogues, the fest boosted North Miami’s creative economy by 12%. As whispers of a 2026 expansion swirl, it reaffirms the diaspora’s unyielding pulse, turning historic halls into beacons of tomorrow.