Make Art Not Casinos Launches At Wynwood Walls (PHOTOS)

PHOTOS: Make Art Not Casinos Keeps City's Priorities In Check

On Wednesday, Miami's arts community congregated at Wynwood Walls to launch the grassroots initiative Make Art Not Casinos (MANC).

Four friends, Brian Ehrlich, Rodrigo B. Gonzalez, Stuart Kennedy and Mayur Patel, organized the movement in reaction to the Genting casino planned for the site of the Miami Herald building on Biscayne Bay.

MANC notes "Though the legislation has been shelved, this event demonstrates our resolve to stay vigilant ahead of future efforts by the Mega Casinos and their lobbyists."

Organizers says at this point, it's more about uniting and celebrating Miami's cultural scene in the hopes of keeping the city's best interests in mind.

On Wednesday, Tony Goldman, Senator Dan Gelber and John Sowinski, president of NOCASINOS, spoke to the crowd at Wynwood Walls.

Local musicians Raffa and Rainer performed, and there was a flash mob by local dancers and a poetry reading by O' Miami Poetry Festival founder Scott Cunningham.

Gonzalez, one of the four organizers, said that they expected 100 to 200 people to attend the launch and over 400 showed up to show their support of the arts over casinos.

Click below for images from the event. Photos by Jeffrey Salter.

Before You Go

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot