ORLANDO, Fla. — Downtown Orlando has struggled with vacant storefronts, declining daytime foot traffic, and concerns about safety and public perception since the pandemic.
Now, city leaders and arts organizations are trying a different strategy by using public art to temporarily transform empty retail spaces and draw people back into the city’s core.
Graduate students from the University of Central Florida are installing a 28-foot immersive art structure inside the 55 West building as part of the POP UP Creative Storefronts Initiative.
The program aims to turn unused storefronts into attractions that encourage people to visit downtown and potentially support nearby businesses.
Downtown Orlando has faced several difficult years with fewer daytime visitors and a growing number of vacant retail spaces.
Organizers say the art installations are designed to help change how people experience the area.
“What we’re trying to do is have downtown feel like a safe place to come and enjoy, you know, the work, play, live balance,” said Audra Fern of United Arts of Central Florida.
“It’s a celebration of what the arts can be when they come together, to create something that is bigger together than it would be as individual parts,” said Laura Lambert, a UCF graduate student who worked on the project.
The installation is part of a broader effort to use temporary art displays and cultural programming to inject energy into downtown spaces that would otherwise sit empty.
Organizers say the concept benefits both artists and property owners.
“They’re available storefronts that are typically wanting to be leased by someone,” said Fern. “So, it’s a win-win for the business and property owners. They’re getting visibility of their locations to hopefully lease in the future, and then in the interim, the artists are being seen.”
For the students who designed the piece, the goal is not only to create something visually striking but also to encourage people to slow down and reconnect with the space around them.
“I think every little bit does a bit to help people become more aware of their surroundings to celebrate what’s happening downtown,” said UCF graduate student Chris Blem.
The installation will not stay in one place for long.
After its time at the 55 West building, it will move to another location in the city.
“Once this project leaves here, it’s going to go over to Dr. Phillips Center for two weeks for UCF Celebrates the Arts,” said Heather Gibson with the UCF College of Arts and Humanities.
https://cah.ucf.edu/events/celebrates/
Organizers say the pop-up displays will rotate monthly through vacant storefronts across downtown.
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