Stuart is a small town on the East Coast of Florida. It is the only town in Martin County and is famous for the large sailfish population in the ocean nearby. Though small, Stuart has a number of institutions dedicated to the arts and culture such as the Lyric Theatre, the Stuart Heritage Museum and the Elliott Museum. In addition to its museums, Stuart holds a number of art fairs.
Crafters from all over the United States come to the Downtown Stuart Art Festival to sell handmade goods from ceramics to photography to stained glass. In addition to handmade goods, the craft festival has a green market with orchids, fresh-cut flowers and fresh vegetables. The festival is full of food and music.
The Arts Council of Martin County organizes the annual Stuart ArtsFest, held in downtown Stuart. The ArtsFest is a selective event and uses a panel of art professionals to select the exhibitors. During the festival, visitors can vote for the best artworks. And each year, an exhibitor is given the People's Choice Award.
The Historical Society of Martin County holds the Out of Hand Art Show in Stuart's Elliot Museum. The Out of Hand Show features the works of six, hand-picked artists and includes Florida-based paintings of landscapes as well as portraits.
