Secret Walls and Blue the Great’s Skate Collection Invade Miami Rooftop
“Secret Walls empowers and connects art communities worldwide.”
Secret Walls hit Art Week in Miami Beach, teaming up with 7-Eleven® and artist Blue the Great to unveil a skate-inspired merch collection. On December 5, the CitizenM Hotel rooftop became the hub for the launch, featuring Blue the Great spinning as DJ and showcasing his signature bandaged mummy reimagined through skate culture. Limited-edition gear dropped at the event, with the full collection launching online December 12.
The night capped with a Secret Walls live paint battle, where local artists Cory Van Lew and Brian Butler clashed in a high-energy showdown. Cory Van Lew took the win, judged by crowd cheers. We caught up with Secret Walls founder Terry Guy to dive into the event’s impact and his vision for the future. Read the full interview below.
What makes the Miami installment during Art Week special?
For over a decade, Secret Walls has been consistent in going big during Miami Art Week, hosting live paint battles that resonate with the city’s vibrant street art culture. The annual convergence of talented artists, fans, and collectors creates an electrifying atmosphere, making each event a celebration of creativity and community. This year’s collaboration with Blue the Great x 7-Eleven has further enriched the experience, offering immersive environments that reflect Miami’s artistic energy. Every year we try to come back with a new line up and a few surprises to the last one. This show typically is our last event of the year and is a great place to get inspired for the next 12-24 months ahead.
How do you foster camaraderie among artists while maintaining the intensity of the live battle format?
Secret Walls fosters camaraderie by emphasizing community alongside competition. The live battle format encourages artists to push their creative boundaries in a supportive collaborative environment, where mutual respect and shared passion for art prevail. This balance cultivates a sense of unity among participants, even amidst the competitive atmosphere. So many artists credit our shows as places they have made new friends, learned new skills, and challenged themselves in the pressure cooker environment. Giants like Matt Gondek, Brett Crawford, Sophia Chang, and Blue the Great have all recently starred in our shows.
We are inspired by sports and entertainment and see the upcoming World Cup and Olympics as huge opportunities for us to lean into the “artist are athletes” narrative. Our moonshot goal from day one was to put the art back in the Olympics, and after collaborating with so many sporting leagues, brands and organizations we believe we are in a strong position to achieve this goal in the next 10 years! Pharrell recently said he was on the same mission, so, if he or anyone that knows him wants to connect us, we would really appreciate that :).
What role does Secret Walls play in shaping and empowering art communities worldwide?
By providing a global platform for artists to showcase their talents, Secret Walls empowers and connects art communities worldwide. The events encourage artistic expression and are able to link artists with audiences and opportunities through this live art experience, fostering a sense of community and collaboration that transcends geographical boundaries. We are super proud of the role and work we have done over the last 20 years and continue to be inspired to double down for the next 20 years.
I still remember the early days when we were flying artists around Europe and the majority of the artists had never travelled before, let alone worked and collaborated abroad. We saw so many early sparks with the artist and fan networking during this time, we knew something special was brewing.
What’s next for Secret Walls as it continues to expand its global footprint and push creative boundaries?
Secret Walls plans to continue evolving by exploring new formats, brand collaborations, and technologies to engage broader audiences and provide more opportunities for artists. The focus remains on pushing creative limits and expanding the global footprint, ensuring that Secret Walls remains at the forefront of live art experiences. We also want to focus on building out our LA venue that has a 13,000 square footprint near downtown LA and host a wider variety of programming inside and out of the regular SW events.
Looking ahead, Secret Walls is dedicated to building the next decade of the brand, with the Secret Walls Academy being a major in-house project that excites us. The Academy serves as our art education platform, collaborating with schools, youth clubs, museums, community organizations, and brands worldwide to empower new and emerging artists through direct creative engagement.
