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The inaugural FUTURAMAR Art Auction and Exhibition brought a stylish and charitable close to Vallarta Pride 2025, drawing a large crowd to the city’s Art District to celebrate renowned artists and support a local cultural center.
On the evening of May 25th 2025, a seed was planted that will bear fruit, and flourish into the future. FUTURAMAR: Art Auction and Exhibition, was the culmination of the first ever Pride Art Walk that was held on May 7th, May 14th, and May 21st of this year.
A sophisticated crowd came out in force to make this event a grand success, and close out Vallarta Pride 2025 in cosmopolitan style. The eclectic combination of art auction and exhibition highlighted an array of renowned artists who are celebrated in Mexico, and throughout the world. The event will also benefit the local community, as a portion of the funds raised will go to benefit (CCV) Centro Culture Vallartense, a group dedicated to supporting Puerto Vallarta culture and art for three decades.
Some of Puerto Vallarta’s finest galleries participated in the event, including; Corsica Galeria de Arte, Galeria Omar Alonso, Galeria Uno, Galerie des Artistes, Galeria Browne, Emotions Galeria by Corsica, Galeria Pajaro Rojo.
The Visionary and His Team
The amazing artist and cultural producer of FUTURAMAR is Hector Belloc, whose passionate vision guided the entirety of the evening. Hector humbly shared his success with the dedicated team whose talents made the memorable event possible. Corroborator’s included; Yamir Ali Yedet, Director of Cabezas Cuadradas Guadalajara, Maria Orozco, producer of upscale art galas, Ron Valdez, art consultant and auction designer, Alfredo Soria, Vallarta Pride Operations Director and artist, and Jose Parra, art auctioneer and artist.
Jose Parra’s technique as the auctioneer was epic, calling out with the introduction of each painting, “prepare your paddles please,” referencing the wooden paddles used for bidding on the vast array of art that was auctioned. Chatting afterward, Jose laughed when I asked what it’s like being up on stage with a crowd looking up at you, he smiled, saying “it was exciting; it’s like play, like a board game with a great group of people, having fun and enjoying art.”
Voices from the Crowd: Art, Culture, and Community
Speaking with Anna Gurayevskaya, a prominent member of the Puerto Vallarta art community, I asked what the night meant to her, she commented “In many cities of the world, when they have Pride, it’s all about the party, and yes it is about the party here too, but I find it beautiful and meaningful, that in PV the last event of Pride is an art auction,” continuing, she stated, “I think this really shows that Puerto Vallarta is really more than just a beach town that has a vibrant gay community, it actually shows that we value the importance of art and culture as well.”
Catching sight of David Browne and Santiago Redmond, seated in front of their delightful gallery, I noted both were perfectly paired in matching Browne Galeria shirts. We chatted briefly, as the auction was in full swing, and David shared, “I’m excited the event was moved from Zona Romantica to the Art District, it’s great to have everyone share the experience of Pride and close out the week with an auction that benefits the community.”
Ryan Donner and Alberto Martinez of Donner & Associates Real Estate were enjoying the auction, and both generously shared their impressions of the soiree. Ryan thoughtfully mentioned, “What is great about this event is it’s not just the LGBTQ community, but its people who support the LGBTQ community, who also love art, which is very inspiring to me.” Alberto then shared, “most of the year, the galleries are competing, but for Pride, they really unite to support the community.”
Sharo Garcia, Puerto Vallarta artist, and founder of the ROMPE Urban Art Collective was in attendance, and we spoke, standing near her art that was on display. She appreciated the concept that FUTURAMAR is creating, and spoke of “the interchange that takes place between the artist and all who participate in the event, it’s a great way to promote Puerto Vallarta art and culture,” she stated.
Mikel Alvarez owner of ThrIVe IV & Medspa, was spotted at the auction, as was Wayne Elias owner of Daiquiri Dick’s on the Beach, just some of the many notables present, who will be familiar to readers of Out and About Puerto Vallarta, out on the town, and supporting a great cause.
I was pleased to see Abraham Valle, Corsica Galeria Director, who shared his deep appreciation for the event, observing, “we believe there is no better place in town for this celebration of art and diversity, we are proud to help legitimize it as a cornerstone event, our hope is that this becomes a lasting tradition, growing year by year, to celebrate the power of art, and the richness of our diverse community.”
Hector Belloc: A Vision for Unity and Diversity
At the end of the magical night, I had the pleasure of visiting with the man who made it all possible, Hector Belloc. He spoke of his vision and how it melded with the ethos of Vallarta Pride. Observing, “Vallarta Pride wanted to create a movement, to bring together the gay community, the art community, the business community, and right away, we understood, this is a new agenda,” pausing he continued, “I’m very interested to bring the community here, but not only hanging on the wall, but as curators, as activists.”He then shared a tribute, “There are not many places like Puerto Vallarta, where people are able to express themselves and feel safe, it’s so important to ensure we continue to exhibit empathy in developing the opportunity for diverse faces to discover themselves.”
As the event came to a close, Hector touched on the expansion of the Art Walk into the Vallarta Pride events, observing, “this is a great way for Vallarta Pride to be more present in the local art culture of Puerto Vallarta, in the coming years; we want to unite everyone, bringing all communities together, with this unity, we can create Puerto Vallarta as the best gay capital of the world.”
Stay tuned for Vallarta Pride 2026, with the vision, and the team that is leading it, the future of FUTURAMAR should shine like the sun.
For all those art lovers out there, have no fear, just because the event is over doesn’t mean you cannot continue to discover incredible art here in Puerto Vallarta. The Art Walk continues every Wednesday through June 25th 2025.
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