A new artist-run gallery will add fresh cultural energy to Marathon this fall when the Florida Keys Artist Collective Gallery opens at 10065 Overseas Highway on Nov. 9. The gallery was created by three Middle Keys artists — Tom McGettrick, who works in oil on plywood; Brittany Cherkes, known for acrylic and resin landscapes; and Mike Papish, an underwater photographer — and will repurpose a former art gallery into a rotating exhibition space with opening‑day festivities.

The project preserves an existing commercial arts footprint on the busy Overseas Highway and provides an immediate exhibition and sales outlet for local creatives. By rotating shows and featuring a range of media — from McGettrick’s oil-on-plywood pieces to Cherkes’s resin-finished landscapes and Papish’s underwater photography — the collective aims to draw both residents and visitors into Marathon’s downtown corridor, sustaining activity beyond peak tourism days.

Local arts advocates say venues like the new gallery serve multiple functions in a small-county economy: they create opportunities for direct artist income through sales and commissions, contribute to ground-level retail vibrancy that supports neighboring businesses, and strengthen the cultural appeal of the area for visitors. In Monroe County, where tourism is a primary economic driver, diversifying the downtown mix with arts and culture can extend visitor stays and spending patterns, and offer year-round engagement for residents.

The gallery’s use of an existing art space underscores a trend toward adaptive reuse of commercial properties, an approach that can stabilize vacant storefronts without the higher costs of new construction. For local policymakers, the opening highlights potential leverage points: targeted promotion through tourism channels, modest grant support for cultural programming, and streamlined permitting for small arts enterprises could amplify the gallery’s community and economic impact.

Market implications are modest but meaningful for Marathon’s microeconomy. A small gallery can boost foot traffic for nearby cafes, galleries and service businesses and provide part‑time employment opportunities tied to exhibitions and events. Rotating shows also create reasons for repeat visits from residents, an important dynamic when seasonal visitor flows ebb and flow.

Longer term, the collective aligns with broader patterns in which artist-led initiatives act as anchors for creative placemaking and local identity. The Keys face particular challenges related to climate vulnerability and the costs of maintaining physical infrastructure; arts organizations that repurpose existing buildings and engage the community can be a component of culturally resilient development strategies.

The Florida Keys Artist Collective Gallery’s Nov. 9 opening marks a new chapter for Marathon’s arts scene, offering residents another place to view, buy and celebrate locally made work while contributing to the economic life of the Overseas Highway corridor.