Here Are All the Creatives You’ll Find at CONNECT on Oct. 15th
October 13, 2026
From left to right, Branson Bowen, Matt Coticchio, Rich Monroe, Ryan Young
Orlando's Creative Energy Took Over the West Church Corridor
I've attended a handful of Interstruct Design + Build's quarterly gatherings over the past year, and they've become events I genuinely look forward to. Each one brings together an interesting mix of people from across Orlando, highlights local artists, supports a local nonprofit organization and creates opportunities to meet people you might otherwise never cross paths with.
On October 15th, Interstruct took things to another level.
This quarterly CONNECT event was a celebration of the company's 25th anniversary, produced in collaboration with Assemblage Wine. By the time I arrived at Interstruct's headquarters along the West Church Corridor, the parking lot had been completely transformed.
Creative installations filled the property, with artists and interactive experiences spread throughout the space. U-Haul trucks had been converted into creative stations, DJs were spinning music, and an Assemblage Wine bar was serving guests as they made their way around the event.
I arrived a little early, which gave me an opportunity to watch the crowd gradually come together.
What caught my attention was the diversity of people walking through the entrance. Different ages, backgrounds, styles and interests were all represented. Some were there for the art, others for the music, networking or simply to enjoy an evening out.
And as the crowd grew, so did the energy.
An Evening Built Around Participation
Throughout the parking lot, artists were inviting guests to get involved in what they were creating.
Fashion designer Christian Perry of Perrry Designs had his sewing machine set up, showing guests how to make their own small bags. The Florida Claydies brought pottery into the mix, giving people an opportunity to get their hands dirty and experience working with clay.
There was screen printing, photography, vinyl listening experiences and plenty of opportunities to discover the work of Orlando creatives.
Guest learns how to screen print his own event shirt at the Space Station Studio activation | Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
Artist Tonester unveiled work featuring Interstruct's signature orange, adding another visual element to the celebration.
What I enjoyed most was watching people engage with these experiences.
Someone who had never worked with clay could sit down and try it. A child could learn something about sewing from a local designer. People who arrived knowing very little about an artist's work could leave with a better understanding of their craft.
LeAnn Siefferman, a founding member of the Florida Claydies, spoke about the importance of bringing people together through experiences like these.
She talked about how opportunities to interact face-to-face are becoming increasingly rare, and how something as simple as working with clay can encourage people to slow down, talk and connect.
Dizzlephunk, one of the evening's DJs, captured the spirit of the event when I spoke with him.
"Don't just look at the art, be part of the art," he said.
I loved that observation because it described exactly what was happening around us.
There was something to discover everywhere you turned, and the experience naturally encouraged people to interact with one another.
To me, that's a big part of what makes Orlando's culture interesting. We have an incredible collection of creative people building experiences around their interests and inviting others to become part of them.
CONNECT brought a lot of those people together in one place.
JSILVA | Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
Kids dance to live music at Interstruct's Connect event in Parramore | Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
The Energy Kept Building
JSILVA opened the evening behind the decks, followed by Krazy Dazie, whose set carried the music into the evening as more guests arrived.
Behind the Interstruct building, the Chelz Danielle Quartet performed live in the courtyard, while Burrito Boys and Twisted Palm Orlando served food nearby.
Inside, guests gathered around the bar and continued conversations that had started outside.
As the sun began to set, Interstruct CEO Ryan Young stepped up to address the crowd. Behind him, the downtown Orlando skyline was beginning to light up, creating a pretty incredible backdrop for the moment.
Ryan Young speaks to the audience at Interstruct's CONNECT event | Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
Young thanked the employees, partners and creatives who had helped make the evening possible. He also reflected on the company's beginnings in 2001, when he and co-founder Rich Monroe started Interstruct with two plastic tables, two Dell computers and no money.
25 years later, the company has grown considerably, and Young made a point of recognizing the people responsible for that success. But some of his most meaningful comments were about the community surrounding the business.
"Buying a piece of real estate doesn't mean you're just an owner of a piece of real estate," Young told the crowd. "We are interested in creating place, creating something that's special."
He spoke about his vision for the West Church Corridor, including plans for a dedicated community event space and a 9,000 sq ft building intended to support creative uses.
"We're trying to create a center of gravity right here in Parramore," he said.
Orlando Vocal Collective | Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
From left to right, Chris Beauchemin, Dizzlephunk, Billy Meether | Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
Following his speech, the Orlando Vocal Collective performed, and later Dizzlephunk and Billy Meether (aka, Saxy Billy) took over the decks.
By this point, the evening had developed an energy of its own. The dance floor continued to fill, people were letting loose, and the celebration seemed to get better the longer it went on.
It was one of those evenings where nobody seemed particularly eager to leave.
The Thinking Behind the Experience
Over the past year, I've had opportunities to get to know Ryan, and I've developed a great deal of respect for the way he approaches his involvement in Parramore and the West Church Corridor.
I've spent the past 20 years engaged in work that supports local culture and helps it grow. Through those experiences, I've learned how important it is to understand a community before trying to influence its future.
That means getting to know the people, learning the history, paying attention to what's already happening and understanding where the needs and opportunities exist.
Every neighborhood has its own identity, shaped by the people who live, work and spend time there. Parramore, Orlando's oldest Black community, has a history and cultural identity that long predates Interstruct's presence.
What I appreciate about Ryan is his willingness to participate in that community and build relationships with the people already doing the work.
Interstruct's quarterly gatherings are one example. They bring people into the neighborhood, introduce them to local businesses and creatives, and provide opportunities for relationships to develop.
The company's relationship with The Desire Foundation offers an even more meaningful example.
During his speech, Ryan acknowledged how much the foundation's executive director, Jennifer Hillaire, has taught him about corporate stewardship and what it means to be involved in a community.
"This community partnership has meant more to me than anything in my business career," he said.
He also made a point of recognizing who was doing the work.
"We support Jennifer, but we're not doing the hard work," Young said. "We try and we contribute. Jen is really doing the hard work."
The Desire Foundation has been working to address food insecurity in Parramore and is preparing to open the Parramore Market, a free grocery store that will serve people in the neighborhood.
Near the end of the evening, I purchased one of the bags Christian Perry had designed in connection with the market.
As I paid for the bag, I struck up a conversation with Jennifer. She shared how Ryan had encouraged her to get started, even when she didn't feel ready. She also spoke about the challenges she'd experienced as a young Black woman trying to gain access to people and opportunities that could help her move her work forward.
Ryan helped open some of those doors.
Our conversation stayed with me because it reinforced something I've come to believe through my experiences working to understand, document and contribute to a city's culture.
If you want to make a meaningful impact in a community, you have to be IN that community.
You have to spend time with the people who know it, understand its history and recognize the work that's already being done. When you do, you begin to see where your own resources, relationships and experiences might help move things forward.
Ryan sees tremendous potential in the West Church Corridor. He believes it can become one of Orlando's most walkable districts, with businesses, creatives and community organizations contributing to its future.
It's an ambitious vision, and the relationships he's building with people like Jennifer show how that vision is already taking shape through the community.
As Orlando continues to grow, I hope we see more people approach community investment with that same willingness to listen, participate and work alongside others.
CONNECT offered a pretty remarkable example of what can happen when people come together around that idea.
Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
From left to right, Damian Jimenez-Lazarte, Keelyn Hennighan, Summer Perel, Roman Zhdanov | Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
Assemblage Wine bat at Interstruct CONNECT | Photo by Tony "Ramzy" Hicks
