Cultural Council for Palm Beach County Celebrates 2024 Muse Award Winners

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

March 29, 2024

The Cultural Council’s ‘An A-MUSE-ing Evening’ honored winners and raised funds with live performances, a cocktail reception and unforgettable food art pieces

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —

It was a dazzling, creative evening that celebrated arts and culture in The Palm Beaches and its supporters.

Held March 7 at The Hangar in West Palm Beach, guests donned their most stylish, food and art-focused cocktail apparel for the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s annual fundraising soirée, An A-MUSE-ing Evening. Taking a cue from the success of 2023’s “Met Gala” inspired event, the lively rendezvous was led by the Council’s Advocacy, Outreach, and Events Committee Chair Cheryl K. Crowley and featured the much-anticipated Muse Award presentations, exhilarating live performances, artist-foodie collaborations, culinary and cocktail delights and a silent auction featuring original artwork by Palm Beach County-based professional artists. The Cultural Council paid the artists for their work and additional proceeds went to the Cultural Council.

The Cultural Council continued its annual tradition of honoring outstanding businesses and individuals who support arts and culture through the presentation of the 2024 Muse Awards. Northern Trust received the Muse Award for Outstanding Business Support for the Arts, while Edith Bush (community activist, cultural leader and executive director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Coordinating Committee) was honored with the Muse Award for Outstanding Cultural Ambassador. Founded to increase funding to local nonprofits (including many cultural organizations), The Great Charity Challenge received the Muse Award for Community Arts Champion, and The Thalia Award for Lifetime Achievement went to Frances Fisher, a volunteer, donor, board member, advocate and ambassador for many cultural organizations, including the Cultural Council.

“We are honored to recognize the outstanding companies and individuals who continually work to make Palm Beach County’s arts and cultural community such a vital part of tourism, our economy and our quality of life,” said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO.

Recipient of the Muse Award for Outstanding Business Support for the Arts, Northern Trust has a long history of supporting arts and culture in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. From hosting student art exhibits, noted authors and artists to supporting and providing valuable knowledge and resources to cultural organizations (such as the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Palm Beach Dramaworks and the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum), Northern Trust’s employees have contributed countless hours, expertise and their own resources to supporting and serving many of Palm Beach County’s cultural organizations.

Recipient of the Muse Award for Outstanding Cultural Ambassador, Edith Bush was a founding member of a committee that began in as the Black Educators Caucus in 1971 but expanded as the membership became more diverse and merged with the Women’s International League for Peach and Freedom, sponsoring remedial tutoring services. From those early beginnings, the committee grew to include oratory, poster and drama contests commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s January birth date, the provision of African American cultural programs and participation in the Cultural Council’s annual multicultural festival. In 1981, she established the Martin Luther King Jr. Coordinating Committee to further the messages and work of Dr. King and provide programs and services to inspire the community. She has received numerous awards including the Individual Leadership Award from Palm Beach State College.

Recipient of the Muse Award for Community Arts Champion, The Great Charity Challenge was founded in 2009 to increase funding to local nonprofit organizations at a time when donations were scarce following the 2008 economic crisis. In its first year, their signature event generated more than $400,000 and benefited 24 local charities. Today, the event — which brings the local equestrian community together with a stadium full of passionate nonprofit advocates in a colorful and exciting show — has grown to benefit more than 30 local charities competing for more than $2 million each year. To date, the organization has distributed $19.4 million to 318 Palm Beach County nonprofit organizations, including many cultural organizations.

Named after one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, The Thalia Award for Lifetime Achievement is presented to individuals who have exhibited strong and sustained leadership in developing, supporting and/or promoting Palm Beach County’s arts and cultural assets. Recipient Frances Fisher has worked tirelessly with many cultural organizations throughout Palm Beach County, including the Cox Science Center and Aquarium, Mounts Botanical Garden, the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County and the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden. She has been integral to the development of the NeuroArts movement in Palm Beach County focused on brain health and wellness through the arts. Fisher continually shows passion, sensitivity, grace and a commitment to arts education and historic preservation.

The evening’s performance artists included award-winning jazz vocalist Yvette Norwood-Tiger — who began her set perched on a rare Ducati motorcycle courtesy of The Hangar — and a performance by South Florida-based Japanese taiko drumming group Fushu Daiko, who brought the house down with their high-energy set. Soul musician Matt Brown kept the crowd moving and grooving during the cocktail reception, and artist Kyle Lucks painted a piece live throughout the evening as onlookers watched.

Showcasing the concept of “food is art,” “foodies” or chefs were paired with talented commissioned artists to create unforgettable food-art inspired pieces purchased during the event’s silent auction. With hors d’oeuvres by Northern Trust’s Executive Chef Grant Gillen, edible treats included a “Painting Palette Charcuterie Display,” inspired by artist Jennifer Noelle’s crochet charcuterie spread and a cocktail shrimp skewer inspired by artist David Bergstein’s painting. Artist Josh Fradis collaborated with ice sculpture company Styled Ice to display three of his blown glass pairs in a vine ice sculpture box, and artist Pat Crowley’s artwork was turned into a mini-cake by Earth and Sugar.

“The event was a reflection of the spirit of arts and culture in The Palm Beaches: upbeat, fun and creative,” said Jessica Lavin, the Cultural Council’s associate vice president of development. “It was so wonderful to see so many people coming together to celebrate the individuals and businesses that make arts and culture in Palm Beach County a roaring success.”

The Cultural Council provides services to cultural organizations and creative professionals, administers public and private grant programs, advocates for cultural funding, and promotes cultural tourism. In November, the Council announced that it is poised to provide more funding for Palm Beach County’s arts and cultural sector over the next 12 months than it has at any single point in its 46-year history.

Named the YES! Campaign, the new campaign is the culmination of planning and new funding initiatives supported by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council, the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, and individual philanthropists that combined now total nearly $12.6 million to support the cultural sector in Palm Beach County.

Sponsors include The Angelwish Fund, Northern Trust, The Roe Green Foundation, Roe Green, Cheryl and Brian Crowley, Karen and Richard Bodwell, David Cohen and Paul Bernabeo, Donald M. Ephraim and Terri Sriberg for The Donald M. Ephraim Family Foundation, Stephen Jacobs and Marilyn Wilson, Lisa H. Peterfreund, Merrill G. & Emita Hastings Foundation, J.A.R. Moeller LLC, Lessing’s Hospitality Group, The Hangar, and Ma’am Kind. Special thanks to the members of the Cultural Council’s advocacy, outreach, and events committee: Committee Chair Cheryl K. Crowley, Bruce A. Beal, David Cohen, Phillip Edwards, Jean Sharf, and Davicka N. Thompson.

Planning is already underway for next year, and sponsorships are available. For more information, contact Jessica Lavin, associate vice president of development, at jlavin@palmbeachculture.com.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Cultural Council Announces Delray Beach Artist Renée Rey as 2024 Dina Baker Fund Recipient

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

March 26, 2024

A thought-provoking exhibition of Rey’s mystical ecospheres will take place at the Cultural Council April 12 through June 8

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is pleased to announce that Delray Beach-based professional artist Renée Rey has been named the recipient of the 2024 Dina Baker Fund for Mature Female Artists.

Thanks to the generosity of local artist and longtime Cultural Council supporter Dina Baker, the Dina Baker Fund for Mature Female Artists was created to help stabilize and strengthen the careers of female artists ages 60 and up with financial need and recognizable merit. The artist may use the $10,000 grant for professional development, arts-related exhibitions, equipment and supplies, healthcare costs or basic living expenses.

“I feel so honored to be recognized for my art by such a prestigious art community,” Rey said. “The opportunity to show my work at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is very exciting, and the financial support will really help to elevate my work. It’s allowing me to invest in higher quality supplies, exhibition expenses, and pursue marketing development opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have considered.”

In addition to the funds, each award recipient receives an exhibition in the Cultural Council’s Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Curated by Director of Artist Services Jessica Ransom, the exhibition will run from April 12 through June 8. The paintings in the exhibition were produced from 2017 to 2023 and are part of her continuous Mystical Ecospheres series that displays an evolution over time.

“In large and intimately scaled paintings, I create other-worldly mystical ecospheres that explore the concepts of place, memory, transformation, and reconstruction,” Rey said. “The works focus on the connection between awe-inspiring nature, the risks of technology and the rewards of kinship with people around the world. Central to my work is a belief in a ‘Grand Unity,’ an internal oneness with nature and people rooted in equality, inclusiveness, and a healthy global environment.”

This vision is deeply rooted in her paternal American/Jewish and maternal Armenian/French/Christian heritage and birthplace in Japan. Growing up hearing multiple languages and experiencing different cultural traditions, her artistic vocabulary has always had the common thread of diversity.

In her work, Rey aims to provoke a dialog between paint and a higher state of consciousness. Created with oil and acrylic on paper (as well as graphite), she gradually reveals layers of symbolism and mystery through unexpected visual relationships with dripping paint, sweeping brush stokes, and both abstract and surreal imagery that points to the earthly and the transcendent.

Rey’s intention is to transport viewers into expansive mystical worlds that awaken wonderment, inspiration, and deep connection to viewers’ personal experiences.

Rey’s award-winning work has been shown locally in solo exhibitions at Bailey Contemporary Arts Gallery (where she currently serves as curator for the gallery retail window) and the Tauni De Lesseps Gallery at Palm Beach Atlantic University, as well as dozens of group and juried exhibitions across the world.

With a career spanning 30 years, Rey has been an international curator and visiting artist and lecturer at several universities, in addition to teaching ongoing art classes. She is currently a Bailey Contemporary Artist in Residence through June 2024.

Past Dina Baker Fund award recipients include:

2023: Patricia Lappin
2022: Michele Hundt
2019: Glenda Green
2018: Hegina Rodrigues
2017: Debra Yates
2016: Batia Lowenberg
2015: Alyssa Di Edwardo

The exhibition will take place in the Cultural Council’s Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery at its downtown Lake Worth Beach headquarters; exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Something New is Coming to the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

March 25, 2024

The Council is seeking Palm Beach County-based artists for a new large-scale mural

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County has announced an opportunity for Palm Beach County-based artists to submit proposals for a large-scale public art project at its headquarters in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

The project will consist of painting a new mural on the south-facing exterior wall of the Cultural Council’s Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building on Lake Avenue. The Cultural Council is asking artists to celebrate the concept of community in their design proposals, with themes that include healing, unity, connections, wellness, and/or belonging. As the mural will face the outdoor property that will be developed into a future Art & Wellness Space, themes highlighting nature and tranquility are also encouraged.

Artists have until April 19 to submit their plans, and a panel of arts professionals will then select up to three finalists to present concepts.

“As Palm Beach County’s local arts service agency, our mission is to support and serve creative professionals and cultural organizations in The Palm Beaches,” said Dave Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. “This new mural project provides Palm Beach County-based professional artists with an opportunity to think big.”

The Cultural Council plans to involve the community in the selection of the final design by displaying the final concepts in its lobby this summer and providing feedback forms for public comment. The selection committee will then reconvene and select the final concept. The selected artist or artist team will have approximately three months to complete the project, slated to debut by early fall 2024.

The historic Art Deco building — whose south wall has showcased Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra’s iconic “I Have a Dream” mural since 2017 — needs repairs to fix cracks and other damage to its facade. The mural itself has also reached the end of its lifespan, as the artist’s original design has sustained significant damage from the sun and graffiti that has needed patching through the years.

Standing at 54 feet wide, the current mural was originally painted as part of the CANVAS mural festival in 2017 and depicts Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech during 1963’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Since then, the mural has served as a backdrop for the Cultural Council’s outdoor events, as well as a destination for residents, visitors, and photographers alike.

“Outdoor public art, by its very nature, is temporary. Unfortunately, the wall’s current deterioration has made it impossible to preserve,” Lawrence said. “The need for a change is expected; the average lifespan for an outdoor mural in Florida is five to seven years. Additionally, our aging building is also requiring some repairs and maintenance.”

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, the Cultural Council has raised the funds needed to complete and maintain a new mural. The Council has hosted and been a part of community conversations about the current condition of the building and the Kobra mural, as well as providing information about the process for commissioning a new mural.

The Cultural Council is planning a community sendoff event for the current mural on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Details will be announced soon.

To learn more about the project and submit qualifications to be considered for the public art project, visit www.palmbeachculture.com/our-mural.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Experience Imaginative Collage Work at Powerful New Exhibition at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

February 29, 2024

In her first solo exhibition, Diana Garcia’s ‘Glue – Paper – Scissors’ transforms rescued print images into works of highly original, layered art

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —A collection of intricate layered collage pieces will soon be showcased in a notable art exhibition in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

The exhibition Diana Garcia : Glue – Paper – Scissors will take place at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Solo Gallery from March 15 through May 4. Free and open to the public, hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

Palm Springs-based professional artist Diana Garcia has long been experimenting with paper, a flexible yet rigid material that serves as her medium of communication. She transforms images rescued from books and magazines, often forgotten on shelves, and reuses paper as an act of love for the planet.

Glue, paper, and scissors are the three essential elements in her work. They have given life to memories, thoughts, and places that captivate her and allow her to imagine what she has yet to experience. Shape, texture, and proportion are vital to her composition process. Humans are always implicit in Garcia’s work, but they are not always the protagonist.

“Diana Garcia’s work is wonderfully meticulous,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services, who curated the exhibition. “She has an innate understanding of dimension and size, and she understands how to find disparate imagery and put it together in a cohesive way.”

Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Garcia is an interior architect, illustrator and chef who has gained inspiration from her time living in Chihuahua, Mexico — which inspired her use of color throughout her work — and London in the United Kingdom, where she studied graphic design and fell in love with the fashion and movement of the city.

Her work is completely analog, and said she loves the touch and aroma of working with old magazines and superimposing pieces to represent different realities. This exhibition features 23 collages, and includes topics such as food, people and places, she said.

“Every time I travel, I try to go to secondhand bookstore to conduct research,” Garcia said. “I’ll spend hours reading about a place and looking for imagery that matches my vision for a piece.”

Selected through a highly competitive application process, Garcia is one of six Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee for one of the Cultural Council’s coveted Solo Gallery exhibition spots. All the artists chosen for the 2023-2024 season are women.

This is Garcia’s first solo exhibition; her work was recently seen in the Cultural Council’s Contemporary Art of the Latin American Diaspora exhibition in Fall 2022.

Diana Garcia : Glue – Paper – Scissors will run from March 15 through May 4 at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit palmbeachculture.com for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Thursday, March 14, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; to RSVP, visit palmbeachculture.com/garcia. To see more of her work, visit www.dianalogcollageartist.com or find her on Instagram at @dianalog_collage_artist.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Get Ready for a Delectable Evening of Artistic Gastronomy at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s An A-Muse-ing Evening: Food is Art

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

February 20, 2024

The Cultural Council’s signature fundraising event will dazzle eyes and tummies by expressing art through creatively crafted food at The Hangar in West Palm Beach

LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —

Get ready for an unforgettable evening celebrating arts and culture at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s signature fundraising soirée of the season: An A-MUSE-ing Evening: Food is Art at The Hangar in West Palm Beach.

Taking a cue from the success of 2023’s “Met Gala” inspired An A-MUSE-ing Evening, the Cultural Council’s 2024 event will take place on Thursday, March 7, at 5 p.m. Led by the Council’s Advocacy, Outreach, and Events Committee Chair Cheryl K. Crowley, this food and art-focused fundraising event will include artist-foodie collaborations, silent auction, culinary and cocktail delights, live performances, and the presentation of the Cultural Council’s annual Muse Awards.

“Our largest fundraiser of the year exemplifies the Cultural Council’s mission to nurture, promote and support a healthy, diverse, and inclusive cultural sector — and that starts with recognizing the outstanding individuals, businesses and organizations that support arts and culture,” said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO.

A not-to-be-missed cocktail affair designed to merge art and gastronomy, “foodies” or chefs will be paired with talented commissioned artists to create unforgettable food art inspired pieces, showcasing the concept of “food is art.” The event’s food art exhibition pieces will be available for silent auction bidding and will be a visual feast, showcasing the magnificent results of the artist-foodie partnerships. Guests will indulge in delectable hors d’oeuvres inspired by the pairing of food and art.

Guests are invited to find their muse and get creative with apparel; the dress code is “creative food-inspired” cocktail attire. This exciting evening gives all attendees a chance to raise their glass and celebrate the people and organizations that make arts and culture in Palm Beach County a roaring success.

“An A-MUSE-ing Evening will be an enchanting affair where creativity and culinary excellence converge, leaving our guests with lasting memories of a remarkable arts and cultural event,” said Jessica Lavin, the Cultural Council’s director of development. “We’d love to encourage everyone in our community to attend and celebrate arts and culture in Palm Beach County with us.”

Prior to the event, an art-filled online silent auction will offer the chance to support the Cultural Council by placing bids on creative, food-inspired artworks by Palm Beach County-based creative professionals. The online silent auction is open to all, regardless of attendance at the event.

The Cultural Council will continue its annual grand tradition of honoring outstanding businesses and individuals through the presentation of the Muse Awards. Handcrafted by Palm Beach County-based professional artists Luis Montoya and Leslie Ortiz, each Muse Award recognizes monumental achievement in supporting, sustaining, and championing arts and culture in Palm Beach County. The Cultural Council’s Advocacy, Outreach, and Events Committee will select this year’s recipients in four categories: Outstanding Business Support for the Arts, Community Arts Champion, Outstanding Cultural Ambassador, and The Thalia Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Sponsors include The Angelwish Fund, Northern Trust, Roe Green, Cheryl and Brian Crowley, Karen and Richard Bodwell, David Cohen, Donald M. Ephraim, The Hangar, and Ma’am Kind. Special thanks to the members of the Cultural Council’s advocacy, outreach, and events committee: Committee Chair Cheryl K. Crowley, Bruce A. Beal, David Cohen, Phillip Edwards, Jean Sharf, and Davicka N. Thompson.

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s An A-MUSE-ing Evening will take place on Thursday, March 7, at The Hanger, West Palm Beach. Festivities will begin at 5 p.m.; tickets are $250 or $150 for junior tickets. For tickets, sponsorships, underwriting opportunities, and to participate in the silent auction, please call (561) 472-3340 or visit palmbeachculture.com/muse.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Explore Upcycled and Repurposed Art at Vibrant New Exhibition at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

January 17, 2024

When Boca Raton-based professional artist Sonya Sanchez Arias learned about a book written by her great-great grandfather in the Smithsonian Libraries’ online archives in 2022, she knew she had found something special.

The book offers a historical snapshot of life on the southern Caribbean island of Trinidad, where Sanchez Arias grew up. A fifth generation Trinidadian (whose mother’s paternal French Creole side of the family stretches back even further), the book so inspired Sanchez Arias that she created an exhibition honoring her ancestors, her rich cultural heritage and celebrating diversity found both in Trinidad and South Florida.

Pairing found objects with digitally collaged hybrid portraits and texts to connect past and future, the result is a dramatic, not-to-be-missed solo art exhibition in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

The exhibition Sonya Sanchez Arias: Then and Now (Something Old Something New) will take place January 26 through March 9 at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Solo Gallery at its Lake Worth Beach headquarters. Free and open to the public, exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

Using discarded, recycled and alternative material to create her work, Sonya Sanchez Arias challenges the concept of beauty, addresses nostalgia, and honors the tenacity of her ancestors and various found objects that have survived over time. By pairing these objects with digitally collaged hybrid portraits and texts, she attempts to visually connect the past and the future and start conversations about topics from then and now.

“Sonya Sanchez Arias breathes new life into discarded objects by meticulously recombining them to create her narrative,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services, who curated the exhibition. “Viewers should expect to spend some time discerning the individual objects in the amalgamation and then stepping back to view the whole as it has been conceived by Sanchez Arias.”

Selected through a highly competitive application process, Sanchez Arias is one of six Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee for one of the Cultural Council’s coveted Solo Gallery exhibition spots. All the artists chosen for the 2023-2024 season are women.

Sonya Sanchez Arias: Then and Now (Something Old Something New) tells the story of Sanchez Arias’s journey and point of view moving from one multi-racial and culturally diverse island to a new and equally diverse experience in South Florida.

“My work incorporates the wisdom and experience of ancestors — both mine and others — through things they left behind,” she said. “Each piece in this body of work incorporates something old and vintage with something newly created with digital art and present-day technology. My goal is to celebrate the ‘now’ by merging these two together.”

And she was especially moved by uncovering her great great-grandfather’s book (circa 1874-1912), which inspired her to research the history of her home island and how its racial and cultural diversity has evolved through the centuries. That research led to this body of work, and the book itself will be present at the exhibition, she said.

“Sometimes to go forward, we must go back. By revisiting and understanding our history, we can move forward with greater wisdom and appreciation,” Sanchez Arias said.

In addition to creating mixed media assemblages, paper dresses and a popular line of art jewelry, Sanchez Arias has spent more than 25 years working as a successful photographic stylist, commercial photographer, and photographic art director.

Her one-of-a-kind artwork and distinctive style have been recognized internationally, nationally and throughout the Caribbean, with work in recent exhibitions at Resource Depot’s GalleRE, the Armory Art Center and the Box Gallery in West Palm Beach, as well as the Cornell Museum, Arts Warehouse and Arts Garage in Delray Beach.

“All of my art pieces are the result of manipulating or rearranging used and discarded materials,” she said. “These repurposed materials give my art a strong identity with unique characteristics effectively making each piece distinct and unique.”

Sonya Sanchez Arias: Then and Now (Something Old Something New) will run from January 26 through March 9 at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit palmbeachculture.com for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Saturday, January 27, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; to RSVP, visit palmbeachculture.com/arias. To see more of her work, visit https://sonyasanchezarias.com/ or find her on Instagram at @cre8tivechild.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Cultural Council Invokes the Lived Experiences of Women with Free Contemporary Art Exhibition

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

January 16, 2024

An innovative exhibition of artwork focused on the lived experiences of women will soon be on display at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s main gallery in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

The free public exhibition She. Her. Hers. will take place January 26 through April 6 and features the work of 10 Palm Beach County-based professional artists, all of whom are women. The exhibition will feature a diverse range of contemporary works by Olivia Rachel Austin, Amy S. Broderick, Heather Couch, Nazaré Feliciano, Laura Tanner, Sarah E. Huang, Autumn Kioti Horne, Lisa MacNamara, Quimetta Perle and Lisa Zukowski.

“While women artists are beginning to achieve recognition for their work, they remain under-represented in galleries and museums,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services. “This exhibition focuses exclusively on the work of women artists and their responses to perceived requirements of domesticity, the many waves of feminism, and their own lived experiences.”

The exhibition is curated by Véronique Chagnon-Burke, Ph. D., an art historian, researcher, art advisor, art market specialist and co-founder of the Women Art Dealers Digital Archives (WADDA). Based in New York City, Dr. Chagnon-Burke served as a director at Christie’s Education for 20 years and is a co-chair for The International Art Market Studies Association and was a section editor for Bloomsbury Art Market, an online digital resource published by Bloomsbury Publishing in London.

Dr. Chagnon-Burke said the collection of works showcased in the exhibition are particularly inspired by the legacy of pioneering feminist artist Judy Chicago, as well as the works of art legends such as Hannah Hoch, Eva Hesse, Louise Bourgeois, Laurie Simmons and Marta Rosler.

“The ten artists of She. Her. Hers. continue to build a multifaceted artistic narrative to make more visible the diversity of women’s experiences,” she said. “These artists’ work is empowering and celebrates a long tradition of female agency. Led by strong, engaging aesthetic qualities, their art can contribute to the difficult conversations we need to have if we are to move toward a more inclusive society.”

Encompassing a diverse range of mediums and materials such as natural fibers, ceramics, discarded domestic objects and sequins, the materials used by the artists during the creation process are meant to spark a personal connection with each visitor.

“My hope is that people feel uplifted by these works,” Dr. Chagnon-Burke said. “She. Her. Hers. is meant to be energizing and inspiring, and something that people can draw from their own memories to fully experience.”

The Cultural Council’s mission is to nurture, promote and support a healthy, diverse and inclusive cultural sector. By focusing on the shared experiences of women and work by female artists, this exhibition is aligned with that, said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the work of talented Palm Beach County-based female artists,” he said. “As we continue our work to nurture, promote and support a healthy, diverse and inclusive cultural community, exhibitions such as She. Her. Hers. help to amplify voices and highlight the enormous impact women artists have in the arts.”

The exhibition will take place in the Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The council will host an opening reception on Thursday, January 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Artists from the exhibition will be present to answer questions and discuss their work. Reception is free for members; $20 for non-members. Visit palmbeachculture.com/whimsy for more information or to register for the opening reception.

On Friday, January 26, artist Autumn Kioti Horne will present their performance art piece red hen (impossible standard) at 11:45 a.m. at the Cultural Council. On Saturday, January 27, a panel discussion will be held at 2 p.m. in the gallery, featuring Dr. Chagnon-Burke and artists Heather Couch, Quimetta Perle, and Laura Tanner.

She. Her. Hers. is sponsored by Ellen Liman, Palm Beach Media Group, Florida Weekly, WLRN and The ArtsPaper (The Coastal Star) and Nason, Yeager, Gerson, Harris & Fumero, P.A. Habitat for Humanity is the exhibition’s community partner.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

‘Year of Extraordinary Support’ Continues with Funding for Arts Education Programs

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

December 15, 2023

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s new arts and cultural education fund to benefit youth programs in The Palm Beaches will be funded through a generous donation from the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation.

A game changer for the arts and cultural sector in 2024, applications are now open for the first round of the Cultural Council Arts & Cultural Education Fund to be awarded to organizations with arts and cultural enrichment programs. Grant awards will range from $20,000 to $200,000 over a two-year period. Funds will support organizations and programs offering arts integration and enrichment, opportunities for students to learn or improve skills in the arts, field trips, classes, and residencies in conjunction with arts and cultural organizations.

“We are honored to partner with the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation for this new and impactful grant program for the cultural sector,” said Dave Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council. “The Cultural Council has an extensive history of grantmaking for the cultural sector. We’ll bring that knowledge and expertise to creating this new program to educate young minds in and through arts and culture.”

The new initiative is part of the Cultural Council’s recently announced Year of Extraordinary Support, or YES! campaign, which is poised to provide more funding for Palm Beach County’s arts and cultural sector over the next 12 months than it has at any single point in its 46-year history.

The YES! campaign is the culmination of planning and the creation of new funding initiatives supported by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council, the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, and individual philanthropists that combined now total nearly $12.6 million to support the cultural sector in Palm Beach County.

The YES! campaign includes new grants and programs for cultural organizations and creative professionals across all disciplines, as well as increased funding for some existing programs. Due to the Council’s advocacy efforts and record-high tourism in the county since the pandemic, organizations who receive Category B and CII (funded by hotel bed tax through the Tourist Development Council) and CI grant funding (funded by ad valorem tax) will all receive funds from pools that have recently increased.

The Cultural Council has also partnered with Palm Beach County to introduce a new $3 million capital grant program utilizing American Rescue Plan funds, with eight organizations chosen to receive grant dollars for infrastructure, capital improvements, and other construction projects through the Palm Beach County Cultural Capital Fund.

Other new Cultural Council programs include an Arts Administrator of Color Fellowship program, a 10-month program meant to amplify new and diverse voices in arts and culture, build a leadership pipeline of arts administrators and graduate students interested in careers in the arts, and provide career enhancement opportunities.

Applications are also now open for a third round of the Council’s Artist Innovation Fellowship program, funded by the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation. This program provides $7,500 grants to 10 artists across all artistic disciplines that will allow for the creation of new works, to conduct research, participate in retreats or workshops, study with master artists in their field, or travel to gain new insight and inspiration for new work.

Coming next fall is an Emerging Artist Prize that will be open to all artistic disciplines and focused on professional development. Five artists will be paired with Artist Innovation Fellows as mentors and gain access and introductions to cultural organizations, public art professionals and galleries, as well as funding for materials or supplies. The Cultural Council has also commissioned three new Artist Ambassadors to help explore ways to support the sector and reach new organizations and artists. These new programs and funding initiatives were informed by a county-wide Cultural Sector Needs Assessment Survey that was completed by the Council in 2022.

To harness the excitement of YES! and provide an opportunity to broaden the initiatives and provide even more funding to organizations and artists, the Council will unveil the YES! Fund in January. Arts patrons, philanthropists, and corporate partners will have a way to join in the extraordinary support for the sector by contributing to the YES! Fund.

For those who would like to help the Cultural Council’s work go even further, the YES! Fund will directly support many of the Cultural Council’s initiatives. Details can be found on the Council’s new website, www.palmbeachculture.com.

About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council also features work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.

The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation
The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation was created in 1997 by the late Fred DeLuca, co-founder of the global Subway® restaurant chain, to empower individuals on their path toward self-sufficiency. Since its inception, the foundation has provided educational scholarship opportunities and grants to community-based organizations in the state of Connecticut. Today, the foundation invests in projects accelerating economic mobility, educational attainment, and health, to enhance the lives of youth and families throughout South Florida, Connecticut, and across the nation. To learn more, visit www.delucafdn.org.

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com

Kristin Miller, Basking in Bougainvillea (detail)

Explore A Sense of “Wall-Life” at Thought-Provoking Exhibition at Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

November 29, 2023

November 29, 2023 (Lake Worth Beach, Fla.) — An inspiring mixed-media exhibition that references South Florida’s unique landscape is coming to the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s headquarters in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

Kristin Miller: We Become the Place will be on display December 8, 2023, through January 20, 2024, in the Council’s Solo Gallery. Free and open to the public, exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

We Become the Place is an exhibition that creates habitats through the layering of mixed-media materials in both works on paper and sculptural installations. Referencing South Florida’s flora and fauna, marine life and horizon lines, these bodies of work create a sense of “wall-life,” which dances delicately between 2D and 3D spaces exploring concepts of identity and adaptation.

Acting as nature’s gesture drawings, air plants and jellyfish are shapeshifters, while flora and fauna create a consistent narrative. Nature changes and morphs to its specific location, becoming the place. Through quiet observation, people adapt as well – floating and drifting through new identities, creating a personal and natural symbiosis between our daily life and the physical environment.

“My work is an exploration of my relationship with nature and the distinctive landscape of South Florida,” Miller said. “It’s about being inspired by it, paying homage to it and using it to create my work. Everything I do is inspired by the sea, land or sky. I like to think of nature as the beginning of my work and experimenting with different materials as the end result.”

Selected through a highly competitive application process, Miller is one of six Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee for one of the Cultural Council’s coveted Solo Gallery exhibition spots. All the artists chosen for the 2023-2024 season are women.

“Kristin Miller’s delicate and meticulous work elegantly conveys a sense of the Florida landscape and the environment that we experience here,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services and curator of the exhibition. “This exhibition will be a calm space that encourages a visitor to stop, breathe, and absorb the imagery as if in nature.”

An artist, educator and designer based in Lake Worth Beach, Miller is department chair of fine arts and graphic design and a professor at Palm Beach State College, where she has taught for the last 16 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in studio art from Florida State University and a master’s degree in visual studies from the Visual Studies Workshop.

Trained in photography, printmaking and installation, Miller’s mixed media studio practice includes works on paper and installations. Her work has previously been seen in the Cultural Council’s 2023 and 2021 Biennial exhibitions, as well as in the recent juried shows Waves at Arts Warehouse in Delray Beach, Art on BRiC Walls: A Boca Raton Museum of Art Juried Exhibition in Boca Raton, the international art fair ArtPalmBeach and numerous Palm Beach State College faculty shows.

Kristin Miller: We Become the Place will run from December 8, 2023, through January 20, 2024, at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit www.palmbeachculture.com/miller for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Thursday, December 7, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. To see more of Miller’s work, visit www.kristinmiller.art.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Linnea Bailey
Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
pr@palmbeachculture.com

A “Year of Extraordinary Support” Announced by the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Posted by: Linnea Bailey

November 17, 2023

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is poised to provide more funding for Palm Beach County’s arts and cultural sector over the next 12 months than it has at any single point in its 46-year history.

At the opening reception on November 16 for its Fall exhibition “Whimsy & Wonder,” Cultural Council President & CEO Dave Lawrence announced its Year of Extraordinary Support, or YES!, to a crowd of over 150 guests. The YES! campaign is the culmination of planning and the creation of new funding initiatives supported by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council, the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, and individual philanthropists that combined total nearly $10.6 million to support the cultural sector in Palm Beach County.

“Supporting the cultural sector is absolutely essential – now more than ever. The arts and culture community drives economic impact, supports thousands of jobs, and contributes to quality of life in Palm Beach County,” said Lawrence. “We’ve worked diligently this past year to assemble new funding initiatives that provide support and new opportunities for creative professionals and cultural organizations. We are fortunate to have visionary partners to help us provide grants, fellowships, and other support services that will create a ripple effect in Palm Beach County.”

The YES! campaign includes new grants and programs for cultural organizations and creative professionals across all disciplines, as well as increased funding for some existing programs.

Due to the Council’s advocacy efforts and record-high tourism in the county since the pandemic, large and mid-sized cultural organizations who receive Category B and Category CII grants for tourism marketing, funded by hotel bed tax through the Tourist Development Council, will receive over $7 million in total grant funding – an increase of nearly $2 million in the next cycle. Small organizations who receive Category CI grants from the Council for operating support and education programs, funded by ad valorem tax, will receive funds from a pool that was recently increased to $300,000.

The Cultural Council also partnered with Palm Beach County to introduce a new $3 million capital grant program utilizing American Rescue Plan funds. At the November 16 event, the Cultural Council announced eight organizations with grant dollars for infrastructure, capital improvements, and other construction projects through the Palm Beach County Cultural Capital Fund.

The Council is also planning to underwrite an Arts Administrator of Color Fellowship program that will launch later in the year. The purpose of the 10-month program is to amplify new and diverse voices in arts and culture, build a leadership pipeline of arts administrators and graduate students interested in careers in the arts, and provide career enhancement opportunities through a series of workshops, networking, mentoring, and other curricula. Applications will open this summer.

Funding for creative professionals is equally strong. During the reception, Lawrence also announced that applications are now open for a third round of the Council’s groundbreaking Artist Innovation Fellowship program. This program provides $7,500 grants to artists across all artistic disciplines to allow artists to explore the creation of new works, conduct research, participate in retreats or workshops, study with master artists in their field, or travel to gain new insight and inspiration for new work. Previous recipients include musician Joshua Lubben (2021); visual artist Isabel Gouveia (2021); choreographer Donna Goffredo Murray (2021); visual artist Anthony Burks, Sr. (2021); visual artist Amy Gross (2021); visual artist Carin Wagner (2022); choreographer Shanique Scott (2022); musician Yvette Norwood-Tiger (2022); visual artist Henriett Michel (2022); visual artist Kianga Jinaki (2022); and actor Elizabeth Dimon (2022).

“This Fellowship is an opportunity for artists to step back, take a breath, and explore,” said Lawrence. “We are grateful to the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation for providing the funding to expand to 10 Fellowships this year and honor professional artists making a difference here in Palm Beach County.”

Additionally, the Council will introduce an Emerging Artist Prize in the fall that will be open to all artistic disciplines and focused on professional development. Five artists will be paired with Artist Innovation Fellows as mentors and gain access and introductions to cultural organizations, public art professionals and galleries, as well as funding for materials or supplies.

The Cultural Council continues to explore new ways to support the sector and reach new organizations and artists. Tapped to help in this effort are three new Artist Ambassadors commissioned by the Cultural Council, including musician Lindsey Mills; actor and performance artist Autumn Kioti; and writer and spoken word artist Desiree Reavis. Each subject matter expert will receive a stipend and provide valuable insight and resources in their respective discipline. The Cultural Council will build a section on its new website as a repository for these resources to assist artists throughout Palm Beach County with toolkits, links, and other important information that can be shared with the sector.

These new programs and funding initiatives were informed by a county-wide Cultural Sector Needs Assessment Survey that was completed by the Council in 2022. The project included an online survey and a series of in-person focus groups held around the county, which drew more than 520 qualified respondents. The results found that the top needs of artists included career support, assistance with generating income, funding to offset the cost of doing business, and meaningful networking. Top needs of cultural organizations included funding, board recruitment and management, staffing, audience development, and assistance with equity, diversity and inclusion.

To harness the excitement of Yes! and provide an opportunity to broaden the initiatives and provide even more funding to organizations and artists, the Council will unveil the Yes! Fund in January. Arts patrons, philanthropists, and corporate partners will have a way to join in the extraordinary support for the sector by contributing to the YES! Fund.

“By making a gift to the YES! Fund, you are helping to strengthen and grow our vibrant cultural sector,” Lawrence said. “We invite residents and businesses to join us in saying ‘YES!’ and making this the time that we provide more resources, more aid, and more support to cultural organizations and creative professionals in our community.”

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Media Contact:
Linnea Bailey (561) 713-0673
pr@palmbeachculture.com