Learn About Black History in the Palm Beaches with New Palm Beach County Black Cultural Heritage Trail
Posted by: Linnea Bailey
January 15, 2025
Tourism initiative is the result of a partnership between historical and cultural organizations committed to highlighting Black history in Palm Beach County
LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — Black history is American history, and a partnership between historical and cultural organizations has resulted in a new initiative to honor the enduring contributions of African Americans in The Palm Beaches: the Palm Beach County Black Cultural Heritage Trail.
A living project that will continue to grow and evolve, founding partners of the initiative include the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, the African American Research Library and Cultural Center, the Palm Beach County African Diaspora Historical and Cultural Society, the Boca Raton Historical Society, Mr. Victor Norful, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, the Loxahatchee River Historical Society, Power Builders and Converge & Associates Consulting.
“We are honored to collaborate with so many important community partners to bring the Palm Beach County Black Cultural Heritage Trail to life,” said Dave Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. “This project directly aligns with the Cultural Council’s mission, which is to nurture, promote, and support a healthy, diverse, and inclusive cultural sector. Commemorating Black history in The Palm Beaches is an important part of that.”
Found online at www.palmbeachculture.com/bcht, the Trail is a self-guided tour currently highlighting 12 important historic locations and interesting adjacent sites in cities across the county. The website offers a dynamic map to help visitors navigate to each site, as well as modern-day and historic images and must-see stops across the county that honor the legacy of African Americans in shaping the identity and progress of Palm Beach County.
One such location is West Palm Beach’s historic Roosevelt Junior Senior High School, one of the county’s first all-Black high schools. Some of the city’s notable Black professionals attended the historic school from 1950 to 1970. In 1968, the school’s basketball team won the state championship in Florida’s first integrated tournament, and the band, choir and extracurricular organizations consistently earned top competitive recognition across the state and country. The school’s building is currently undergoing an extensive renovation that will include an African American museum, library and cultural center.
“Roosevelt Junior Senior High School is a significant part of the county’s history,” said alumna Deborah Raing, president of the Palm Beach County African Diaspora Historical and Cultural Society. “Roosevelt was the cultural mecca for year-round school and community events and gatherings. The strong academic environment shaped the focus of the well-prepared staff and self-motivated students, thereby resulting in unparalleled academic performance and opportunities to excel and reach their highest potential.”
An important new cultural tourism asset that will entice travelers to travel to and spend more time in The Palm Beaches, the Council plans to include referral links from its site to each point of interest, as available, and may soon add other stops such as nearby Black-owned restaurants. The project is supported by the Tourist Development Council, and more partners are expected to join in its planning as the project progresses.
“African Americans have played a pivotal and indelible role in shaping Florida’s history, particularly in Palm Beach County. From the post-slavery era to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, their contributions have been instrumental in the region’s social, cultural and economic development,” said Brian Knowles of Power Builders, an educator, historian and community advocate who contributed to the project.
Sites include the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray Beach, St. Paul AME Church in Boynton Beach, Sunset Lounge and the Storm of ’28 Memorial Park in West Palm Beach, the Lawrence E. Will Museum in Belle Glade and Powell’s Battle Marker and Jesup’s Battle Marker at Riverbend Park in Jupiter.
“The beauty of this project is that it represents input from many people with rich histories from across the county,” said Barbara Cheives, president and CEO of Converge & Associates Consulting. “This initiative has been several years in the making, and includes knowledge garnered from longtime African American residents of the county. This rollout is a living document, and we’ll be looking to add other historic landmarks as the project expands.”
Each location on the trail has been plotted on an interactive Google map that can be used on mobile devices or desktop computers. Palm Beach County is made up of 39 cities across almost 2,400 square miles, and the map can be used to plan a self-guided tour of the trail. Trail sites are located across the county and up and down The Palm Beaches’ 47 miles of coastline. Visitors are encouraged to check back regularly as additional cultural sites and information are added to the trail.
“As a history worker in Palm Beach County, I am proud of the progress we are making in preserving and sharing our Black history and heritage,” said Charlene Farrington, executive director of the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. “The Palm Beach County Black Cultural Heritage Trail is evidence of our work and we are proud to share it with residents and visitors.”
To view the official guide for the Palm Beach County Black Cultural Heritage Trail, visit www.palmbeachculture.com/bcht.
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 For Palm Beach County Celebrates Boca Raton’s Centennial with Historic Art Exhibition
Posted by: Linnea Bailey
January 10, 2025
New exhibition in downtown Lake Worth Beach will celebrate 100 years of Boca Raton with inspired contemporary works by 13 Palm Beach County-based artists, as well as works by artists who once lived in the county
LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — An exhibition of artwork reflecting the past, present and future of Boca Raton 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 Reflections of a Century: Celebrating Boca Raton’s 100 Years through Art will take place January 31 through March 29 and will feature the work of 13 Palm Beach County-based professional artists. The exhibition will feature a diverse range of works by Bob Birkenes, Margot Carr, Jennifer Fisher, Cloe Gibson, Sonia Giusto, Marilyn Liedman, Jeanne Martin, Ralph Papa, Maxine Schreiber, Serge Strosberg, Ted Shaine, Herm Siegel and Robin Zygelman.
Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of The Palm Beaches’ southernmost city, the Cultural Council will present both historical images of Boca Raton and contemporary works by artists who pay homage to the themes of architecture, culture and the city’s residents, while also looking to the future as the famous resort destination continues to evolve.
“This exhibition will provide a museum-quality juxtaposition between the past and the present: both a look back and a look forward,” said Jessica Ransom, the Cultural Council’s director of artist services and curator of the exhibition. “We’re excited to celebrate a century of Boca Raton in an innovative way.”
Interspersed with the exhibition’s contemporary works will be historic photographs and paintings created by artists who once lived in the county. On loan from the Boca Raton Historical Society, the historic images and pieces will feature key elements that shaped Boca Raton’s history, including its iconic architecture by Addison Mizner; the Yamato Colony of Japanese farmers who settled in the area early in the 20th century; and Pearl City, a historic African American neighborhood and the oldest community in Boca Raton.
“Most people think of Boca Raton as the beautiful and desirable city it is today. But how did it get there? The historical elements of this exhibition will offer a look back at a tiny Florida East Coast Railway farm town that became an overnight national sensation because of visionary architect Addison Mizner,” said Susan Gillis, curator of the Boca Raton Historical Society. “Even though the bust of the land boom ended many of Mizner’s plans for the ‘world’s greatest resort community,’ here we are 100 years later — and those dreams have all been realized.”
As the local arts agency for The Palm Beaches, the Cultural Council champions the work of Palm Beach County-based artists. This exhibition provides the opportunity to showcase the work of artists both past and present, while also celebrating the city’s vibrant arts scene and history, said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO.
“Boca Raton is such a special place. We’d like to invite everyone to come to our exhibition and celebrate 100 years of artists documenting and creating work about Boca Raton,” he said. “The exhibition provides a journey through a century of history and present-day contemporary work and honors the beauty, the culture, and the importance of this slice of paradise in Palm Beach County. It’s an exhibition not to be missed.”
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 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Artists from the exhibition will be present to answer questions and discuss their work. Visit palmbeachculture.com for more information or to register for the opening reception.
On February 1 at 2 p.m., an exhibition extension about the history of Boca Raton will take place at the Cultural Council, featuring a presentation by Susan Gillis, curator of the Boca Raton Historical Society.
Reflections of a Century: Celebrating Boca Raton’s 100 Years through Art is sponsored by Florida Weekly, Boca magazine, WLRN Public Media and Legends Radio 100.3 FM.
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
Calendar item:
Exhibition: Reflections of a Century: Celebrating Boca Raton’s 100 Years through Art — January 31 – March 29, 2025
On the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of Boca Raton, the Cultural Council will present both historical images of the city and contemporary works by Palm Beach County artists who pay homage to the themes of architecture, culture, and the city’s residents while also looking to the future as the famous resort destination continues to evolve. This free public exhibition will take place in the Main Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located 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. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.
Cultural Council for Palm Beach County Kicks off New Year with Solo Exhibition by Judy Horowitz
Posted by: Linnea Bailey
December 30, 2024
The artist’s body of work ‘The Painting Always Tells A Story, You Just Have to Ask’ spans more than 20 years and explores human emotions, relationships and moments in time
LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL —With vivid detail, Lake Worth Beach-based professional artist Judy Horowitz can recall the specific memories that have inspired each of her oil paintings.
Her piece Night Watch in Harvey Park is about two neighbors who would sit outside each evening in the neighborhood where she once lived in Colorado, keeping an informal watch. Her piece Memories of My Father is a childhood memory of her father, leaning over a gleaming Chevy with its hood popped up, in deep discussion with other men about the car. And Frenchy is a depiction of her college roommate’s tiny white dog. Each moment in time lives on in her work.
The exhibition Judy Horowitz: The Painting Always Tells A Story, You Just Have to Ask will take place at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery from January 17 through February 22. Free and open to the public, hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. All work in the exhibition is available for purchase.
Though the styles vary, her works consistently explore human emotions, relationships and moments in time. Her preference for oils allows for a versatile expression, with opaque to translucent layers, impasto textures and vibrant colors, each painting revealing its own story through the interplay of mood and emotion.
“My fascination is with people, and it has been a consistent theme throughout the years,” Horowitz said. “The paintings are about friends, neighbors, family relationships, brief interactions and moments in time. They made an impression, and sometimes that moment becomes a painting and the painting tells the story.”
Spanning more than 20 years of work, the exhibition will feature a collection of 19 oil paintings in varying sizes, and will be curated by Jessica Ransom, the Council’s director of artist services and curator of the exhibition.
“Judy Horowitz’ figurative work is very distinct,” Ransom said. “It’s warm and welcoming, and represents her memories and family ties. I’d like to encourage everyone to come see this phenomenal exhibition.”
Selected through a highly competitive application process, Horowitz is one of six Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee of visual art professionals for one of the Cultural Council’s coveted Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery solo exhibition spots during its 2024-2025 season.
Based in Lake Worth Beach and represented by The Wit Gallery in Lennox, Massachusetts, Horowitz’ work has been seen in solo exhibitions in Denver, Miami and New York City, as well as in numerous group exhibitions across Florida and the United States. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Ohio State University, and also spent a year studying at Cranbook Academy of Art.
Judy Horowitz: The Painting Always Tells A Story, You Just Have to Ask will run from January 17 through February 22 at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Visit palmbeachculture.com for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Thursday, January 16, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; to RSVP, visit palmbeachculture.com/horowitz. To see more of her work, visit www.judyhorowitzartist.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 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
Calendar item:
Exhibition: Judy Horowitz: The Painting Always Tells A Story, You Just Have to Ask — January 17 – February 22, 2025
Judy Horowitz’s paintings span 20 years, with styles that vary yet consistently explore human emotions, relationships, and moments in time. Her preference for oils allows for a versatile expression, with opaque to translucent layers, impasto textures, and vibrant colors, each painting revealing its own story through the interplay of mood and emotion. This free public solo exhibition will take place in the Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located 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. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.
Cultural Council for Palm Beach County to Launch 20th Anniversary Season of Culture & Cocktails at The Ben on Monday, January 6, with LAUGH LINES
A Chat with Award Winning Comedy Writer Alan Zweibel Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Posted by: Gary Schweikhart
December 5, 2024
Dave Lawrence, President & CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County today touted the first of three fun and fascinating conversations in 2025 during the 20th and final season of the popular series:
CULTURE & COCKTAILS
At The Ben
January – April 2025
“Cheers to 20 Years! The Cultural Council is proud to present three CULTURE & COCKTAILS conversations in early 2025 featuring some exciting personalities from the worlds of entertainment—all at our beautiful venue, The Ben, in downtown West Palm Beach,” says Lawrence. “All three events will be held in the hotel’s gorgeous Blue Heron Ballroom, a popular rooftop venue with outdoor terrace and stunning water views, overlooking the intracoastal packed with pleasure boats and yachts.”
The Ben is located at 251 N. Narcissus Avenue in West Palm Beach. Free valet parking will be provided for each of the Monday evening CULTURE & COCKTAILS conversations, running from 5 to 7 pm.
January 6
LAUGH LINES
From Gilda Radner & Billy Crystal to Dave Barry & Larry David
A Chat with Emmy & Tony Award® Winning Comedy Writer
ALAN ZWEIBEL
2025 is the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live and the legendary Alan Zweibel was one of the show’s original writers. The winner of five Emmy Awards, his creative output includes It’s Garry Shandling’s Show (which he co-created and produced), The Late Show with David Letterman, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. A frequent guest on all the late-night talk shows, Zweibel’s theatrical contributions include his collaboration with Billy Crystal on the Tony Award winning play 700 Sundays, Martin Short’s Broadway hit Fame Becomes Me, and six off-Broadway plays including Bunny Bunny – Gilda Radner: A Sort of Romantic Comedy, which he adapted from his best-selling book. Zweibel has written 11 books including his cultural memoir titled Laugh Lines – My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier; the 2006 Thurber Prize winning novel The Other Shulman; the popular children’s book Our Tree Named Steve, a parody of the Haggadah — For This We Left Egypt? which he wrote with Dave Barry and Adam Mansbach, and Lunatics co-written with Dave Barry. In addition, he has appeared in episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Law & Order and can be seen in the documentary The Last Laugh about humor and the Holocaust; Judd Apatow’s Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling (HBO), Gilbert about the life of Gilbert Gottfried, and the Emmy nominated CNN documentary he executive produced titled Love, Gilda.
Interviewer: Bill Boggs, satirical novelist as author of the acclaimed Spike The Wonder Dog series, four-time Emmy Award-winning TV talk show host and producer, a professional speaker, and author of four acclaimed books. His shows ran on NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, ESPN, The Food Network, The Travel Channel, and Showtime, and hundreds of his interviews can be found at BillBoggsTV on YouTube.
The remaining CULTURE & COCKTAILS conversations in 2025 include:
February 24
DIVINE DRAMATIC DIVAS
Dishing with Andrew Kato and Three Celebrated Actors:
Elizabeth Dimon, Angie Radosh, and Karen Stephens
April 14
THE ULTIMATE MUSICAL FINALE
With Rob Russell, Avery Sommers & Special Surprise Guests
The 20th Anniversary Season of CULTURE & COCKTAILS is generously sponsored so far by The Roe Green Foundation, Roe Green, Founder; Donald M. Ephraim Family Foundation; Scott Teich, Senior Vice President, Teich Wealth Management of Raymond James; The Gardens Mall; Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, PLLC; Palm Beach Media Group; Palm Beach Daily News; Legends Radio; and PR-BS, a Boca-based public relations firm. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Please Note:
Admission to each one of next season’s CULTURE & COCKTAILS At The Ben is $125 per person, and $165 for VIP Seating. A Season Pass to all three Conversations is $300 per person, and $450 for VIP seating. To purchase tickets, please call 561.471.2901 or visit https://www.palmbeachculture.com/cocktails.
All proceeds from CULTURE & COCKTAILS go to support the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s mission to nurture, promote, and support a healthy, diverse, and inclusive cultural sector.
Topics and speakers are subject to change depending upon the availability of scheduled participants.
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 artists 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 Cultural Council is located at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach and is currently open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from Noon to 5 pm. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.
Media Contact:
Gary Schweikhart
PR-BS, Inc.
561.756.4298
Explore Thought-Provoking Ceramic Sculptures at New Exhibition at Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
Posted by: Linnea Bailey
November 22, 2024
‘HumanUnity’ examines sculptural artist Debra Robert’s experience of living with multiple sclerosis, capturing her journey from disciplined structures to playful, semi-abstract figures
LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — Through clay, Lake Worth Beach-based sculptural artist Debra Robert investigates core human truths and experiences that all humans share.
Formerly a technical and creative designer for large-scale live productions, Roberts now creates intricate ceramic works of all sizes that externalize her private thoughts, embarrassing truths, frustrations, and hopes while coping with multiple sclerosis.
Roberts’ exhibition HumanUnity will take place at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery from December 6 through January 11, 2025. Free and open to the public, hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. All work in the exhibition is available for purchase.
Ranging from disciplined abstract forms to biomorphic expressions and playful, humanistic figures from 9 inches to over 5 feet high, HumanUnity explores the idea that the more we see ourselves, the more we can see through to one another.
“This exhibition explores all that we hold internally,” Robert said. “When we look past sexuality, nationality and other perceived differences, down to the core, we all have hidden worlds. It’s one of our greatest human truths.”
The culmination of 12 years of work, this exhibition takes guests on a journey through Robert’s creative evolution over time. The exhibition is meant to encourage guests to consider their own journeys and the trillions of unique, hidden journeys that encompass the singular shared experience of humankind. HumanUnity will feature three-dimensional sculptures of varying sizes — meant to be observed from all angles — as well as a six-foot wall installation.
“Debra Robert’s creations are otherworldly and yet also accessible, unique in both form and decoration,” said Jessica Ransom, the Council’s director of artist services and curator of the exhibition. “The works showcase an artist who is sure of her craft and has a vision unlike any other.”
Robert’s diagnosis in her 40s led her to ceramic work and the expansive style she has become known for. With smooth, biomorphic ceramic surfaces, Roberts maps out the hidden processes of her own mind, exposing it for all to see. The tremors in her hands become an essential part of her surface treatment with a technique she developed firing multiple layers of glaze with smudged and drawn underglaze pencil and crayon. By exposing her private, inner workings, she gives commonality to the concept ‘we are all alone, together.’
Selected through a highly competitive application process, Robert is one of six Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee of visual art professionals for one of the Cultural Council’s coveted Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery solo exhibition spots during its 2024-2025 season.
Robert holds a master’s degree from Florida State University, with postgraduate work at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and School of Visual Arts in New York City. She is a Juried Signature Fine Artist with the Boca Museum of Art in Boca Raton. Locally, her work has been seen in exhibitions at the Cultural Council, Hatch 1121’s CommUnity Exhibition (Best of Show), the Armory Art Center’s Armory Artist Show (Best in Show, Best Sculpture), the Lighthouse ArtCenter and the Artists’ Guild Gallery.
Her works have been displayed at the International Consortium of MS Centers in New Jersey and published on the cover of the International Journal of MS Care (V22, Issue 3) and in the 2022 Annual Art Showcase, Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA).
Debra Robert: HumanUnity will run from December 6 through January 11 at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Visit palmbeachculture.com for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Thursday, December 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; to RSVP, visit palmbeachculture.com/robert. To see more of her work, visit www.debrarobert.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 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
Calendar item:
Exhibition: Debra Robert: HumanUnity — December 6, 2024 – January 11, 2025
Debra Robert’s ceramic sculptures externalize her private thoughts, embarrassing truths, frustrations, and hopes while coping with multiple sclerosis. Ranging from disciplined abstract forms to biomorphic expressions and playful, humanistic figures from 9 inches to over 5 feet high, HumanUnity explores the idea that the more we see ourselves, the more we can see through to one another. This free public solo exhibition will take place in the Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located 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. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.
Cultural Council For Palm Beach County Celebrates Cultural Connections and Unity with Profound Exhibition ‘Quintessentially We’
Posted by: Linnea Bailey
November 12, 2024
‘Quintessentially We’ will feature works by 25 Palm Beach County-based professional artists
LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — An artist is a purveyor of truth who uses art to tell personal stories influenced by the time in which they live.
That message will be on display in the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s exhibition Quintessentially We, which kicks off the Council’s Main Gallery season this month.
Free and open to the public November 22 through January 18, 2025, the exhibition will highlight works from 25 Palm Beach County-based professional artists and will take place in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building at the Council’s downtown Lake Worth Beach headquarters; exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.
The Cultural Council has received acclaim in recent years for its exhibitions highlighting diverse groups of Palm Beach County-based artists, including She. Her. Hers, which focused on the work of women artists; Contemporary Art of the Latin American Diaspora, which showcased work by artists of Latin American and Hispanic descent; Being Heard, Being Seen, which focused on artists who identify as LGBTQ+; and Karibu: A Celebration of Black Artists in Palm Beach County, which celebrated Black culture in Palm Beach County. Quintessentially We is meant to be a unifying exhibition that focuses on shared experiences, said Jessica Ransom, the Council’s director of artist services.
“Everyone has life experiences that both define and unite them,” she said. “Quintessentially We focuses on our shared humanity, life experiences, and community.”
Curated by Wendy Arimah Berot of the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning in Queens, New York, this exhibition celebrates quintessentially “we” experiences and cultural connections in everyone’s lives. The work explores a wide range of expressions in contemporary culture, including themes like aging, pregnancy, motherhood, regional and international connections, religious identity, ancestral heritage, clothing, hair, body identity, hyphenated cultural experiences, rituals, and familial celebrations.
Drawing inspiration from the song We Are One by MAZE (featuring Frankie Beverly), Arimah Berot said she has woven a story with the work of artists whose interpretation of the theme resonates in different ways; some focus on the collaborative ‘we,’ while others focus on the intersectionality within oneself and which identities we choose to reveal to others.
“Some of the works in Quintessentially We are subtle, some are profound — and some may stop you in your tracks and take your breath away,” she said. “This is powerful collection of work that explores who we are collectively, individually and how we navigate those identities as we move forward.”
Quintessentially We will feature a diverse variety of work, including large scale paintings, photographs, ceramic sculptures and mixed media assemblages. The Palm Beach County-based professional artists in this exhibition are Milena Arango, Sonya Sanchez Arias, Diane Arrieta, Amy S. Broderick, Wilma J. Burton, Erika Cespedes, Marleen De Waele-De Bock, Sitki Dogan, Pia Dugger, Andrea Facusse, Rose Gong Monier, Ashley Kerr, Sharon Koskoff, George Lupo, Peter Meyerhoefer, Quinn M. Miller, Astrid Mora, Wendy Navarrete, Patty Peters, Annina Rüst, Kateryna Vistyzenko, Leon Watson, Elaine Weber, James Wilner and Gillian Kennedy Wright (an Artist Innovation Fellow).
“The Cultural Council’s mission is to nurture, promote, and support a healthy, diverse, and inclusive cultural sector,” said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO. “We serve as cultural architects, championing and growing cultural organizations and creative professionals so that arts and culture are a part of everyday life, for everyone. Quintessentially We is an exhibition that highlights our shared life experiences, and we’d like to invite everyone to come and experience this extraordinary exhibition.”
An opening reception will take place on November 21 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The reception is free, but registration is required by visiting https://www.palmbeachculture.com/event/opening-reception-quintessentially-we/. Artists from the exhibition will be present to answer questions and discuss their work. An exhibition extension will also take place Saturday, November 23, at 2 p.m., featuring an engaging discussion with Arimah Berot.
The exhibition is sponsored by The Palm Beach Post, Florida Weekly and Publix.
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
Calendar item:
Exhibition: Quintessentially We — November 22 – January 18, 2025
An artist is a purveyor of truth who uses art to tell personal stories influenced by the time in which they live. Curated by Wendy Arimah Berot of the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (Queens, NY), this exhibition celebrates quintessentially “we” experiences and cultural connections in everyone’s lives. The work explores a wide range of expressions in contemporary culture, including themes like aging, pregnancy, motherhood, regional and international connections, religious identity, ancestral heritage, clothing, hair, body identity, hyphenated cultural experiences, rituals, and familial celebrations. This free public exhibition will take place in the Main Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located 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. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.
Cultural Council’s “Year of Extraordinary Support” Continues with Grants and Programs for Cultural Organizations and Creative Professionals Across all Disciplines
Posted by: Linnea Bailey
November 4, 2024
Even with recent cuts at the state level, significant arts funding is still flowing in Palm Beach County
LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — Nearly a year into the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s $13.5 million Year of Extraordinary Support, or YES!, investments in the county’s arts and cultural organizations and youth programming are going strong.
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) have all received funds from pools that have recently increased to more than $7.34 million.
“We are so proud of the ongoing work we’re doing to support the arts and cultural sector in The Palm Beaches,” said Dave Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council. “Despite Florida’s veto of all arts and cultural grants from the state budget earlier this year, investing in arts and culture remains a top priority here in Palm Beach County. We are grateful to all of our funding partners for making these programs possible.”
Cultural tourism grant recipients are as follows:
Category B: Armory Art Center, Arts Garage, Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center, Boca Raton Museum of Art, Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, Cox Science Center and Aquarium, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University, Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, Loggerhead MarineLife Center, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Miami City Ballet, Mounts Botanical Garden, Norton Museum of Art, Palm Beach Dramaworks, Palm Beach Opera, Palm Beach State College, Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, SunFest, The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society and Palm Beach Symphony.
Category CII: Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, Ballet Palm Beach, Boca Ballet Theatre Company, Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, Schmidt Family Centre For The Arts, Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, Historical Society of Palm Beach County, Lake Worth Playhouse, Lighthouse ArtCenter, Mandel Jewish Community Center of the Palm Beaches, The Symphonia and Young Singers of the Palm Beaches.
Category CI: Arts4All Florida, aZul Fashion, Art & Design, BAM Festival, Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts, Caribbean American for Community Involvement in Florida, Core Ensemble, Delray Beach Arts, Schola Cantorum of Florida, Elevar Foundation, Fiesta De Pueblo, Lake Worth Cultural Renaissance Foundation, Masterworks Chorus of the Palm Beaches, Milagro Center, Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival, Philippine American Society, Resource Depot, Schoolhouse Children’s Museum, Shakespeare Troupe Incorporated, The Choral Society of the Palm Beaches, Sandoway Discovery Center, The Taras Oceanographic Foundation, Veterans Memorial & Multicultural Histories, Debra Weiss Dance Company and Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County.
Recipients have also been announced for the first round of the Cultural Council Arts & Cultural Education Fund, funded through a new partnership with the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation and meant to benefit youth education and enrichment programs in The Palm Beaches. With awards ranging 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.
Estimated to impact 105,000 county students and lifelong learners, recipients are as follows: Milagro Center, HabCenter Boca Raton, Young Singers of the Palm Beaches, Cox Science Center and Aquarium, Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, the Center for Creative Education, Lighthouse ArtCenter, Palm Beach Dramaworks, Boca Raton Museum of Art, the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University, Digital Vibez, Palm Beach Opera, Palm Beach Symphony, Resource Depot, Middle School of the Arts Foundation, the Norton Museum of Art, The Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, Loxahatchee River Historical Society, School of the Arts Foundation, Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts, Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Arts4All Florida, Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Dance Theater of Florida, The Boca Raton Philharmonic Symphonia, the Armory Art Center, Fiesta De Pueblo, Arts Garage, the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens and the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum.
The Cultural Council also partnered with Palm Beach County to introduce a new $3.84 million Capital Grant Program utilizing American Rescue Plan funds, with nine organizations ultimately chosen to receive grant dollars for infrastructure, capital improvements, and other construction projects through the Palm Beach County Cultural Capital Fund. Recipients are the Cox Science Center and Aquarium, Boca Raton Museum of Art, Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Ann Norton Sculpture Garden, Sandoway Discovery Center, FAU’s Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building, the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and The Boca Raton Center for Arts & Innovation.
The Year of Extraordinary Support was launched by the Cultural Council in November 2023 as a celebration of the record funding for Palm Beach County’s arts and cultural sector, the largest in the Cultural Council’s 47-year history.
New Cultural Council programs include an Arts Administrator of Color Fellowship program, a new Emerging Artist Prize in collaboration with the Norton Museum of Art and a third round of the Council’s popular Artist Innovation Fellowship program.
For those who would like to help the Cultural Council’s work go even further, donations to the YES! Fund directly support many of the Cultural Council’s initiatives. Details can be found on the Council’s website at 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 for Palm Beach County Kicks off Season with Solo Exhibition by Aldo Cherres
Posted by: Linnea Bailey
October 14, 2024
The artist’s body of work ‘Horizons’ translates nature into canvas with paint and brushes, capturing the essence of his evolving artistic journey
LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — Wellington-based contemporary artist Aldo Cherres draws inspiration from the endless shapes, forms and colors in nature.
But rather than replicating what he observes, he invents his own interpretations. Painting in vivid, high-contrast colors, the slope of a tree perched high on a rock takes an abstract form, while a sky in striking hues draws the viewer toward it.
The exhibition Aldo Cherres: Horizons will take place at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery from October 25 through November 30. Free and open to the public, hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.
The culmination of twenty years of exploration, Horizons translates nature onto canvas, capturing the essence of Cherres’ evolving artistic journey. The exhibition will feature a collection of 12 semi-abstract landscape paintings in varying sizes, and will be curated by Jessica Ransom, the Council’s director of artist services and curator of the exhibition.
“In this series of abstract landscapes, Aldo Cherres creates visually calming vistas that will fill the gallery with warmth in a perfect opening exhibition for the season,” Ransom said. “I’d like to encourage everyone to come see this extraordinary exhibition.”
Originally from Peru, Cherres characterizes his work as objective, and yet imbued with deeper meaning. He interprets both simple and complex concepts that question our very existence; how we navigate our daily lives, our decision-making and problem-solving processes and how we’re able to thrive.
“I am constantly fascinated by the human experience, our roles and relationships with others and with nature. My art is a reflection of my innate curiosity and optimism,” Cherres said. “I always try to find a balance with my work; I want it to be intuitive and accessible, and I let my pieces do the talking.”
Selected through a highly competitive application process, Cherres is one of six Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work was chosen by a committee of visual art professionals for one of the Cultural Council’s coveted Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery solo exhibition spots during its 2024-2025 season.
With a studio in Boynton Beach (and work that can be found at Mary Woerner Fine Arts in West Palm Beach), Cherres has exhibited his work internationally. Locally, his work has been seen in the recent exhibitions Heads Up, Quartet and Fancy This! at Mary Woerner Fine Arts. He holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Florida Atlantic University.
Aldo Cherres: Horizons will run from October 25 through November 30 at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in Lake Worth Beach. Visit palmbeachculture.com for more information or to register for the opening artist reception on Thursday, October 24, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; to RSVP, visit palmbeachculture.com/cherres. To see more of his work, visit www.aldocherres.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 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
Calendar item:
Exhibition: Aldo Cherres: Horizons — October 25 – November 30, 2024
Aldo Cherres draws inspiration from the endless shapes, forms, and colors in nature. Rather than replicating what he observes, he invents his own interpretations. This body of work is the result of twenty years of exploration, translating nature onto canvas with paint and brushes, capturing the essence of his evolving artistic journey. This free public solo exhibition will take place in the Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located 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. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.
Cultural Council for Palm Beach County Announces 2024-25 Season
Posted by: Linnea Bailey
October 1, 2024
Thirteen inspiring exhibitions featuring local artists and thought-provoking discussions will be presented at the Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building in Lake Worth Beach
LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is bringing a dynamic season of arts, culture and community to The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®!
Reflecting the Cultural Council’s mission to nurture, promote and support a healthy, diverse, and inclusive cultural sector, the Council’s 2024-25 season of exhibitions and events will showcase a spectacular variety of work by Palm Beach County-based creative professionals at the Council’s downtown Lake Worth Beach headquarters. Opportunities to experience the magic include a full schedule of engaging exhibitions in the Council’s three gallery spaces.
“Our new season kicks off with our Main Gallery exhibition ‘Quintessentially We’ this fall,” said Dave Lawrence, the Council’s president and CEO. “It is an exhibition celebrating shared experiences and cultural connections. In January, we will present ‘Reflections of a Century: Celebrating Boca Raton’s 100 Years through Art’ an exhibition that celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Boca Raton, followed by the juried show ‘Biennial 2025’ and our ‘2024 Artist Innovation Fellowship Showcase,’ which will showcase our 10 Artist Innovation Fellows and their work over the past year.”
Nine other vibrant exhibitions will also be featured throughout the season in the Cultural Council’s Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery (solo exhibitions) and Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery. Discussions and special events with artists and members of the community will also be offered alongside the four Main Gallery exhibitions. All exhibitions and their related programs are free and open to the public. The Council will also host a free series of Culture Talks in partnership with The ArtsPaper, a monthly arts-focused publication distributed inside The Coastal Star newspaper.
“We are proud to be a voice and venue for Palm Beach County-based creative professionals,” Lawrence said. “For our main gallery exhibitions, we use open calls and studio visits to find new visual artists, and we’ll be bringing in accomplished guest jurors from across the country to give additional exposure to our artists. We employ a competitive process to select artists for our solo exhibitions as part of our ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion.”
Upcoming programming highlights include:
Gallery Exhibitions
Main Gallery: From November 22 through January 18, visitors are invited to experience Quintessentially We, an exhibition that celebrates quintessentially “we” experiences and cultural connections in everyone’s lives. From January 31 through March 29, the exhibition Reflections of a Century: Celebrating Boca Raton’s 100 Years through Art will honor the 100th Anniversary of Boca Raton, featuring both historical images of the city and contemporary works by Palm Beach County artists.
Gayle and Paul Gross Gallery Exhibitions: Celebrate the work of individual artists, starting with Aldo Cherres: Horizons, featuring the work of an artist who draws inspiration from the endless shapes, forms, and colors in nature, October 25 through November 30. Next up is Debra Robert: HumanUnity, an exhibition of ceramic sculptures that reflect the artist’s experience of living with multiple sclerosis, December 6 through January 11.
Exhibitions in the Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery: Visitors can take in Portraits of Community, in collaboration with the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, an exhibition that highlights BRIDGES sites (community hubs that connect families with essential support and resources across Palm Beach County), on display November 8 through January 18. Next up is Memories of Boca Raton, an exhibition that explores the people and events that shaped the city’s heritage, on display from January 24 through March 29.
Artist Talks and Lectures
Culture Talks: The ArtsPaper, a publication founded in 2008 by a group of Palm Beach County-based arts journalists and part of The Coastal Star newspaper, has partnered with the Council to offer this popular discussion series (now in its third year) on select dates from November through March. Upcoming talks will feature Alastair Willis, principal conductor and artistic advisor of The Symphonia, in conversation with Greg Stepanich (November 16), and Ben Childs, leader of the band Killbillies and co-producer/co-presenter of the 561 Music Podcast, in conversation with Bill Meredith (January 11). All Culture Talks will take place at 2 p.m. at the Cultural Council in downtown Lake Worth Beach. Free admission; registration recommended by visiting www.palmbeachculture.com/council-events.
Palm Beach County Open Studios, MOSAIC and Professional Development
Other programs this season include Palm Beach County Open Studios (May 17 and 18, 2025) and the eighth annual MOSAIC (“Month of Shows, Art, Ideas and Culture”) program in May. Free professional development opportunities for cultural organizations and creative professionals will also be offered all season through the Institute for Cultural Advancement, the Council’s signature professional development program. The series culminates with the third Art & Tourism Summit: Access for All on August 12, 2025.
Culture & Cocktails
The Cultural Council’s popular Culture & Cocktails series returns for its 20th season at The Ben in West Palm Beach, with fun and fascinating conversations scheduled for January through April. And save the date for the Council’s annual fundraising event An A-MUSE-ing Evening: Art in Motion, a not-to-be-missed evening that will immerse guests in art and movement on Thursday, March 27, at The Hangar in West Palm Beach.
As a not-for-profit organization, the Cultural Council relies on donations from individuals, businesses and organizations to continue its mission to nurture, promote and support a healthy, diverse, and inclusive cultural sector here in Palm Beach County. Supporters are members of the Council who connect with other arts and cultural enthusiasts through engaging special events, programs and advocacy work to elevate the cultural sector. For additional information, visit palmbeachculture.com/support.
Sponsors for Quintessentially We include Florida Weekly and The Palm Beach Post, and sponsors for Reflections of a Century: Celebrating Boca Raton’s 100 Years through Art include Florida Weekly, Boca Magazine, WLRN and Legends Radio 100.3 FM. Sponsors for Biennial 2025 include Ellen Liman, Florida Weekly, Palm Beach Media Group, WLRN and ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival.
For more information on upcoming events or to become a member or sponsor of the Cultural Council and its programs, please visit www.palmbeachculture.com or call (561) 471-2901.
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
Artist Craig McInnis Selected for New Mural at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
Posted by: Linnea Bailey
August 1, 2024
McInnis has begun painting his large-scale mural “Interconnected” on the southern exterior wall of the Cultural Council’s headquarters in downtown Lake Worth Beach
LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL — The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County has announced that West Palm Beach-based professional artist Craig McInnis has been selected to create a large-scale public art project at its headquarters in downtown Lake Worth Beach.
This week, McInnis began painting a new mural on the south-facing exterior wall of the Cultural Council’s Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building on Lake Avenue, with the mural expected to be complete by the end of August.
McInnis’s mural concept “Interconnected” is, according to the artist’s final submission, “designed to represent the interconnectivity of all people and all things. People from all different walks of life are gathered together in a circle that represents a utopian scenario of peace, love and health. The table in the middle speaks to earthly elements – growth, grace, mortality and power – some of the things that connect us all. The figures are enveloped in abstract flower petals, a representation of the protection that connection provides human beings.”
“As Palm Beach County’s designated local arts service agency, our mission is to support and serve creative professionals and cultural organizations in The Palm Beaches,” said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO. “We are proud to support the work of Palm Beach County professional artists and Craig’s work will be a wonderful new addition to the public art in Lake Worth Beach. We’d like to encourage everyone to stop by the Cultural Council over the next few weeks and watch as Craig creates this exciting public art project on our building’s southern exterior wall.”
The historic Art Deco building — whose south wall previously showcased Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra’s iconic “I Have a Dream” mural — underwent major repairs in July to fix cracks and other damage to its facade. Standing at 54 feet wide and nearly 40 feet tall, the prior mural (painted as part of the CANVAS mural festival in 2017) had reached the end of its lifespan, as the artist’s original design sustained significant damage from the sun and graffiti.
In April, the Council hosted a commemoration and community celebration to honor the Kobra mural. Prior to that, the Council hosted a series of community conversations about the building’s condition and the mural, as well as providing information about the process for commissioning a new mural.
Following a months-long selection process, McInnis’ concept was selected from a group of three finalists for the project by a panel of visual art professionals. The public participated by providing input and feedback on all the finalists’ designs.
To learn more about the project, visit www.palmbeachculture.com/our-mural.
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 Friday 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