5 Establishments Integral To The Florida Art Scene

5 Impactful Florida Art Organizations

Palm Beach Dramaworks Presents "A Streetcar Named Desire"

Selected Members Of The Florida Artists Hall Of Fame

"Deathtrap" At The Garden Theatre

In Depth

Florida is renowned for many things, including alligators, oranges, water sports, and a tropical climate that attracts people from around the world. It's also home to a lively and eclectic arts culture, one that is shaped by a diversity of European, African, and Latin influences. Encompassing museums, galleries, and theater groups, the organizations included here vitally contribute to this culture, ensuring that Florida remains a place where opportunities for creativity and aesthetic appreciation can thrive. In no particular order, here are five groups integral to the artistic landscape of the Sunshine State.

Showing up at #1 is the Norton Museum of Art. Established in 1941 by industrialist Ralph Hubbard Norton and his wife Elizabeth, this West Palm Beach institution houses over 7,000 works of art, many of which the Nortons donated from their extensive collection. These works are featured in five curatorial categories, which encompass American, European, Chinese, and contemporary art, plus photography. Offering a range of unique exhibitions and educational programs in its expansive gallery and classroom spaces, the museum strives to serve the community through an engagement with visual culture.

Included among Norton's programs are talks and presentations, which come free with admission. There's also a weekly series comprised of performances, tours, and various creative activities, as well as concerts and film screenings, all of which are also free for visitors. An assortment of courses and workshops, meanwhile, give people of all ages opportunities to explore and make art together. Partnering with other organizations, the museum also provides an after-school outreach program to inspire creativity and critical thinking in kids between five and eighteen. Support Norton by becoming a member, and get access to special events and more.

Included among Norton's programs are talks and presentations, which come free with admission.

For #2 we have the Garden Theatre, located in the Central Florida town of Winter Garden. Created as a single-screen cinema in the 1930s, this establishment reopened in 2008 as a preeminent performing arts center that presents over 450 events every season. Hosting plays, movies, and concerts, among other events, the theatre seeks to spur discovery through powerful and inclusive theatrical experiences. Its education programs, which include classes for both youth and adults, nurture creativity by directly involving the public in the performing process.

The Garden Theatre exhibits a variety of classic plays with fresh, updated approaches, in addition to premiering shows that are new to Central Florida. Its concerts feature the work of award-winning musicians, while its movie screenings include a wide array of genres. Working to enrich education beyond the classroom, the organization's youth classes and summer camps help develop students' performance skills in a friendly, fun environment. For adults eighteen and older, Friday Night Improv courses teach the fundamentals of improvisation through games and exercises. To aid the theatre's operations, consider volunteering as a ticket taker or server.

Coming in at #3 is Mindy Solomon Gallery. Located in Miami, this gallery was founded by artist, collector, and educator Solomon with the goal of supporting emerging and mid-career contemporary artists. It represents a plethora of media including sculpture, photography, painting, and video, and seeks to embrace diverse, diasporic identities. With its catalog of exhibitions, lectures, and guest visits, the gallery fosters community while helping forward-thinking creators explore their craft and hone their voices.

With its catalog of exhibitions, lectures, and guest visits, the gallery fosters community while helping forward-thinking creators explore their craft and hone their voices.

To further promote and economically assist its featured artists, the gallery makes many of their works available for purchase online. A number of fairs both in and outside of Florida, meanwhile, give them added opportunities for visibility beyond the typical exhibition space. The gallery also presents conversations in which its curators discuss their creative processes, giving audiences insight into different curatorial methods and practices. Help the organization and its efforts by buying works from its artists, or by spreading the word on social media.

For #4 we get Palm Beach Dramaworks. A not-for-profit theatre company founded in 2000, PBD operates with the mission of engaging audiences through timeless, thought-provoking, and creatively transformative productions. Along with presenting contemporary, classic, and overlooked plays, the group offers a surfeit of community and educational programs designed to foster imagination and inspire self-expression through storytelling. A great resource for playwrights is The Dramaworkshop, which solicits play submissions that, if selected, are turned into professionally produced shows.

PBD's community engagement initiatives include OutStage, a program for LGBTQ audiences, and Dramawise, which provides creative insight into the company's productions through informative discussions. Among the array of offerings for teenagers are the Young Playwrights contest and festival, which focuses on writing for live theatre, and the One Humanity Tour, a free touring program for middle schoolers in Palm Beach County. Available over the summer are classes that provide training in acting, stage management, and more. Make a contribution through PBD's site to keep quality theatre accessible to the public.

PBD's community engagement initiatives include OutStage, a program for LGBTQ audiences, and Dramawise, which provides creative insight into the company's productions through informative discussions.

Finally, arriving at #5 is Bakehouse Art Complex. Founded in 1985 in a former industrial bakery, Bakehouse offers affordable studio residences and civic engagement programs to enable the growth of artists from throughout the community. Comprised of about 100 diverse creators, and featuring facilities including galleries, a print room, a photo lab, and welding areas, it provides a stimulating, collaborative environment to help embolden and perpetuate Miami's creative culture. The complex is open to resident artists around the clock, and is also open daily with free admission to the public.

Bakehouse supplies many opportunities for artists of all backgrounds to develop their careers, including through monthly workshops, professional development programs, and pop-up exhibitions and installations. It also hosts quarterly open studios, which are designed to facilitate productive interactions between creators and the general community. To further engage the public, classes are offered on a regularly scheduled basis. Assist Bakehouse and its many initiatives by donating through its website.