South Florida - Once again the Knight Arts Challenge holds four community roundtables enabling a future for our arts community in our "fun in the sun arts destination". Now more than ever the need for our arts community to share ideas as a global arts destination is at an all time high. Theatres have been closing every year. Iconic theatres like Coconut Grove Playhouse still in limbo, Caldwell Theatre Company and their brand new ten million dollar venue is still empty in Boca Raton, Florida as Legacy Bank is left dealing with the uncovered loans. Florida Stage, Mosaic Theatre the list goes on and on.
Knight Arts Challenge offers applications and a place to have your questions answered at one of four community roundtables. It would be idiotic not to attend. My partner is a multi award winning SDC Director/Choreographer so I know it is not easy to attend these meetings at the drop of this article. Yes, my partner will be in rehearsal for Boca Raton Theatre Guild's "Chicago" but if I am not working my real job that gives me my health benefits, you can bet I will be present at as many of these roundtables that are possible to attend and you should to! The information and links to sign up for Knight Arts Challenge is provided later in this article.
My job takes me out of state four days at a time leaving me only four days off to catch up on important arts articles just like this one. My email box has over 60 press release of arts events almost daily. To post them on examiner.com I must rewrite them as a story. It is not as simple as a paste and cut, add some pictures videos, a map an poof its done. With 130.775 shares of articles that I have been able to create and post, it is clear the arts ideas are endless and the Knight Arts Foundation and Knight Arts Challenge is giving us all an opportunity of a life time.
It is time for us to share our stories, when artists are hired by schools, not for profits and some of them are waiting months to get a check to pay them from their talents and work they already provided. No other job does that to their employees. Our artists are struggling to survive, so why are they stuck in the system waiting for three community leaders to approve a check they did work on months ago. Those signing the check are not waiting for their benefits or payroll. Why should an artists? Your ideas will bring Florida arts to the global audience while embracing the local talents and inspiring Floridians.
Starting today, South Floridians can submit their ideas for the Knight Arts Challenge, a community-wide contest funding cultural projects that engage and enrich Greater Miami. The deadline is March 4, 2013 in each application, reviewers look for two key attributes: artistic excellence and ways the project will engage the public. Anyone can apply.
The process is easy, with just three rules: Projects must be about the arts, take place in or benefit South Florida and match Knight’s funding. The challenge is a project of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which has invested more than $86 million over the past six years in both arts institutions and grassroots projects as a way to weave culture into people’s everyday lives. Because of the challenge's success, Knight Foundation recently renewed the contest through 2015. “We’re looking for the best ideas - truly Miami ideas - that help bring art to our neighborhoods and make culture ubiquitous in South Florida,” said Dennis Scholl, Knight Foundation’s vice president/arts. “In a truly creative town like ours, we see the challenge as a chance for everybody to participate, to dream, and ultimately see their ideas through to reality.”
Applicants can get questions answered by Knight Foundation at a series of community roundtable meetings, taking place in Downtown Miami, South Dade, North Central Dade and Fort Lauderdale. Times and dates are below.
Started in 2008, the challenge has funded 143 projects for close to $20 million. Past winners have stretched from Delray Beach to Homestead and include: Weird Miami Bus Tours: Organized by internationally recognized visual artist Naomi Fisher, the artist-led tours take visitors to little-known local haunts. Hialeah Cultural Center: The center being launched by Miami Dade College will be a gathering spot for the growing Northwest Dade cultural community; Demystifying Indian Dance: Choreographer Ranjana Warier will showcase traditional Indian dance through the stories of Western fairy tales, as a way to promote cross cultural understanding.
“South Florida residents continue to surprise us with their ideas, challenge us with their art and ensure that this region is a vibrant place to live,” said Matt Haggman, Miami program director for Knight Foundation. “We’re excited to see what ideas the community comes up with in 2013.” To find out more and to apply, visit KnightArts.org. Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter via @knightarts and #knightarts.
The Knight Arts Challenge Community Roundtables at all at 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 18, 2013: Cinema Paradiso, Ft. Lauderdale, 503 SE 6th St, Fort Lauderdale,
Feb. 20, 2013: Cannonball, Downtown Miami, 1035 N. Miami Ave., Suite 200
Feb. 21: South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211 St.
North Central Dade: Time and date will be announced soon
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org.
Richard Cameron reminds all theatre lovers to please send your Broadway Global breaking news to email theatrechat@me.com. Share your "Arts Events" with Theatre Chat and Broadway Global. Find over 130,000 arts lovers posting arts FREE everyday on over 30 city/state Theatre Chat groups on facebook with Florida Theatre Chat, USA Theatre Chat, NYC Theatre Chat, Chicago Theatre Chat, Los Angeles Theatre Chat, Arizona Theatre Chat, North Carolina Theatre Chat, PA Theatre Chat, DC Area Theatre Chat just to name a few. Your comments or post could inspire an article here on examiner.com.
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