The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is pleased to announce the application for Tourist Development Council Cultural Umbrella funding is now available.  The application is online www.keysarts.com.  Requests for an application may also be e-mailed to [email protected].

Cultural Umbrella funding is used for the advertising and promotion of cultural events taking place between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026. Past recipients of Cultural Umbrella funding include the Harry S. Truman Little White House, The Studios of Key West, Red Barn Theatre, Waterfront Playhouse, Marathon Community Theatre, Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and the Morada Way Arts & Culture District.

Organizations intending to apply for Cultural Umbrella funding are strongly encouraged to attend one of the free workshops on the application and the media/marketing procedures being offered, online via Zoom, by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts.  Please register in advance by contacting the Arts Council office at 305-295-4369 or [email protected].

BIG NEWS! Funding amounts are $25,000, $30,000, and $35,000. Please make sure someone from your organization attends the workshop.

The workshops will be held online at the following times:   

• Tuesday, April 8th, 4:00 p.m. (for Zoom link, please RSVP)
• Wednesday, April 9th, 11:00 a.m.

The deadline for submitting the application is Wednesday, May 2, 2025 at 5 p.m. Applications will be reviewed by the Cultural Umbrella committee on May 19th, and their recommendations for funding will be forwarded to the TDC and BOCC for final approval.
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There will be an application review of the Arts Council’s “Art Builds Community” grant program which awards funding of $5,000, $7,500 and $10,000 for projects occurring in the 2025-2026 season following the cultural umbrella application review.
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For more information call the Florida Keys Council of the Arts at 305.295.4369 or visit www.keysarts.com.

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is accepting letters of interest for an opening on the Cultural Umbrella Committee of the Tourist Development Council. The TDC District for the TDC District 3 (III).

The appointee must live from the west end of the Seven-Mile Bridge to the Long Key Bridge. The committee member serves a three-year and 8-month term beginning in February 2025. The sitting committee member, Trish Hintze has relocated.

The Cultural Umbrella Committee is composed of five persons representing the 5 TDC districts of the Florida Keys and is administered by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts. The committee works with the TDC’s advertising and public relations agencies to promote the Keys as an arts and cultural destination and makes recommendations for the funding of promoting cultural events.

To be eligible to serve on the Committee of the Cultural Umbrella, a person must:

1. Currently reside in the Tourist Development Committee District to which appointed for a minimum of two years. (Boundaries described above).

2. Have demonstrated significant support and advocacy for art and culture or work as an artist (visual, performing, literary, historic).

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the prime importance of art and culture to the economy and to the quality of life of Monroe County citizens and guests.

4. Receive no income in an administrative capacity from an entity or individual that was awarded Cultural Umbrella event funding in the past fiscal year or that applies in the current year.
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Persons wishing to be considered may send a letter of interest and brief bio by January 20, 2025, to Elizabeth Young, Executive Director, Florida Keys Council of the Arts, by email to: [email protected] or by mail to 1100 Simonton Street, Suite #2-263, Key West, Fl. 33040

​The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is proud to announce our 2025 Members Show, “Then and Now: Artists of the Keys”, with an opening reception in Key West on Thursday, November 14th and an opening reception in Key Largo on Wednesday, November 20th.
 
The Key West Opening Reception will be held Thursday, November 14th, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the historic Gato Building, 1100 Simonton Street, Key West. The exhibition will remain on display through early 2025. We will feature our Member Artists’ works along with precious historic artworks that we are honored to present for sale. These works came from estates and families of the Keys. These special pieces reflect the spirit of days gone by, our stunning natural surroundings, treasured island lifestyle, special landmarks and our diverse cultural history.
 
The Key Largo Opening Reception will be held Wednesday, November 20th, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Kona Kai Resort, located at 97802 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo. The exhibition will be on display at Kona Kai during business hours through the month of March 2025. Our Member Artists share in the spirit of celebrating our unique history of the land and sea which surrounds us and the colorful sights and sounds of the fabulous Florida Keys. We hope you can join us!
 
The Gato building, which is home to numerous State and County offices, supports the Art in Public Buildings program which offers an alternate space for artists to display their work. Free parking is available, and the building is ADA accessible. Refreshments will be served. Kona Kai Resort & Gallery is a slice of Old Florida that retains its original charm and elegance. The gallery is open 9 am to 6 pm every day. Refreshments will be served at the opening reception.
 
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts supports visual, literary and performing artists and cultural organizations throughout the Keys with several grant programs and scholarships. We connect artists to each other and to their audiences.
Contact the Arts Council at 305-295-4369 with any questions.
 
Please join or renew your membership today. Visit keysarts.com or call 305-296-4369.
Image attached: The Elopement, Oil on Canvas, by Artist Robert Franke

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is seeking Monroe County arts & cultural organizations and artists of all genres (visual, music, dance, literary, etc.) to apply for two grant opportunities. The deadline for Artist in Schools and Special Project grants is November 30 at 5pm. Applications are accepted online, and can be found at www.keysarts.com under the grants tab or on the link on the homepage.

Artists in Schools Grant program invites teaching artists in the performing, visual, literary or historical arts into the classroom. Teachers and teaching artists are encouraged to collaborate on creative projects together to enhance the existing curriculum or to teach a new topic integrating the arts. All Monroe County public and private schools, as well as other organizations that serve children ages 5-18, are eligible to be partners for the teaching artist. This application is for the Spring 2025 semester. Artists in Schools grants are up to $2,000 per request.

Special Project Grants are intended for arts organizations or individual artists in Monroe County. The grant is to provide short-term support to vital, creative projects that do not fit into the other grant categories. Special Project funding is limited to once in three years, up to $2,000 per request. This funding is to support a project that has a beginning, middle and end.

Contact information: Please call the Florida Keys Council of the Arts for suggestions and assistance at 305-295-4369 or by email to [email protected].
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The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is the leading arts and cultural organization in the Florida Keys. As the non-profit local arts agency in Monroe County, it connects audiences from around the world to galleries, theaters, museums, festivals, dance, music and more from Key Largo to Key West. The Council makes grants, supports Art in Public Places, and promotes the destination for its rich and diverse history in art and culture. The Arts Council provides services to visual and performing artists, arts organizations, students and the public, striving to instill a passion for and participation in the arts.

The City of Key West seeks proposals for the new Douglass Community Center that will celebrate the vibrant and distinguished history of the Bahamian culture and generations of families who have worked and lived in the Bahama Village neighborhood. The new Center will be home to a spacious main hall, classrooms, recording studio and practice rooms for music students of the Bahama Village Music Program and more. The site of the new building, along with a garden and performance space sits on the land of the original 1870 school house named for the great African-American orator and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass.

The mission for the commissioned public art in the City of Key West is to enhance the character and identity of our island community through the aesthetic of original, site-specific public artworks. Artwork will strive to educate, celebrate and preserve our cultural heritage and diversity to reflect Key West's population.
 The total budget for this project is $75,000. 

All questions must be submitted in writing no later than September 10, 2024. Please contact: Elizabeth Young, Executive Director & Public Art Administrator, Florida Keys Council of the Arts: [email protected] No phone calls, please, as verbal communication regarding this art project is not allowed per the City of Key West ordinance. Please note that all proposals must be submitted on time and through the portal as instructed.
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While it is not mandatory, Artists are invited to a site visit with City of Key West staff on SEPTEMBER 9, 2024@ 4pm EST. Hard hat and closed toe shoes are required. RSVP to: director@ keysarts.com by 9/7/2024.

For more information, and to apply, please visit the City of Key West on DemandStar, link located here: https://www.demandstar.com/app/limited/bids/472326/details

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is seeking Monroe County arts & cultural organizations and artists of all genres (visual, music, dance, literary, etc.) to apply for three grant opportunities. The deadline for Art Builds Community, Artist in Schools and Special Project grants is June 30 at 5pm. Applications are accepted online, and can be found at www.keysarts.com under the grants tab or on the link on the homepage.

Art Builds Community (ABC) grant, is designed to support arts and culture projects that spark conversations, spur social change, generate cultural equity and make our community stronger. Grant funding​ is offered at $5,000, $7,500 and $10,000 for projects that support, build and broaden access to the arts and specifically address civic challenges and community issues through the arts.  Florida Keys artists, arts organizations and civic/community-based organizations are encouraged to form alliances and partnerships to strengthen communities through projects that connect the arts with local issues and opportunities for all people.

Artists in Schools Grant program invites teaching artists in the performing, visual, literary or historical arts into the classroom. Teachers and teaching artists are encouraged to collaborate on creative projects together to enhance the existing curriculum or to teach a new topic integrating the arts. All Monroe County public and private schools, as well as other organizations that serve children ages 5-18, are eligible to be partners for the teaching artist. This application is for the Fall 2024 semester. Artists in Schools grants are up to $2,000 per request.

Special Project Grants are intended for arts organizations or individual artists in Monroe County. The grant is to provide short-term support to vital, creative projects that do not fit into the other grant categories. Special Project funding is limited to once in three years, up to $2,000 per request.

Contact information: Please call the Florida Keys Council of the Arts for suggestions and assistance at 305-295-4369 or by email to [email protected].
​
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is the leading arts and cultural organization in the Florida Keys. As the non-profit local arts agency in Monroe County, it connects audiences from around the world to galleries, theaters, museums, festivals, dance, music and more from Key Largo to Key West. The Council makes grants, supports Art in Public Places, and promotes the destination for its rich and diverse history in art and culture. The Arts Council provides services to visual and performing artists, arts organizations, students and the public, striving to instill a passion for and participation in the arts.

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is accepting letters of interest for two openings on the Cultural Umbrella Committee of the Tourist Development Council. The TDC District 1 (I) appointee must live within the city limits of Key West, and for the TDC District 4 (IV) the appointee must live between the Long Key Bridge and mile marker 90.939.

The committee member serves a three-year term beginning on October 1st. The sitting committee member for that district may re-apply for the position. The district 1 seat is currently held by Scott Burau, and the district 4 seat is vacant.

The Cultural Umbrella Committee is composed of five persons representing the 5 TDC districts of the Florida Keys and is administered by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts. The committee works with the TDC’s advertising and public relations agencies to promote the Keys as an arts and cultural destination, and makes recommendations for the funding of cultural events.

To be eligible to serve on the Committee of the Cultural Umbrella, a person must:
​
1. Currently reside in the Tourist Development Committee District to which appointed for a minimum of two years. (Boundaries described above).

2. Have demonstrated significant support and advocacy for art and culture or work as an artist (visual, performing, literary, historic).

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the prime importance of art and culture to the economy and to the quality of life of Monroe County citizens and guests.

4. Receive no income in an administrative capacity from an entity or individual that was awarded Cultural Umbrella event funding in the past fiscal year or that applies in the current year.
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Persons wishing to be considered may send a letter of interest and brief resume by July 15, 2024 to Elizabeth Young, Executive Director, Florida Keys Council of the Arts, by email to: [email protected] or by mail to: 1100 Simonton Street, Suite #2-263, Key West, Fl. 33040