FLORIDA KEYS — The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is proud to present “The Connections Project: Making Music in the Keys” opening reception on Thursday, March 28th from 5:00 till 7:00 pm at the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce Event Grounds located at 31020 Overseas Hwy in Big Pine Key. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres & beverages sponsored by Lower Keys Chamber, Jolly Mon Pub & Grill, Pops’s Smoke Shed, Boardwalk Bar & Grill, Big Pine Rooster, and Winn Dixie. 
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This year, in addition to offering the beautiful canvases from local artists, the Arts Council is also focusing on Musicians of the Keys, and the Lower Keys reception will feature local musicians, Brian Roberts and also the Mike Bailey Trio, who will perform in a Nashville-style writers’ round, taking turns singing their own songs and telling stories of living and working in the Keys. This is a free reception, everyone is welcome to attend, and also 48 unique canvases will be on display. View our new version of the 2024 Connections Project canvases, and donate $100 to take home a canvas of your choice.
 
"The Arts Council is honored to have received a prestigious Community Foundation of the Florida Keys grant for expanding access to our essential workforce to experience music and art in the Keys. We are thrilled to highlight so many talented musicians living and working throughout the County." stated Joyce Burd, Chair of the Arts Council's Board.
 
“The performing arts enhance our shared experiences, we thrilled to highlight local talent from Key Largo to Key West to celebrate the longstanding connection between the community and local cultural initiatives,” said Elizabeth Young, Executive Director of the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, which spearheads the project.
 
Proceeds from the Connections Project benefit Keys artists and arts organizations through Arts Council grants. To participate in the Connections Project, or for more information: keysarts.com or 305-295-4369

​The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is proud to announce that Monroe County artists Beth Kaminstein and Tyler Buckheim Trosset have been named the recipients of the prestigious 2023 South Florida Cultural Consortium Visual and Media Artists Award. Beth Kaminstein of Islamorada, and Tyler Buckheim Trosset of Key West, were both selected to receive this esteemed, five-county artist fellowship.  
 
Tyler and Beth will each receive a monetary award of $7,500 and be included in an exhibition featuring the work of the 2023 recipients, which will take place at The Art and Culture Center/Hollywood at 1650 Harrison Street, Hollywood, FL 33020, October 14, 2023 - January 24, 2024. 
 
Beth Kaminstein graduated with a BA from Bennington College in Vermont, 1976 (Ceramics, Drawing, and Dance). Since then, she has enjoyed a rather diverse life living in Florence, Italy and then in NYC where she owned and managed her family’s hardware store, Kaminstein Bros. In 1989, she moved to Islamorada to have a family and continue windsurfing, among other things.  While living in Islamorada, she worked to create a playground in the park behind the library in Islamorada, worked with her late husband, Ron Levy, on creating the municipality known as Islamorada, Village of Islands, built and ran a private pre and elementary school which then became the Upper Keys first charter school known as Montessori Island Charter School. 
 
Tyler Buckheim Trosset lives and works in Key West. She received a BFA from Florida Atlantic University in 2012 with a concentration in painting. Her work focuses on the delicacy of graphite drawing and portraiture, using historical photos from the Florida Keys, layered with texture rubbings.  The work starts with transferring raised text, designs on glass liquor bottles, hand carved linoleum printing plates or textures from found objects. These unique textures give depth and detail to what will become the background.  Then, Trosset layers into the rubbings drawn portraits of people from the past, working from an archive of military pass photos, passport photos and other portraits taken in Key West from 1917 through the 1980’s. The photos are from a time before photography was part of everyday life and give a more honest portrait than are often seen in modern life.   
 
The Consortium, an alliance of the arts councils of Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties has conferred the artists with awards at either the $15,000 or $7,500 level. These awards are among the largest such honors accorded by local arts agencies to visual and media artists in the United States. Celebrating 35 years in 2023 (established in 1988), the SFCC has awarded over $4 million in grants to more than 300 artists. In addition to receiving the grant, the artists take part in an exhibition hosted and organized by a visual arts institution in one of the five counties.  
 
The recipients were selected through a two-tier panel process which included the participation of regional and national arts experts. The 2023 regional panel, whose adjudications are based on the evaluation of the artists' work as evidenced by the work samples submitted, included: Ariella Wolens, Bryant-Taylor Curator, NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale (Broward); Carrington Ware, Artist, SFCC FY 20-21 Recipient, Professor, Florida International University (Broward); Véronique Côté, Galleries Director, University Galleries, Florida Atlantic University (Palm Beach); Helena Gomez, Curator, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, (Miami-Dade); and Elvis Fuentes, Executive Director, Coral Gables Museum, (Miami-Dade). 
 
The South Florida Cultural Consortium Fellowship for Visual and Media Artists is a cooperative project funded in part with the support of the Boards of County Commissioners of Broward, Miami-Dade, Martin and Monroe Counties and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. 

​The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is accepting letters of interest for openings on the Cultural Umbrella Committee of the Tourist Development Council. The TDC District 2 (II) appointee must live from the city limits of Key West to the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge. The TDC District 5 (V) appointee must live from mile marker 90.940 to the Dade/Monroe County line and any mainland portions of Monroe County
 
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 2 (II) seat is filled by Nancy Bunch, and the District 5 (V) seat is currently held by Mr. Cliff Stutts.
 
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.
 
Persons wishing to be considered may send a letter of interest and brief bio by July 17, 2023
 
to Elizabeth Young, Executive Director, Florida Keys Council of the Arts, by email (preferred) to: [email protected] or mail to: 1100 Simonton Street, Suite #2-263, Key West, Fl. 33040.

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is accepting letters of interest for several openings on the Cultural Umbrella Committee of the Tourist Development Council. The TDC District 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 the district has stepped down.  
  
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.  
  
Persons wishing to be considered may send a letter of interest and brief bio by July 17, 2023, 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, in conjunction with the Key West Writers Guild, is pleased to announce that Mary Lou Condike has garnered this year's writing award for her manuscript, “The Doll from Dunedin”.  Mary Lou specializes in taking historic cold cases from public and police files, devising a solution with “What if…” scenarios, and then imagining solutions. 
 
This year marks the twentieth annual award which is supported by an endowment under the administration of the Arts Council. Past winners include: C.J. Geotis, Kristina Neihouse, Dale Dapkins, Lisa Mahoney, Joanna Brady Schmida, Richard DeGrasse, Harry Schroeder, the late Elizabeth Warner, Eddie Goldstein, Rusty Hodgdon, and Janette Stone. Mary Lou attended Massachusetts public schools, graduated from Worcester State University (BS Mathematic) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MBA). Before retiring, she was a computer programmer, a systems analyst, manufacturing operations manager, and a small business owner. After retirement, she completed the Southern Methodist University’s Writer’s Path in Dallas 2019. Her stories are published in Strange & Sweet, Stories from the Granbury Writers’ Bloc, 2019. Her story “A Cowgirl Farewell” won 1st Place in the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction Awards, Mystery/Crime Category, 2019. Recently, “A Cowgirl Returns” was published in the Sisters in Crime North Dallas anthology, Malice in Dallas in 2022. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Key West Writers Guild, and the Granbury Writer’s Bloc. 
 
The manuscript was anonymously reviewed in a competitive field of submittals and selected by three distinguished judges: Susann D’Antonio of Big Pine Key is an accomplished artist, Chair of the Monroe County Art in Public Places Committee, a Board Advisor to the Arts Council, a member of Florida Association of Pubic Art Professionals, owner of Framing in Paradise, and Independent Title Abstractor;  Richard Ericson of Key West is a professional theater director and producer with special expertise in Shakespeare and American musicals. Formerly, he was a producing artistic director, commercial theater and tour producer, and university-level teacher; Juliet Gray is a creative producer, performer, and writer, is the Chief Creative Officer of The Performing Arts Project, which she co-founded more than 10 years ago alongside Broadway, television, and film professionals in order to provide vibrant theatrical training to the next generation of performers. Juliet has also written more than 1,000 articles for various national publications and a travel book on the Florida Keys published by Rowman & Littlefield.
 
Local writers with works in progress are encouraged to apply for the 2024 award of $2000. To qualify, one must be a resident of Monroe County, a member of the Key West Writers Guild, and working on either a novel or a work of non-fiction. Applicants must read from their work at two meetings of the Key West Writers Guild. Membership is paid annually, and meetings are held at 9:00 a.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. For more information – please visit the Arts Council website www.keysarts.com  

4/13/2023 - Arts Council presents The Connections Project Closing Reception at the Gato Building April 20th
 
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts works to support all the arts, in all the Keys, all the time. The local arts agency launched its eleventh annual Connections Project Road in Key Largo a few months ago and it has arrived in Key West at the spacious lobby at the Gato Building. The reception is Thursday, April 20th from 5:00-7:00 pm. The community is invited to visit the vibrant 24-foot mosaic mural created by local artists and art lovers.
 
After connecting with the art, patrons can also collect art by making a $60 donation for one canvas or a $160 donation for three at the reception or online at www.keysarts.com. Once the show has ended, donors receive a randomly selected piece of the mosaic in the mail. Each work includes an artist statement providing insight into the origin of the work and the artist’s thoughts and inspiration.
Proceeds from Connections Project directly benefit Keys’ artists and arts organizations through Arts Council grants. 
 
The reception is free and open to the public. Free parking is available at the Gato Building located at 1100 Simonton Street, so please join us. Refreshments generously sponsored by First Horizon Bank. The Connections Project is grateful for the continued sponsorship of Royal Furniture. For more information call the Florida Keys Council of the Arts at 305.295.4369 or visit www.keysarts.com.

April 3, 2023 - 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, guidelines, and updated Zoom links for the workshops are on our website, and can be found here:  https://keysarts.com/grants_more/cultural_umbrella.html
 
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, 2023 and September 30, 2024. Past recipients of Cultural Umbrella funding include the Harry S. Truman Little White House, South Florida Symphony, The Studios of Key West, Key West Literary Seminar, 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! This year’s application has changed and many applicants will be able to apply for additional funds!! Funding amounts will be $25,000, $30,000, and $35,000. Please make sure someone from your organization attends the workshop.
 
The two workshops will be held online at the following times: 
 
Tuesday, April 11th, 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday, April 11th, 3:00 p.m.
 
for Zoom links, please visit our website: https://keysarts.com/grants_more/cultural_umbrella.html   
 
The deadline for submitting the application is Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 5 p.m. Applications will be reviewed by the Cultural Umbrella committee on May 23rd, and their recommendations for funding will be forwarded to the TDC and BOCC for final approval.
 
We will also be presenting 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 2023-2024 season. More information on this opportunity can be found here: https://keysarts.com/grants_more/ABC/ABC.html
 
For more information call the Florida Keys Council of the Arts at 305.295.4369 or visit www.keysarts.com.