|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County (@arshtcenter) hosted its 15th anniversary Reunion Gala on May 22, with a much-anticipated celebration that reunited arts supporters who have been longing to reconnect with each other and with the live performing arts for well over a year.
Hosted in limited capacity to ensure everyone’s health and safety, the 15th anniversary Reunion Gala welcomed 165 South Florida arts and culture supporters and community leaders to celebrate the arts and raised more than $1 million to support the center’s arts education and community engagement programs, including AileyCamp Miami, Rock Odyssey, Kitty Hawk and the newly announced The Ninth.
The introduction of The Ninth, the third and final component of the Arsht Center’s award-winning Learning Through the Arts program, inspired Kimberly Green, Mireille Charles and the Green Family Foundation to donate $15,000 to support its launch.
Premiering in 2022, The Ninth is an immersive theater and hands-on workshop experience that will tour Miami-Dade County public high schools to reach up to 25,000 ninth graders.
The Ninth will be the first arts-driven, youth mental-health-awareness program of its scale in the nation.
“The Green Family Foundation recognizes the importance of good emotional psychological and social wellbeing in teens, influencing their interaction with others and their ability to handle stress and social interactions. The Arsht Center is uniquely positioned to reach Miami-Dade County’s teens through innovative and creative interventions. We are proud to support their efforts,” Kimberly Green said.
The evening also included support for an expansion of the center’s internship program. BenefactorAdrienne Arsht announced from the stage a donation of $25,000 annually for four years to support the Arsht Interns program and challenged guests and the community to match the gift. Beginning in 2022, the center’s internship program will become fully paid, reducing financial barriers and making this important career opportunity more accessible to all.
Arsht’s gift inspired additional on-the-spot matching donations with more than $300,000 raised during the evening’s efforts.
“I’m thrilled and grateful that others share my view that paying interns changes a stumbling block into a stepping stone,” Arsht said.
The Arsht Center Gala began with an outdoor cocktail reception on the Thomson Plaza for the Arts featuring Pommery Champagne and Bacardi cocktails followed by a special viewing of Lasting Impressions: The 3D LED Experience, a next generation installation of sight and sound that transports guests into more than 100 of the world’s most recognizable masterpieces using one-of-a-kind technology, directly on the Ziff Ballet Opera House’s 18,000-square-foot stage.
Guests then were treated to a fabulous dinner inside the Knight Concert Hall and an incredible live performance by Latin Jazz legend Chucho Valdés and his quartet. The quartet was sponsored by Tony and Conchi Argiz.
Additional event highlights included a standing ovation for more than 100 local healthcare heroes who also attended the Gala thanks to the generosity of the University of Miami Health System.
“In these challenging times, these heroes have tended to our physical health while the Arsht has tended our soul. It is such a joy that we all get to experience the uplifting power for the performing arts together. We have much to celebrate and be grateful for,” said Aileen Ugalde, chair of the Arsht Center’s Trust Board of Directors.
The past year has underscored the importance of philanthropy as an anchor of sustainability in turbulent times. Donor support has made it possible for the Arsht Center to continue the mission-critical work of providing free programs and initiatives that connect all members of our community to the arts during a time when we need it the most. Proceeds from the Gala will ensure the programs continue to serve the community in 2021 and beyond.
The Gala’s Honorary Chair was Adrienne Arsht. Gala Chairs were Tony and Conchi Argiz, and Aileen Ugalde and Dean Colson.
