N e w s  R e l e a s e
December 20, 2000

WPA Art Featured on New Phone Directories

"I’m probably the only person here who remembers what the WPA did," commented Monroe Council of the Arts board member David Cohn, referring to the cover art on the new Florida Keys editions of the BellSouth Real Yellow Pages directories. Cohn, along with BellSouth Area Marketing Manager Lee Peterson, introduced the new telephone directories at the recent Key Largo Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Westin Beach Resort.

For the past six years, BellSouth has been working closely with the Arts Council to spotlight the work of local Keys artists on their two telephone directories here in the Keys. This year, however, they did something different. The covers on the new BellSouth Real Yellow Pages feature artwork from the Depression-era WPA (Works Progress Administration).

"The Keys are fortunate that much of this historically significant artwork still remains here," said Monica Haskell, President of the Arts Council. "We at the Arts Council are very pleased that BellSouth has decided to showcase this important art."

However, according to the Arts Council much of this art is in jeopardy and in need of restoration, having deteriorated over the years. The Arts Council, together with others, has embarked on an effort to protect this valuable resource and to raise awareness of its existence here in the Keys. In January a map pinpointing the locations of some of the most important WPA art in the county will be available.

"The Arts Council is extremely grateful to Lee Peterson and BellSouth for their continued support of art in the Florida Keys," commented Bill Anderson, Arts Council Chair.