The
Florida Keys Council of the Arts held its Annual Membership Meeting
& Dinner Friday, February 25 at the Key Colony Inn.
FKCA Board member Theresa Axford, principal of Sugarloaf School, served
as the evening's mistress of ceremonies. FKCA Board chair Rocky Hubert
of Wells Fargo Mortgage, Key Largo, welcomed the guests and thanked
board members for their individual contributions of time & talent.
Rocky especially acknowledged event chair David Cohn of Islamorada and
his committee. David Cohn was assisted by Chair Emeritus June Girard
of Sugarloaf and Tom Butler, treasurer of the Key Players, both of whom
secured the entertainment for the evening: Mike Gillis, Sandy &
Dean Walters, Elizabeth & Earle Halbe, Lina Robles, Ralph Garcia,
George Bedel and David Schneider.
Habitat for Humanity of the Lower Keys Executive Director Bert Loudenslager
prepared the program notes about the performers. Key Largo graphic artist
Chris Sandifer designed the Annual Report and treasurer and CPA Jack
Hildreth created the Financial Report. Marathon artists Lois Giffen
and MaryAnn Motches created table decorations. Commissioner Murray Nelson
was given thanks for his role as liaison to the Monroe County Board
of Commissioners
The annual report was distributed. Executive Director Monica Haskell
noted how the financial statement translates into real artists and performers
making world-class art & music in the Florida Keys. The evening's
performers, Mike Gillis, David Schneider and Island Opera Company aptly
illustrated this, as all are participants in arts Council projects,
programs and grants.
Jazz guitarist extraordinaire Mike Gillis plays in the Performance in
the Hospital series, as well as the Senior Citizen Lunchtime Concert
Series. Singer-songwriter David Schneider acts with Key Players (winner
of Cultural Umbrella funding) and won an ArtReach grant to record a
demo CD of his original song, "The Florida Keys - We're Someplace
Else." Island Opera Company received both an ArtReach grant and
significant funding through the Cultural Umbrella grant program.
Other grantees in attendance included members of the Key Players, South
Florida Center for the Arts, Keys Chorale and Keys Community Concert
Band. Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce president Rob Holtry, producer
of the Underwater Music Festival attended, as did Key Largo Chamber
of Commerce ambassador John Mullon. Awardees who were not able to attend
included writer Cricket Desmarais, winner of the Annual Key West Writers'
Guild Writers' Award and Darlene Pruess, winner of the $15,000 South
Florida Cultural Consortium Visual and Media Artist Fellowship.
These grantees represent some of the $300,351 awarded by FKCA since
its inception, not including Cultural Umbrella awards and Art in Public
Places commissions.
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