Florida Keys Council of the Arts
Encyclopedia
Florida Keys Council of the Arts is a leading cultural organization in the Florida Keys
, and serves the population from Key Largo
to Key West
. A non-profit local arts agency, it makes grants, operates the Monroe County
Art in Public Places program, sponsors seminars, and manages the on-line cultural calendar for the region http://www.keysarts.com. It also manages the County's Cultural Umbrella grants process, under the Tourism Development Council and serves as a leading advocate for cultural tourism on lower Florida
. In 1998, the Florida Keys Council of the Arts was designated by the Board of Monroe County Commissioners as the area's Local Arts Agency as provided by Florida Statute 286.011.
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is currently the main source of information on arts and culture in the Keys. The Council also presents residencies and concerts by performing and literary artists, rotating exhibits in public buildings by visual artists, and music in public places by local musicians in a hospital, a convalescent center, two airports, three government buildings, four senior citizen centers, five county commissioner offices, and six to twelve schools.
The Council also maintains an artist registry; publishes and distributes a weekly and quarterly Cultural Calendar, gallery guide, and a map to historic WPA
artwork in the Keys; as well as maintaining the website, www.keysarts.com. The Executive Director
, Elizabeth S. Young serves as staff and liaison to the County Art in Public Places Committee and the City of Key West Art in Public Places Board. Other ongoing initiatives include managing a county-wide Performing Arts Network, a Children's Festival of the Arts, and (with The Studios of Key West
and Sculpture Key West) helped facilitate the 2007 Arts Speak gathering for local cultural leaders.
passed referendums authorizing a 3-cent sales tax on tourist lodging (the bed tax) to be used for tourism advertising, promotion, and some tourist related capital projects.
The Board of County Commissioners passed several ordinances to implement this tax including one that created a Tourist Development Council to recommend expenditures of the bed tax revenue and to administer the expenditures. To accommodate the different geographic communities of the Keys, five District Advisory Committees were created. They are DAC I-Key West
; DAC 2–The Lower Keys: DAC 3–Marathon
; DAC 4–Islamorada
; and DAC 5–Key Largo
. The DACs recommend expenditures for approximately one-third of the revenue which is divided among the districts according to the percentage of revenue collected in the district.
To accommodate three keys-wide tourism industries, three "umbrellas" were created: the Dive Umbrella, the Fishing Umbrella, and the Cultural Umbrella. DACs and Umbrellas are unique to Monroe County.
The first 1% project, The Roth Building on Plantation Key
, was completed in 2003. Projects currently underway include the Freeman Justice Center in Key West; Fire Stations in Key Largo, Big Pine
and Conch Key
; the Key West International Airport and the Murray Nelson Government Building in Key Largo.
The Arts Council
also facilitates rotating art exhibits in eleven public buildings and several commissioners’ offices, all curated by volunteers from the Keys community. Musicians are sponsored in concert series in the lower keys hospital and six senior citizen centers, and the airport PA
features original local recorded music.
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
, and serves the population from Key Largo
Key Largo
Key Largo is an island in the upper Florida Keys archipelago and, at long, the largest of the Keys. It is also the northernmost of the Florida Keys in Monroe County, and the northernmost of the Keys connected by U.S. Highway 1...
to Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
. A non-profit local arts agency, it makes grants, operates the Monroe County
Monroe County, Florida
Monroe County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 79,589. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county was 74,737....
Art in Public Places program, sponsors seminars, and manages the on-line cultural calendar for the region http://www.keysarts.com. It also manages the County's Cultural Umbrella grants process, under the Tourism Development Council and serves as a leading advocate for cultural tourism on lower Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 1998, the Florida Keys Council of the Arts was designated by the Board of Monroe County Commissioners as the area's Local Arts Agency as provided by Florida Statute 286.011.
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is currently the main source of information on arts and culture in the Keys. The Council also presents residencies and concerts by performing and literary artists, rotating exhibits in public buildings by visual artists, and music in public places by local musicians in a hospital, a convalescent center, two airports, three government buildings, four senior citizen centers, five county commissioner offices, and six to twelve schools.
The Council also maintains an artist registry; publishes and distributes a weekly and quarterly Cultural Calendar, gallery guide, and a map to historic WPA
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
artwork in the Keys; as well as maintaining the website, www.keysarts.com. The Executive Director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
, Elizabeth S. Young serves as staff and liaison to the County Art in Public Places Committee and the City of Key West Art in Public Places Board. Other ongoing initiatives include managing a county-wide Performing Arts Network, a Children's Festival of the Arts, and (with The Studios of Key West
The Studios of Key West
The Studios of Key West is a non-profit creative campus, cultural center, and artists colony in the heart of Key West, Florida, based at the Historic Armory at 600 White St....
and Sculpture Key West) helped facilitate the 2007 Arts Speak gathering for local cultural leaders.
Cultural Umbrella Program
In the 1980s, the citizens of Monroe CountyMonroe County, Florida
Monroe County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 79,589. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county was 74,737....
passed referendums authorizing a 3-cent sales tax on tourist lodging (the bed tax) to be used for tourism advertising, promotion, and some tourist related capital projects.
The Board of County Commissioners passed several ordinances to implement this tax including one that created a Tourist Development Council to recommend expenditures of the bed tax revenue and to administer the expenditures. To accommodate the different geographic communities of the Keys, five District Advisory Committees were created. They are DAC I-Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
; DAC 2–The Lower Keys: DAC 3–Marathon
Marathon, Florida
Marathon is a city on Knight's Key, Boot Key, Key Vaca, Fat Deer Key, Long Point Key, Crawl Key and Grassy Key islands in the middle Florida Keys, in Monroe County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 10,255. As of 2005, the population estimated...
; DAC 4–Islamorada
Islamorada, Florida
Islamorada, a "Village of Islands," is an incorporated village in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It is located on the islands of Tea Table Key, Lower Matecumbe Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Windley Key and Plantation Key in the Florida Keys....
; and DAC 5–Key Largo
Key Largo, Florida
Key Largo is a census-designated place in Monroe County, Florida, United States, located on the island of Key Largo in the upper Florida Keys. The population was 11,886 at the 2000 census. The name comes from the Spanish Cayo Largo, or "long key"...
. The DACs recommend expenditures for approximately one-third of the revenue which is divided among the districts according to the percentage of revenue collected in the district.
To accommodate three keys-wide tourism industries, three "umbrellas" were created: the Dive Umbrella, the Fishing Umbrella, and the Cultural Umbrella. DACs and Umbrellas are unique to Monroe County.
Public Art Program
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts serves as staff to the Art in Public Places committee. This committee is charged with purchase and installation of artwork under a 1% for art program in any new major county construction.The first 1% project, The Roth Building on Plantation Key
Plantation Key
Plantation Key is an island in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It is located in the upper Florida Keys on U.S. 1 , between Key Largo and Windley Key....
, was completed in 2003. Projects currently underway include the Freeman Justice Center in Key West; Fire Stations in Key Largo, Big Pine
Big Pine Key, Florida
Big Pine Key is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Monroe County, Florida, on an island of the same name in the Florida Keys. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 5,032.-Geography:...
and Conch Key
Conch Key, Florida
Conch Key is an island and unincorporated community in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It is located in the middle Florida Keys. U.S. 1 crosses the key at approximately mile markers 62-63, between Long Key and Duck Key...
; the Key West International Airport and the Murray Nelson Government Building in Key Largo.
The Arts Council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
also facilitates rotating art exhibits in eleven public buildings and several commissioners’ offices, all curated by volunteers from the Keys community. Musicians are sponsored in concert series in the lower keys hospital and six senior citizen centers, and the airport PA
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
features original local recorded music.