By Marc Gave | New Pelican Writer
On Oct. 26 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, the Broward Cultural Division, in partnership with Americans for the Arts, presented the results of the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) report during the inaugural State of the Arts Address.
Ebonni Chrispin, Broward Cultural Council chair, moderated the program. Among the speakers were Broward County Mayor Lamar Fisher, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schulz (by video from Washington, D.C.), County Commissioner Steve Geller, County Administrator Monica Cepero, and keynote speaker Phillip Dunlap, Cultural Division director.
The overriding message of the presentation was not only, as Chrispin said, that the arts unite people of all backgrounds, that they inspire, educate, and challenge us, sparking conversations and fostering an environment of inclusivity and understanding, but that they contribute mightily to the county’s economic growth.
“I’m proud to serve on a Board of County Commissioners that has made such a significant investment and support in the arts,” said Fisher. “The dedication of our commissioners, county administrator, and Cultural Division has increased access to the arts for all our residents and visitors.”
Over the last four years, the county’s budget allocation for the arts has grown by 25 percent, from $6.6 million to $8.3 million. And there has been a huge payoff: The county’s non-profit art and culture sector contributed more than $386 million to the local economy during 2022.
Said Geller, “I have always believed you can tell a lot about the soul of a community by how it approaches its arts and culture . . . Therefore, we can conclude Broward County has one of the brightest souls in the country. Our county has become a leader in arts and culture . . . and the future is even brighter. One of the best things about Broward is . . . its diversity . . . Our arts and culture play a pivotal role in shaping our identity . . . and Broward County is committed to ensuring (they) are accessible to everyone.”
Part of that future will be the opening of the West Broward Cultural Center in Davie, which officials say will become a hub of creativity, education, and cultural exchange, as Destination Sistrunk Cultural Center has before it. The centers help address a pressing need: space for the arts.
“While the Division’s work has evolved over the years, what has not changed is our fundamental belief in the power of the arts and that robust arts and culture is an indicator of a strong, vibrant, and healthy community,” said Said Dunlap. “This fundamental belief guides our work in accomplishing our four main goals: increase financial commitment, catalyze community development, build capacity and learning, and elevate our brand through amplifying the stories of our diverse arts and culture.”
Dunlap said the Division’s grant programs will provide more than $6.3 million in direct investment to artists and arts and culture organizations. In addition to the familiar General Operating Support grants and Program Support grants, the new Cultural & Artistic Facilities grant, the Artist Innovation Grant, and the Artist Residency Program will go a long way to spread allocations. In addition, during the coming year, an art purchase program will authorize the county to buy art directly from artists to display in county buildings and public places. He hopes that every city and town in Broward will have a public art program.
Dunlap also announced the establishment of the Broward Arts Journalism Alliance (BAJA), which will focus on increasing arts coverage by hiring established writers, training new ones, and partnering with media outlets to provide a wealth of content to local publications.
At the intersection of art and technology, there is an initiative to create high-resolution 3D scans of the county’s public art for viewing in the Metaverse. There is also the annual in-real-life favorite, IGNITE Broward, which will take place in Fort Lauderdale and Dania Beach, Jan. 24 to 28. Last year’s event drew more than 30,000 people.
Indeed, many exciting things are in the works for the Broward Cultural Division.
To view the entire recorded address, go to @BrowardArts on Instagram. Visit broward.org/arts to learn more about the Cultural Division. Visit artscalendar.com to find out about events.
