The first Miami Beach Arts Gala—called "a celebration of the arts"—took place at the Miami Beach Convention Center on Saturday, attracting high-profile members of the local artistic community, corporations, and politicians interested in preserving the city’s performing arts legacy in a year that has seen municipal budgets slashed as a result of the tough economic climate.
“Everyone knew going into the fiscal year that it was going to be an extremely difficult year due to the economy, and I saw that the arts were at risk,” said city commissioner Jerry Libbin, a longtime arts supporter who spearheaded the event along with gala co-chairs Bob Goodman and Harvey J. Burstein, along with a committee of representatives from local arts organizations and allied industries such as tourism and hospitality. “I was not as concerned for the larger arts organizations. This particular function is designed to give additional grant opportunities to arts organizations with a budget of $350,000 or less who are providing programming on Miami Beach.”
Libbin said the key to attracting around 300 attendees this first year was twofold: having the right committee, and making sure the right people were honored. “Without the right people, nobody’s coming,” he said. “You might as well say, ‘Mail me a check.’ But we’re here to pay tribute to outstanding individuals in the arts community.” In this case, that meant presenting awards to cultural arts champions Dr. Sanford L. and Dolores Ziff, classical music impresario Judy Drucker, and Michael Tilson Thomas, founder and artistic director of the New World Symphony.
Randi Freedman of Logistics Management Group donated her time and efforts over the course of six months to oversee production. Relying on her relationships in the event industry and the local arts community, Freedman obtained several donations and secured key production elements at substantially reduced costs. These included the invitations, designed by PK Graphics, the company owned by artist Miguel Paredes, and the night's entertainment—a medley of local performers who performed for free, as well as internationally renowned jazz band Oriente, whom Freedman hired as the featured entertainment throughout the dinner program.
The event also marked an important step for the Miami Beach Convention Center, as it seeks to raise its profile in the social event sector in the recent years since the city rescinded the local law that banned all such events—weddings and benefits, for instance—from taking place there.
A total of $60,000 was raised through individual tickets (for $250 to $500) and sales of premium sponsorship packages that capped at $30,000. The money will go to the Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council, which will then distribute $5,000 grants to about 12 smaller performing arts organizations in the area.
