Philanthropist Adrienne Arsht spotlights the advancements in cultural programming that will be funded by this month’s star-studded gala.
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Adrienne Arsht in front of the Ziff Ballet Opera House. “Performing arts centers really define how civilized a community is, and it makes it a great city,” she says.
“I think the arts really define us as a civilization, and creativity is the foundation of thought,” says philanthropist Adrienne Arsht, whose eponymous cultural center on Biscayne Boulevard hosts its annual black-tie gala this month. The fête, a centerpiece of the Miami social calendar, helps raise money for arts education and community outreach at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. Benefiting from those donations are such cultural initiatives as a six-week children’s summer camp with the Alvin Ailey Dance Company or a program that allows all public-school fifth and seventh-grade students to attend a performance and tour backstage, among other experiences. “The gala really raises money for things that will resonate throughout Miami-Dade County.”
To further connect with the Miami community, the Arsht Center fills its year-long calendar with a diverse array of programming, ranging from performances by Haitian dance company Ayikodans, monthly Sunday morning gospel, an annual flamenco festival, and yearly Jazz Roots program, which most recently featured the sounds of Cuban jazz performers such as Arturo Sandoval, that Arsht declares was “packed to the rafters.” “The programming does relate to every one of the many nationalities in our city,” she says. “The exciting thing in Miami is that, with such a diverse population, our programming reflects that. So, unlike many other cities, we get to experience the music of many different cultures because they all live right here.”
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Honorary Chair Adrienne Arsht with Kevin Spacey, who performed at last year’s event.
Arsht’s own involvement with the arts in Miami began when she moved to the Magic City in 1996 to run TotalBank. “I felt that I was really blessed to have spent 10 years in Miami, one of the most fascinating cities in the world, and it felt right for me to give back to that city,” says Arsht, who initially donated $250,000 to what was then the Carnival Center for the water feature in the central plaza that was renamed in her honor. “I was quite sure that the performing arts center was one of the greatest institutions—or had the potential to be one of the greatest institutions—of the community. Performing arts centers really define how civilized a community is, and it makes it a great city.”
In 2007, Arsht sold TotalBank to Banco Popular, and her commitment to the local arts deepened. In 2008, she donated $30 million to Miami’s Performing Arts Center, and has helped steer the growth of what is now the Adrienne Arsht Center alongside President M. John Richard. “I’m known for jumping and developing wings on the way down,” says Arsht of her role in the center of today. “I didn’t know what it should be, specifically. I just knew that there had to be a performing arts center. The acoustics in the concert hall are just terrific; Itzhak Perlman always tells me that it’s one of his favorite places to perform. The American Ballet Theatre performs in the opera house; they feel that the stage is second only to the Metropolitan Opera in size. I didn’t dream of [it being any certain way]; I just knew it had to exist.” The Friday, April 24, gala takes place at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 786-468-2020
