Inaugural Miami-Dade Arts Hall of Fame Unveiled at Serving the Arts Awards 2025

Miami-Dade Arts Hall of Fame inaugural members on stage at the annual Serving the Arts Awards hosted by the Arts and Business Council of Miami in partnership with the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs.  (Photo courtesy of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department)

Miami-Dade County artists, journalists, civic leaders, benefactors and philanthropists whose contributions collectively and individually shaped the area’s current cultural landscape became the inaugural members of the Miami-Dade Arts Hall of Fame at the annual Serving the Arts Awards hosted by the Arts and Business Council of Miami in partnership with the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs.

In theater worthy fashion, as the names were read and the accolades drew applause, the curtains rose on the stage of Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables, revealing the honorees. As they were seated, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Director Marialaura Leslie read the 81 names along with those of the 26 posthumous honorees while large photos of each appeared above.

Marshall L. Davis, Sr., managing director of the recently renamed Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center who has led the center for four decades, received the Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award. (Photo courtesy of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department)

“These individuals are a testament to the transformative power of the arts and today we say thank you,” said Leslie

She went on to announce the launch of the Miami-Dade Arts Hall of Fame website where the inaugural honorees are listed.

See the list and stories of Hall of Famers here.

Plans are to continue to induct new members each year.

In addition to the Hall of Fame announcement, the 2025 Serving the Arts Awards were also given to 30 honorees selected via a nominations process.

The event on Monday, April 21 featured as speakers Miami-Dade County elected officials along with Miami-Dade County Poet Laureate Caridad Moro-Gronlier.

Moro-Gronlier read her poem “What Roots Shall Bloom,” which she wrote for the Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s State of the County address. The words were “inspired by the Miami landscape, our flora and fauna, primarily (and specifically in the poem) the Banyan tree at Bayside. Nature is a handy metaphor for any writer, and this poem was meant to show the correlation between a rooted tree (that begins as a seed) and the population of Miami-Dade County,” according to Moro-Gronlier.

Mitchell Kaplan, center, founder of Books & Books and co-founder of the Miami Book Fair, received the Miami-Dade County Mayor’s Legacy in the Arts Award. At left is Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Director Marialaura Leslie. At right is Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. (Photo courtesy of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department)

She said she chose the piece for the awards ceremony “because all of those who attended the event are living examples of the poem — the blooms that have come from what has rooted.”

During her time on stage at the podium, Levine Cava said, “the arts have always been a part of my life, and we would not be Miami-Dade County without our rich and diverse cultural scene.” She went on to say, “let’s spend more time with the arts and less with politics,” a statement that received rousing applause.

While speaking at the podium from the stage of the theater, Raquel Regalado, Miami-Dade County Commissioner District 7, said she had her own memories of the theater.

“Miracle Theatre is near and dear to my heart. I grew up coming here, I learned so much being on stage that prepared me for the future.” Regaldo received a 2025 Serving the Arts Award as Elected Official of the Year. Receiving the Elected Official of the Year Award in the Municipal category was Miami Beach Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt.

From left, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau staff, John Copeland, director Arts & Culture Tourism; Connie Kinnard, senior vice president of Multicultural Tourism and Development; Arts & Cultural Tourism Awardee Yvette Harris of Harris Public Relations; Petra Brennan, director of Tourism Business Enhancement; George Neary, founder of Tours ‘r’ Us and interim director of the Miami Design Preservation League. (Photo courtesy of Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department)

Oliver Gilbert III, Miami-Dade County Commissioner District 1, echoed the sentiments of the importance of the arts and his firsthand experiences. “I was in my 40s when I attended my first opera. There need to be facilities and programming in every part of the county. Art is for everyone and is everyone and additionally, arts and culture are economic drivers.” Gilbert received the Serving the Arts Award.

Moro-Gronlier was appointed the second Poet Laureate in Miami-Dade County by the mayor in April 2024. After she presented, the 2025 Serving the Arts Awards were announced individually with Mitchell Kaplan, founder of Books & Books and co-founder of the Miami Book Fair, receiving the Miami-Dade County Mayor’s Legacy in the Arts Award.

The 2025 Serving the Arts Awards honorees. (Photo courtesy of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department))

Presenting the award to Mitchell, Levine Cava said, “Mitchell is a cultural pioneer and a champion for small business. He is honored today for his leadership and lifelong advocacy for the literary arts and against book banning.”

Co-presenters, who announced the 2025 Serving the Arts Awards recipients, were George Neary, president & CEO of Tours “r” Us and interim executive director of the Miami Design Preservation League and one of the inaugural Miami-Dade Arts Hall of Famers and Maria Budet,  chair of the Arts & Business Council board of directors.:

The Corporate & Cultural Arts Award for Large Business was given to South Dade KIA while the Corporate & Cultural Award for Small Business went to Savage Content, a marketing solutions company.

Knight Foundation received the Innovative Arts Funders Award, Ruth Wiesen director of Armour Dance Theater, accepted the Emerging Arts Legend Award and Arts & Education Inspiration Awards went to Miami Music Project in the group category and Brandon Cruz, founder and board chair of the South Florida Center for Percussive Arts in the individual category.

Emerging Arts Legend Awardee Ruth Wiesen, artistic director of Armour Dance Theatre, at the 2025 Serving the Arts Awards Ceremony. (Photo courtesy of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department)

Arts Management Excellence Awards recipients were Trish Brennan, vice president of Human Resources at the Adrienne Arsht Center in the organizational category and Dejha Carrington, co-founder and executive director of Commissioner in the individual category for her work in advancing the work of emerging artists.

Also with the Arsht Center, Beth Markowitz, director of Foundation Relations, received the Emerging Arts Leader Award for helping shape the future of cultural leadership.

Artistic and Executive Director of Miami Light Project Beth Boone received the Michael Spring Leadership Award.  “I deeply respect and admire Michael, and I am so appreciative of the incredible work that he accomplished over the course of 40 years to build an extraordinary arts and culture infrastructure and sector in Miami-Dade County. It is particularly moving to receive this award which bears his name.”

Marshall L. Davis, Sr., managing director of the recently renamed Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center who has led the center for four decades, received the Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award.

The Arts & Cultural Tourism Award was given to Yvette N. Harris, founder of Harris Public Relations, whose firm focuses on public relations for Miami-Dade County arts, culture and tourism.

Artburst Miami Editor Michelle F. Solomon was given the Arts Marketer Award for her decades-long work in arts journalism and media. (Photo courtesy of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department)

Artburst Miami Editor Michelle F. Solomon was given the Arts Marketer Award for her decades-long work in arts journalism and media.

“The Serving the Arts Awards are a way to continue to keep what we do in the public eye and for the importance of what arts does for a community to be emphasized. We must be the champions of the arts,” said Solomon.

Jean Blackwell Font, co-founder and creative director of Font Squared a digital marketing agency received the Unsung Hero Award for her years of supporting arts organizations and individuals behind the scenes.

The Public Art Award was presented to Catherine Cathers, arts and culture coordinator for the City of Coral Gables for fostering cultural engagement and helping transform the city into a public art hub.

Elected Official of the Year Awardee  District 7 Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado at the 2025 Serving the Arts Awards. (Photo courtesy of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department)

“Being recognized was a complete surprise. It was especially meaningful when I found out it was a nomination from arts colleagues throughout the county. Being honored by them gives merit to new initiatives I am currently pursuing and encourages me to keep creating at all levels to further develop meaningful partnerships,” said Cathers.

Richard C. Milstein received the Board Member of the Year Award. Milstein is a former board chair and still an active board member of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

The late Mark Trowbridge, president and CEO of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce was posthumously honored with the Cultural Catalyst Award for his arts-driven programming during his nearly two-decade tenure.

The Arts & Health-Wellness Award was presented to Mind & Melody and their work using music to enhance the lives of individuals with neurological disorders.

Arts & Accessibility Awards were given to Pinecrest Gardens in the group category for their initiatives that engage children of all abilities as well as sensory friendly program, and to Karen Peterson Corasch, founder of Karen Peterson Dancers, in the individual category for nearly four decades of pioneering work presenting integrated programming for dancers of all abilities.

Alfonso Brooks, Founder of AfriKin, a nonprofit organization that presents year-round art and music programming to form cultural connections, received the Arts & Social Impact Award and the Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum was honored in the group category.

Director of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Marialaura Leslie presented the Michael Spring Leadership Award to Beth Boone, artistic and executive director of Miami Light Project Beth Boone. (Photo courtesy of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department)

Dade Legal Aid received the Arts & Legal Award, recognized for its Put Something Back program and providing legal support to artists and arts organizations.

Arts & Environment Awards went to Live Arts Miami’s EcoCultura initiative in the group category for its work commissioning eight original works addressing climate change and to individual artist Arsimmer McCoy for her work as a poet, cultural programmer, educator and interdisciplinary artist on climate change and environmental justice.

Arts Advocacy Awardee Rezia Hayes from the Arts & Business Council of Miami and Rapper FARO. (Photo courtesy of Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department)

Receiving the Arts Advocacy Award was Rezia Hayes who, as digital marketing manager of the Arts & Business Council of Miami, has crafted inspiring campaigns to amplify the arts in Miami and her work behind the scenes with Miami Dade Arts Action Alliance.

See the list of Serving the Arts honorees.

ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.