Liz Young, Executive Director of Florida Keys Council of the Arts, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the arts.
The theme of this Halloween and Fantasy Fest has been Bedtime Stories, Magical Monsters.
Young said, “Our winning artists this year came down from New Smyrna Beach in Florida, had a wonderful opening signing. Lots of people came by the beautiful La Concha lobby and tropicado bar. We were one of the first events last year in the La Concha, but this year, people really know about it, and it’s so stunning. They’re coming up on 100 year anniversary at the La Concha, and just the space is so beautiful and welcoming. We had all sorts of people there. It was really fun. The new king and queen came by. We had a photo booth. So the Arts Council was really, really happy to support Nadine and her amazing team. She’s got a five year contract now, and they’ve really laid out the coming years, of just a very successful Fantasy Fest, and kind of carrying on the tradition, but making it new and fun. I think the new app has been great for the young people. It’s like no more printed playbills, as I would call them. Everybody has their phone, and in their phone, they’ve got some cash and a credit card, and they’re just dressed up and out and about.”
Fantasy Fest is in full swing.
Young said, “We are working on some of our programming. We’ve got our connections project this year. We’re working on having two pop up events in each of the five regions, because we do cover all of the Keys, all of Monroe County. So we will be starting that in January. We’ve got our big holiday membership party all laid out for December 11, which we call Celebrate the Season. We don’t like to get in the way of all the nonprofit arts organizations that we’re supporting. So we do our big event that is a membership event. We couldn’t do what we do without our members, as well as the wonderful support that we received for admin from the Tourist Development Council and the Board of County Commissioners and now, of course, the city of Key West, with all of our public art that we’re doing, I’m very, very, very proud to announce that two year project in the making has been completed by Shawn Trentlage and Darcy Ferrill, wonderful Key West team of artists in the Key West seaport. So the big installation is over kitty corner from Kermits Key Lilme pie shop at Green and Elizabeth. Then there are three additional wayfaring, sort of creative signage along Caroline, which basically mark the boundaries of the seaport. I want to thank the Key West Bight Board for their support, and especially their financial support of this big public art project. Very exciting, really fun, maritime photo op, kind of artwork that you come upon that’s really iconic and wonderful. We’re busy. We’ve got the Gato building is still under some construction, but we were nominated or assigned to be the nonprofit for parking on Saturday for parade parking. So we’ll be charging 40 bucks a car in the Gato Saturday afternoon, from noon to 6. So we would love your support. If you don’t know where to park, please come to the Gato at 1100 Symington. I’ve got Key West High School Take Stock and drama club students working with Arts Council board members and advisors, and we’ll be doing the parking there. So I want to thank Fantasy Fest and the Gato staff for allowing us to be the recipient this year. So come on over. It’s well lit and easy to park there, and you’ll just be great location. And after the after the parade, you can get out of there, too, very easy to get over to Flagler or South Street or the Boulevard, and get out of dodge, as we say. Then I’ll be a judge Saturday night for the parade. So I’m excited about that too.”
There are also some fascinating theater productions coming up.
Young said, “Get your tickets. The symphony has three concerts starting in January. You can buy a subscription for those, the Red Barn has their subscription and a wonderful lineup, as does the Waterfront Playhouse and Fringe will be partnering this year with some of our grant programming with the Tropic Cinema. Williams Hall is launching a playwright festival. Just a couple weeks away, will be the Key West Film Festival. Amazing lineup. Then we’ve got Thanksgiving. As I say to my staff, the train’s left the station. We’re on our way. Everybody wants to be here. We’ve got the best weather. It looks like we’re going to have a really good next couple days through Children’s Day, which I’m really grateful for, because I know the weather always challenges all of our outdoor events. I did not go to the pet masquerade, but I heard it was just wonderful Wednesday night, and tonight, of course, is the Masquerade March, where all the locals just have the best time.”
Memberships are critical to help the Arts Council.
Young said, “Starting at $60, you will really be supporting our very robust grant program. We know the need is out there. We get a lot of applications. We want to spread the support throughout the Keys. It really does help us, help our our artists and arts organizations. We really would love your support. We’re seeing a lot of people understand the need, and I promise it is spent wisely and frugally. You get a lot of information with those memberships. You get all of our mailings, all of our E blasts. You’re invited to our holiday party, our annual membership meeting in January, which I’m really delighted, we’ll be back up at Crane Point, a gem in Marathon for art and culture, and, of course, nature. We’ll have Commissioner Holly Raschein as our guest speaker this year. Of course, I always give my little state of the arts talk, so we have a lot of great things planned, and we do appreciate everybody’s support. When you become a member, you’re supporting artists throughout the Keys, and it’s important, it is very important, keep the connections going. We have amazing history. We do have wonderful history and culture and a real legacy of inspiring people to be their best, not just the famous writers, but so many other writers and poets and playwrights and visual artists and performing artists. We get to support all of that creativity, and it’s an honor for me. I’m very proud of the work that we do, and I have a great staff and a great board. People come here as we know, just to relax and and to be inspired and to get a little respite from wherever they’re coming from, whether it’s a busy life or a family life, and they get to hang out, look at the ocean. An artist once told me that everybody in the Keys were obsessed with the horizon. We love to look out and see what’s possible. So we love to encourage all of that creativity and we certainly have beautiful venues to do that. We thank the Tourist Development Council. They’ve been pouring a lot of that bed tax revenue back into our facilities and it’s very welcoming. The burlesque was here at the Key West Theater, a new group, Hush Hush Theater, did two amazing shows this past week at 801, and the Marathon theater has grown so much, and they’ve got great folks up there. And Pigeon Key looks beautiful. There’s something for everybody.”
For more information, click here: https://keysarts.com/