Arsht Center’s 18th Anniversary Gala DRAFT FOR DISPLAY
Community leaders and philanthropists united to raise $2 million The Adrianne Arsht Center for Performing Arts' arts education and community engagement programs.
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County proudly celebrated its 18th Anniversary Gala Ville Lumière City of Light, at which guests were immersed in a Parisian dream of pop-up musical vignettes, French culinary delights and an emotional surprise performance from nearly one dozen alumni of the Arsht Center’s education programs.
The inaugural Arsht Awards ceremony, which took place during the Gala, recognized three individuals who made significant contributions to the Arsht Center and the Miami cultural community at large. The honorees were Marshall L. Davis, Arsht Education Champion Award; Ruth W. Greenfield (posthumously), Parker Thomson Legacy Award; and Adrienne Arsht, Arsht Angel Award.
Transporting guests to the romantic streets of Paris, the Arsht Center’s marquee philanthropic event united more than 300 community leaders in support of the Center’s mission-driven education and community engagment programs, which serve more than 100,00 annually. The event raised more than $2 million, including a $1 million gift from the Himan Brown Charitable Trust, which was announced at the Gala.
Château de Versailles Virtuose Sponsors
Adrienne Arsht
Eric G. Johnson and Holly Gaines
Martin and Melanie Kirschner
Opéra Garnier Ensemble Sponsors
Dr. Kimberly Green and Green Family Foundation Trust
Lisa and Benjamin Leon III
Y. David and Cheryl Scharf
Lucille Zanghi and James Dow
Montmartre Maestro Sponsors
Antonio L. “Tony” and Conchi Argiz and BDO
Trish and Dan Bell
The evening was also generously supported by Akerman, BACARDĺ, Bank of America, Gérard Bertrand, Goldman Sachs, Greenberg Traurig, TD Bank, The Miami Herald and World Red Eye.
About Adrienne Arsht Center
Set in the heart of downtown Miami, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is committed to welcoming and connecting ALL people to the arts, to the Arsht Center and to each other. Our stages are alive year-round with artists from around the world, innovative programming from our resident companies and local arts partners, free community events that reflect Miami’s unique identity and arts education experiences for thousands of Miami children each year.
Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has been recognized as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area, a leader in programming that mirrors South Florida’s diversity, a host venue for historic events and Miami’s hub for arts education.
Each year, we serve more than 60,000 young learners and offer more than 100 culturally diverse and inclusive education programs — many enhanced by the Arsht Center’s relationship with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, local teaching artists and Miami-based arts organizations.
The Arsht Center is also a home stage for three resident companies — Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony — and a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage. Our 300+ events each year include the Center’s Signature Series of classical, jazz, Broadway, local theater and much more. We present a robust series of touring Broadway musicals direct from New York, the largest jazz series in South Florida, a major annual Flamenco Festival and an award-winning Miami-based theater program. In addition, our Family Fest, Free Gospel Sundays, CommuniTEA LGBTQ+ celebration and Heritage Fest are among dozens of free events that bring together people from all corners of our community. For more information, visit arshtcenter.org.
Brett Graff is SocialMiami.com’s managing editor and has been a journalist covering money, people and power for over 20 years. Graff contributes to national media outlets including Reuters, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, Maxim, and the PBS show, Nightly Business Report. A former U.S. government economist, her nationally syndicated column The Home Economist is first published in The Miami Herald and then on the Tribune Content Agency, where it’s available to over 400 publications nationwide. She is broadcast weekly on two iHeartRadio news shows and is the author of “Not Buying It: Stop Overspending & Start Raising Happier, Healthier, More Successful Kids,” a parenting guide for people who might be tempted to buy their children the very obstacles they’re trying to avoid.
