Hollywood Art And Culture Center Celebrates 50th Anniversary Year - Dramatic And Contemporary New Space Ushers In A New Era For The Arts In Hollywood

This special event was attended by local dignitaries and partners including Mayor Josh Levy, City of Hollywood; Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz; Commissioner Caryl Shuham, City of Hollywood; Raelin Story, Assistant City Manager, City of Hollywood; Jeff Huber, Partner, Brooks + Scarpa; Jamey Armstrong, VP, Pirtle Construction and Phillip Dunlap, director, Broward County Cultural Division.

“The Hollywood Arts Hub has been a labor of love for many people for over a decade from planning to inception. Our Center team is honored to be the stewards to help people connect, create and communicate through art and cultural experiences,” said Jennifer Homan, Executive Director of the Hollywood Art and Culture Center. “As we celebrate 50 years of bringing bold exhibitions, education programs and accessible cultural experiences to our region, we’re excited to usher in a new era for the arts in Hollywood.”

Post ceremony, the public enjoyed complimentary tours, performances, artmaking and more in the new arts education wing. Attendees also were treated to current exhibitions: Dennis Scholl: A Day of Four Sunsets, Felice Grodin: Where do I go from here? and Brian Reedy: Gothic Pop Prints.

The new Hollywood Arts Hub now holds the unique architectural distinction in Broward County of having adjoining, functional spaces built 101 years apart. It includes a 110-seat Arts Auditorium, a multi-purpose room for dance, drama, artist talks, film screenings, meeting space and more, the Create More Art Studio, the Digital Media Lab and the outdoor Imagine Courtyard. This building will be a visual landmark in Downtown Hollywood, drawing residents and visitors to The Center.

The distinctly dramatic and contemporary design by award-winning architectural firm, Brooks + Scarpa, merges with the existing two-story, historic 1924 Mediterranean Revival architecture of the Kagey Home, which houses The Center galleries and administrative offices located at 1650 Harrison Street, Hollywood, Florida 33020 just one block from ArtsPark at Young Circle.

Construction of the Arts Hub was funded by the City of Hollywood through dedicated funding from the 2019 General Obligation Bond that was approved by City voters in a special election. The Pirtle Construction team broke ground on April 30, 2024 and met the opening deadline as planned.

“The City of Hollywood proudly supports art and culture in our city, and this expansion of The Center is a tremendous milestone,” said City of Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy. “People of all ages and backgrounds can experience the arts at this new venue year-round, adding to the number of amazing experiences that can be found in Hollywood.”

The new Hollywood Arts Hub is built for ongoing learning and exploration. As part of its grand opening, The Center debuted a full lineup of new fall programs including Early Voices, storytelling and artmaking for young children every Saturday; Moms & Masterpieces, weekday program for parents and caregivers to explore the galleries and engage in Meet the Masters artmaking for bigs and littles; Art Workshops, multiple session workshops offered monthly by teaching artists in a variety of mediums; Group Tours, weekly daytime arts program for adults to explore a variety of forms; and Homeschool Programs, new offerings designed for flexible learning through STEAM integration.

The Center is also launching Create More Art Nights every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. designed to spark creativity, wellness and community connection. Each week brings a new theme and a mix of activities.

Upcoming Center events include:

· 12/4 Cymbeline opening night presented by Thinking Cap Theatre at 7:00 p.m.*

· 12/6 Center Sessions, Basketweaving and Capoeira at 1:00 p.m.

· 12/12 Stage Kids and ENCORE Present: Hamilton and The Princess & the Frog at 7:00 p.m.*

· 12/14 Free Arts Day from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Cyanotypes with Pamela Soares

· 12/20 Hollywood Art Walk Docent Tour at 5:00 p.m.

* Note: Cymbeline on 12/4 and Stage Kids/ENCORE (12/12) are being presented at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, 1770 Monroe Street, Hollywood, Florida 33019, located two blocks from The Center.

“Our Board of Trustees is committed to ensuring a bright future for the next chapter in the Center’s legacy,” said David Maurer, Board Chair of the Hollywood Art and Culture Center. “The timing couldn’t be more ideal – the opening of the Arts Hub marks The Center's 50th anniversary just as the City of Hollywood celebrates its 100th year. We've both come a long way.”

For more information, please visit: www.artandculturecenter.org.

The Center’s programs and events are made possible through support from the City of Hollywood, Broward County Cultural Division, Broward County Board of County Commissioners, Max Chira and Family, Community Foundation Broward, David and Francie Horvitz Family Foundation, Josephine S. Leiser Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, State of Florida Division of Arts and Culture, Memorial Healthcare System, The Windhover Foundation & Quadracci Family, Kofsky Weinger, PA, and Helen Ingham Foundation.

About Hollywood Art and Culture Center:

Founded in 1975, the Hollywood Art and Culture Center (known as The Center) provides a central space that unites the community and serves as an inclusive catalyst and incubator for South Florida artists and performers to activate and elevate their work. The purpose is to help people connect, create and communicate to improve well-being and strengthen our community through art and cultural experiences for residents and visitors. The Center is celebrating its 50th Anniversary as the county's third oldest arts nonprofit and serves more than 55,000 guests each year. The campus includes the new Hollywood Arts Hub that adjoins the current Main Galleries in the historic 1924 Kagey Home in downtown Hollywood, which features a 110-seat Arts Auditorium, Create More Art Studio, Digital Media Lab, and the Imagine Courtyard. The Center presents year-round programs and venues that make numerous art forms accessible to all ages. In addition to the contemporary galleries in the Kagey Home, The Center operates the Artist In Residence Studios in the Art School on campus, manages facilities and delivers performances at the 500-seat Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, and festivals and screenings at Cinema Paradiso Hollywood for independent, foreign language and first-run films. The Center is located at 1650 Harrison Street in Hollywood, Florida.

For more information, call: (954) 921-3274. Or visit: www.artandculturecenter.org.