HOLLYWOOD ART AND CULTURE CENTER EXPANSION GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING SET FOR NOVEMBER 2 AT NOON
Public invited to a complimentary tour of new wing plus free arts activities, performances and admission to current exhibitions from noon to 4 p.m.
Hollywood Art and Culture Center, celebrating its 50th anniversary, will unveil the addition of the Hollywood Arts Hub to its historic Kagey Home main campus with a grand opening ribbon cutting set for noon on Sunday, November 2 – exactly 50 years from The Center’s opening in 1975 – with local dignitaries. The public is invited to attend the special event and enjoy complimentary tours, performances, artmaking and more in the new arts education wing.
“The Hollywood Arts Hub has been a labor of love of 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.”
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, the Create More Art Studio, a Digital Media Lab with multimedia studio classrooms, the outdoor Imagine Courtyard, a multi-purpose room for dance, drama, artist talks, film screenings, meeting space and more. 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.
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 will meet 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 Mayor Josh Levy of the City of Hollywood. “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.”
Expanded Programs For All Ages
The new Hollywood Arts Hub is built for ongoing learning and exploration. As part of its grand opening, The Center will debut a full lineup of new fall programs including:
· Early Voices – storytelling and art making 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
· Homeschool Programs – new offerings designed for flexible learning through STEAM integration
Create More Art Nights
Also in November, the Center will launch Create More Art Nights every Thursday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. designed to spark creativity, wellness, and community connection. Each week brings a new theme and a mix of activities.
· Wellness – drum circle, yoga, breathwork, and sound baths
· Literacy – book club, writing workshops, open mic, and voiceover demos
· Music & Movement – group guitar lessons, songwriting, dance, and guest-curated DJ mixtape nights
· Play & Games – wine tastings paired with game classics like Jenga, Connect Four, cornhole, Mahjong, dominoes, chess, pop culture bingo and trivia
Other Upcoming Center Events
· 11/15 Art of Wine: US Regions, Food & Wine Series at 2 p.m.
· 11/15 Hollywood Art Walk Docent Tour at 5 p.m., BOGO Cinema Tickets at 7:30 p.m.
· 11/16 Free Arts Day from 12 – 4 p.m.
· 12/4 Cymbeline Opening Night presented by Thinking Cap Theatre at 7 p.m.
· 12/6 Center Sessions, Basketweaving and Capoeira at 1 p.m.
· 12/12 Stage Kids and Encore Present: Hamilton and The Princess & the Frog at 7 p.m.
· 12/14 Free Arts Day from 12 – 4 p.m.; Cyanotypes with Pamela Soares
· 12/20 Hollywood Art Walk Docent Tour at 5 p.m.
“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.”
As part of the Arts Hub grand opening, residents and visitors can also view The Center’s current exhibitions: Dennis Scholl: A Day of Four Sunsets, Felice Grodin: Where do I go from here? and Brian Reedy: Gothic Pop Prints. These exhibits were made possible through support from the City of Hollywood, Broward County Cultural Division, Broward County Board of County Commissioners, Max Chira and Family, State of Florida Division of Arts and Culture, National Endowment for the Arts, Community Foundation Broward, David and Francie Horvitz Family Foundation, Josephine S. Leiser Foundation, Memorial Healthcare System, The Windhover Foundation & Quadracci Family, Kofsky Weinger, PA, and Helen Ingham Foundation.
For more information, please visit www.artandculturecenter.org.
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 over 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.
