Ms. Flora Maria Garcia

Arts For All Day: Welcome to the Party—Everyone Invited!

Posted by Ms. Flora Maria Garcia, Jun 02, 2016 0 comments


Ms. Flora Maria Garcia

Flora Maria Garcia is an Americans for the Arts member and recipient of the 2016 Michael Newton Award. Find out more about the Americans for the Arts Annual Leadership Arts Awards.

Given the distinct disconnect between Central Florida cultural groups’ programs, audiences and boards regarding diversity,  United Arts of Central Florida for the past year has focused its efforts supported by  a generous grant from Duke Energy,  to engage the groups in an intensive education on demographics, spending power, education levels, and target marketing tactics to diverse populations.  

To up the ante by walking the talk, UA, in partnership with our cultural sector, is designing an “Arts for All Day”, scheduled for February 4, 2017—a free, or reduced admission day to an arts showcase extravaganza featuring more than fifty UA funded groups and others. Held at Loch Haven Cultural Park from 11-4pm the venues include: the Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando Ballet, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, The Orlando Repertory Theatre, Science Center, and the Mennello Museum. Food trucks will line the parking areas will all types of ethnic offerings

The event has multiple goals:

1) It will be the inaugural kick off of UA’s Collaborative Fundraising Campaign for the Arts—UA’s goal is to raise $50,000 to increase its competitive grant pools,

2) It will be a day of “real time fundraising’’ for all groups participating, through a new texting program to be introduced this summer,

3) In Business Expos style, cultural groups will have tables to share their collateral materials, sell subscriptions, hold raffles, give away chaityas, and introduce themselves to the community,

 4) UA, in partnerships with collaborating groups, will market the event to a wide range of diverse communities as well as outlying communities with the goal of expanding audiences and donors,  

5) Attendee data will be captured via pre-registration to allow for future follow up,

6) Marketing will be conducted to diverse media outlets,  a wide range of ethnic chambers of commerce, City and County websites and e-newsletters, free billboard spaces, PSA’s  and a wide range of new outlets never used by UA in the past, 

7)  Attracting new corporate & foundation donors as sponsors and underwriters who are attracted by community centric cultural gatherings,

 8) Engaging new and diverse communities in an informal, low key, fun way and introduce them to a wide range of art forms in a concentrated timeframe, and,

9)  Lastly, a big thank you to the community for supporting arts & culture. 

A ticketed After Party will be held for donors & event sponsors from 5-7PM at the Orlando Museum of Art and will feature local craft beers and wineries and tastings from local restaurants, where UA announces the Campaign goal and how much has been raised during the day. Models wearing spectacular designs by local designers using recycled materials (part of a fundraiser hosted by the City’s recycling division) and sporting outrageous hair designs by competing local salons, will wander the party.

Mini performances and showcase exhibits will be held inside & outside There will be “pop up” arts surprises outside in grassy areas, including a children’s tent with hand on arts activities and babysitting services by a vetted provider. The day will be as creative as our collaborators want to make it. There is no set formula.

An interactive exhibit of the plethora of video game designers living in Central Florida, will be showcased at the Museum of Art, blending the tech and fine art communities under one roof, while attracting a wide array of Millennials, who may have never set foot in the Museum.  

We expect attendance of about 10,000. Diversity, new dollars, new donors, new audiences, a wide array of inclusive programming, a community wide celebration of the arts that makes everyone feel welcome!

What’s not to love?   

For more information contact me at [email protected]

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