Not For Profit

I'm the first one to discredit 'top 10' lists. Maybe it's because Miami, my hometown, is a perennial fixture atop rankings of the 'most dangerous,' 'most expensive,' and 'most superficial' cities.

Finally, there's a list that Miamians can take some pride in: The Chronicle of Philanthropy has released its annual Philanthropy "Top 50" and the Magic City is well represented.

 With more than 20,000 people taking to the streets of downtown Miami this coming Saturday morning, anyone planning to be in the area should make alternate travel plans.

Locally-owned and operated Apollo Bank is showing its support for breast cancer awareness month by fundraising, running and displaying a little pink.

On the eve of Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami Art Museum broke ground on its new Herzog & de Meuron-designed building in Downtown Miami’s Museum Park. Opening to the public in 2013, Miami Art Museum will be one of the few publicly-funded major arts projects to be built over the next few years (and indeed, one of the few construction projects in the whole of South Florida).

Ever wonder what would happen if you stuck a pair of smart, creative, seemingly outspoken thinkers in a room together -- one as interviewer and the other as interviewee? Well if you're dying to know how this scenario plays out, then look no further. 

As the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts approaches its fifth anniversary, our city is reminded of how far the Center has come in only five years, and the impact it has made on our community in such a short time. Not only is the Center a cultural hub and the crown jewel of Miami’s arts scene, but it has also become an economic engine that has driven more than $1 billion in public and private investments in its neighborhood. It’s also made critical investments in its community, including free arts education programs for local children at a time when budgets are being cut and resources becoming more and more scarce.

As the Adrienne Arsht Center enters its 5th year enriching and engaging Miami with the power of the performing arts, the community’s support has never been stronger.

Today's kudos go to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. In less than five years since opening, the institution has proven itself not only a venue for world-class performances, but also as a community-based resource for Miami artists, citizens, and especially children. One notable example was Rock Odyssey, a rock-opera version of Homer's Odyssey which the Adrienne Arsht Center provided free of charge to every 5th grader in Miami-Dade - about 25,000 children. The latest of the Arsht Center's community outreach programs is AileyCamp, profiled in the Miami Herald as a critical resource changing the lives of at-risk middle schoolers.

In today's New York Times "Arts Beat" blog, Kate Taylor describes changes afoot at the Miami Art Museum. MAM, she reports, has named Thomas Collins, currently the director of the Neuberger Museum of Art, as its new director. The news comes on the heels of an announcement that the museum will break ground this year on a brand-new, $131 million building designed by Herzog & de Meuron. The new museum will open in 2013.