Press Release Arsht Center's inaugural Brushes with Cancer program pairs arts and wellness - Free public celebration and art viewing on September 12

ARSHT CENTER’S INAUGURAL
BRUSHES WITH CANCER PROGRAM
PAIRS ARTS AND WELLNESS

Matched with an “inspiration,” each artist creates a unique work, fostering healing, joy and connection

Public celebration and art viewing on September 12
Free with RSVP

Miami – August 2024 – The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County (@arshtcenter) has launched Brushes with Cancer, a program that supports individuals touched by cancer through the visual arts. Brushes with Cancer is a unique artistic project that pairs accomplished artists, many based in South Florida, with “inspirations,” people whose lives have been impacted by cancer as previvors, current patients, survivors or caregivers.

Since February 2024, each of the 18 inspirations selected for the inaugural program in Miami has been working with one of 18 visual artists, with whom they have been strategically paired.  As the inspirations share their twist on cancer – stories, feelings and experiences, the artists create a unique work of art that represents the inspiration’s personal journey with the disease.

The inaugural edition of the Arsht Center’s Brushes with Cancer program culminates on Thursday, September 12 with a celebration and art viewing at the Arsht Center. The art viewing is curated by Rosie Gordon-Wallace, arts advocate and founder of Miami’s Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator.

All of Miami is invited to join the artists, inspirations and their family and friends to view the finished works. The unique art pieces will be auctioned to support future editions of Brushes with Cancer at the Arsht Center.

The Brushes with Cancer art viewing and silent auction takes place on September 12 at 7 p.m. at the Arsht Center. The event is free and open to the public. Guests should RSVP online at arshtcenter.org/brusheswithcancer. Following the September 12 event, the public can continue to enjoy the art through mid-October any time they visit the Arsht Center for performances and other events, or during any of the free guided Arsht Center tours every Monday and Saturday at 12 p.m.

The art will also be on view at an online gallery at arshtcenter.org and any pieces remaining after the silent auction will be available for purchase.

The 2024 artists and inspirations are diverse in background, age and lifestyle. Some artists are cancer survivors themselves, while some inspirations have been touched by cancer as caregivers or through a family history of cancer (previvors). Many of them call South Florida home. Photos of select artists and inspirations can be viewed and downloaded here.

“The arts are therapeutic and a vital tool for community wellness, which is why the Arsht Center has committed to providing life-affirming creative outlets for all ages in our community. This new program provides opportunities for healing and deep emotional connection – all through the shared experience of making art,” said Jairo Ontiveros, vice president and Dorothea Green Chair of Education and Community Engagement at the Arsht Center.

The Arsht Center’s Brushes with Cancer is presented in partnership Twist Out Cancer, a nationwide non-profit organization that utilizes the creative arts to provide social and emotional support to individuals touched by cancer. More information is available at www.twistoutcancer.org.

ABOUT THE ARSHT CENTER’S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS
Brushes with Cancer is one of the 10 ongoing Arsht Center programs committed to community engagement and deepening the experience of the performing arts for all Miami-Dade County residents. Having served more than 120,000 people throughout its 17-year history, the programs broaden community participation and open the sights, sounds and possibilities of the world through the performing arts. Programs include: Art + Mind Day, an annual free festival that connect mind, body and soul through the arts; Broadway on Biscayne, free interactive pre- and post-show experiences connecting audiences more deeply with each show; Family Fest, a season of free performances featuring the world's leading family-friendly artists; Heritage Fest, an annual all-ages festival celebrating Black heritage; a Juneteenth Juke Joint party; AileyCamp Miami, a full-scholarship, six-week summer camp which uses dance as a vehicle for the personal development of young people; CommuniTea Dance, an annual celebration honoring Miami's LGBTQ+ community; Knight Masterworks Classical Conversations, a series of free lectures which give the audience insight into the musicians, composers and history of music presented in our Knight Masterworks Classical Music series; Arsht on the Road, a series of free pop-up performances that bring the arts into Miami-Dade County's diverse neighborhoods; and programs that marry arts and wellness, such as Accessing the Arts Residencies, art workshops for children and adults with disabilities; and various others.

*All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Additional fees may apply. Visit arshtcenter.org for up-to-date information.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

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About the 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 80,000 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.