Press Release Pastor Smokie Norful - Two-time Grammy winner and world-renowned pastor takes the stage at Free Gospel Sundays - April 30

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents

PASTOR SMOKIE NORFUL

Featuring opening act Rev. Melvin Dawson & Genesis Fellowship Delegation

World-renowned pastor, two-time Grammy winner and 11-time Stellar Award-winning recording artist has sold more than 3 million albums

WPLG Local 10 Anchor Calvin Hughes to host the final show of the Free Gospel Sundays 2022-2023 season

April 30, 2023 at 5 p.m.
FREE
John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall

Miami, FL – April 12, 2023 – The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County (@arshtcenter) is proud to announce that PASTOR SMOKIE NORFUL (@smokienorful) will conclude the 2022-2023 season of its beloved signature series FREE GOSPEL SUNDAYS on Sunday, April 30. Opening for the two-time Grammy winner is Miami’s own Rev. Melvin Dawson & The Genesis Fellowship Delegation (@theofficialgfd). WPLG Local 10 Anchor CALVIN HUGHES (@calvinwplg) returns as host.

Admission to FREE GOSPEL SUNDAYS: PASTOR SMOKIE NORFUL is free, however, first-access passes* will be available starting today. Details here. Sign up for Arsht Center emails here and be sure to select “Community & Free Events” to be the first to know when passes for remaining performances become available.

As an internationally known musician, music composer, producer and singer, Pastor Smokie Norful’s 2002 solo debut, I Need You Now, catapulted him to worldwide recognition. Since that time, he has found commercial success with five No. 1 Billboard albums and over 3 million albums sold. He has earned two Grammy Awards, 11 Stellar Awards, five Dove Awards, one Soul Train Music Award, two NAACP Image Award nominations and three BET Award nominations.

Pastor Norful and his wife, First Lady Carla Norful, launched Victory Cathedral Worship Center in 2005 outside of Chicago, where he serves as senior pastor. Victory is now a multicampus ministry in Chicago, Birmingham and Atlanta, with thousands attending weekly by way of the online Global Campus.

Joining Pastor Norful will be Rev. Melvin Dawson & The Genesis Fellowship Delegation. This South Florida based choir have performed throughout the United States and have shared the stage with Kirk Franklin, Dottie Peoples, Donald Lawrence & Tri-City Singers, and more.

FREE GOSPEL SUNDAYS is made possible with the leadership support of Rodney and Michelle Adkins, as well as the generous support of the Green Family Foundation Trust, Baptist Health South Florida, The Israel, Rose, Henry and Robert Wiener Charitable Foundation, the Friends of Free Gospel Sundays, 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 State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

ABOUT THE ARSHT CENTER’S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS
FREE GOSPEL SUNDAYS 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 105,000 people throughout its 16-year history, the programs broaden community participation and open the sights, sounds and possibilities of the world through the performing arts. New programs include:  Broadway on Biscayne, a series of pre-and post- performance experiences giving audiences a closer look at the shows; and Club Broadway which brings together a cohort of teen Broadway enthusiasts for shows and workshops. Existing programs include: Family Fest (Presenting Sponsor: Baptist Health), a season of free performances featuring the world's leading family-friendly artists; The Heritage Project (Presenting Sponsor: Bank of America), a free salon series and annual festival featuring panel discussions surrounding performing arts and social justice in the Black community; AileyCamp Miami, a full-scholarship, six-week summer dance 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; Accessing the Arts Residencies, art workshops for children and adults with disabilities; and  Arsht on the Road (Presenting Sponsor: TD Bank), a series of free pop-up performances that bring the arts into Miami-Dade County's diverse neighborhoods.

@ArshtCenter                       #ArshtCenter

*All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. 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, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

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AboutUs
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 60,000 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.