The Miami Beach Department of Tourism and Cultural Development has been awarded a $150,000 grant from the Knight Foundation to continue the production of Sleepless Night, a 13-hour, citywide arts celebration. Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower accepted the award from Alberto Ibargüen, President and CEO of Knight Foundation, at a gala ceremony on Dec.1 at the Miami Art Museum.
This prestigious grant in support of Sleepless Night was one of only 31 projects funded out of 1,643 proposals to the Knight Foundation Arts Partnership, the Knight Foundation’s new five-year, $40 million program initiative to transform the South Florida arts. The effort includes endowment grants to leading arts institutions, plus a community-wide contest to fund the best arts ideas.
“I’m thrilled that the Knight Foundation recognized Sleepless Night’s transformative power to create community and increase cultural awareness,” Mayor Bower said. “This generous vote of confidence will ensure that Sleepless Night in 2009 will be even bigger and better than before.”
Sleepless Night, which will next take place Nov. 7, 2009, is a sundown-to-sunrise, free arts celebration to mark the end of Daylight Savings Time. It is produced by the City of Miami Beach Department of Tourism and Cultural Development and Cultural Arts Council in collaboration with every cultural organization in the city, together with private businesses and individuals. It offers free museum admissions, indoor and outdoor art installations and performances, architectural tours, dance (and dancing,) theater, music, film, slam poetry, fashion shows, acrobatics, comedy and other cultural offerings, all presented without admission charge at over 80 different venues spread throughout the city and the 13-hour night. Free shuttle buses with onboard arts programming connect the various zones of activity, especially in and around South Beach, with remote parking for the duration of the event.
The last Sleepless Night presented more than 130 arts and entertainment events to over 100,000 residents and visitors of all ages. “It was the best multi-genre arts event I’ve ever enjoyed here in South Florida – in over three decades!” said Ed Bell, producer and host of WLRN 91.3FM’s “South Florida Arts Beat.” “Sleepless Night will prove to be South Florida’s premiere annual arts extravaganza.”
Sleepless Night 2009 will include the world premiere of “Bounce Theory,” a commissioned collaboration of Animate Objects Physical Theater and the electronica duo Phoenicia; a spectacular outdoor music and light performance/installation by Mass Ensemble; the South Florida premiere of video artist Toni Dove’s stunning interactive thriller “Spectropia;” curated site-specific visual art installations and much, much more.
The Knight Foundation Arts Partnership is a five-year, $40 million initiative to transform the South Florida arts. The effort includes endowment grants to leading arts institutions, plus a community-wide contest to fund the best arts ideas.
