FRIDAY

Uneasy riders: South Florida’s newest team, the Florida Freedom of the Professional Bull Riders league, will make their home debut this weekend during their inaugural homestand at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. Featuring teenage phenom John Crimber, the No. 1 pick in the recent PBR draft, the Freedom will compete at 7:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2:45 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $20+, or $99+ for a three-day pass. Visit Instagram.com/flfreedompbr or pbr.com/teams/florida-freedom.

A new dish: Fort Lauderdale chef Paula DaSilva (once of Gordon Ramsay’s reality-TV competition “Hell’s Kitchen”) continues her monthly culinary series Paula’s Food Diaries at Burlock Coast Seafare & Spirits in Fort Lauderdale with an August menu featuring a favorite dish by celebrity chef and friend Aarón Sánchez. Debuting this weekend, Sánchez’s Cobia Tiradito ($23) is composed of thinly sliced cobia paired with Creole tomatoes, crispy hominy and an array of seasonings, dressed in a tiradito sauce made with yuzu juice and white soy sauce. It will be available at Burlock Coast, the waterfront restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, through Aug. 31. Visit BurlockCoast.com.

Power trip: Teatro Avante’s 38th annual International Hispanic Theatre Festival of Miami at the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts offers performances of “Disonancia” (Dissonance), prolific Havana-born playwright Abel González Melo’s compelling treatise on the lasting effects of authoritarian regimes on society. Performances (in Spanish with English supertitles) will be at 8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $29-$34+ at ArshtCenter.org.

Weekend laughs: Comedian and South Florida native Brittany Brave, most widely known locally as a sassy Hits 97.3 radio personality, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday on the Box 2.0 stage at the Boca Black Box Center for the Arts in Boca Raton. Tickets cost $28+ at BocaBlackBox.com. … Cult-fave comic and sports podcaster Sam Morril (also an unrepentant Knicks fan) has performances at the Miami Improv at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $30+ at MiamiImprov.com. … Veteran stand-up and talk-show fixture Steve Byrne will be at the Dania Improv in Dania Beach for performances at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $22+ at DaniaImprov.com.

Weekend beers: Friday is International Beer Day, unlike every other day. Here are some ways to celebrate: NOBO Brewing Co. in Boynton Beach recently unveiled Dragon Fruit Imperial Blonde Ale with extra dragon — it checks in at 12% ABV. Visit Instagram.com/nobobrewing. … Funky Buddha Brewery is offering the IPA Maximum Effort, a marriage of blood orange and fiery habanero, on draft in the Oakland Park taproom. Visit Facebook.com/FunkyBuddhaBrew. … Tarpon River Brewing in downtown Fort Lauderdale will bring back its beloved Watermelon Wit for the first time in five years on Saturday, which is — as you know — National Watermelon Day. Visit Facebook.com/tarponriverbrewing.

Summer haze: Funky SoCal groovers Slightly Stoopid and Dirty Heads will unfurl their infectiously sunny soundtrack at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Friday at 6 p.m. (doors open at 4:30 p.m.). Common Kings and The Elovaters complete the bill. Tickets start at $45.15+, with $1 from every ticket sold going to the Maui Food Bank. Visit LiveNation.com.

Sunday worship: Twenty-five years after they formed on Long Island, emo heroes Taking Back Sunday will perform at Revolution Live at the Backyard in Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 7 p.m., on a bill with openers Citizen. The tour supports the album “152,” which was released in October. To the surprise of no one, the all-ages show is down to resale tickets starting at about $100+. Check availability at JoinTheRevolution.net.

Weekend movies: Some favorite female actors will be found on FLIFF screens this weekend: Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep,” “Seinfeld”) delivers a powerful performance in A24 Films’ emotional fairy tale “Tuesday,” playing the mother of a teenage daughter as they face Death, in the form of a talking bird. The film will be shown at Savor Cinema in downtown Fort Lauderdale from Friday to Sunday. … Cinema Paradiso in Hollywood devotes its screen all weekend to “The Fabulous Four,” which follows a bachelorette celebration in Key West among friends played by Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Megan Mullally. (The Daily Beast pronounced it “chintzy but pleasingly familiar — and very funny.”) For information on both films, visit FLIFF.com.

Two nights of Jonas: The forever-young Jonas Brothers bring the tour supporting their 2023 Jon Bellion-produced release “The Album” to Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood for performances at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets for both shows are available, starting at $55+. Visit MyHRL.com. 

Electric vehicle: A performance by Miami-based, Latin-funk fusionistas Electric Piquete is the centerpiece of Friday’s Art After Dark events at the Norton Museum of Art in downtown West Palm Beach. Art After Dark, with docent tours of the museum and art workshops (this week by guest teaching artist Gregory Dirr), runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Electric Piquete performs from 6 to 8 p.m. Art After Dark tickets cost $10, or $5 for students. Visit Norton.org.

SATURDAY

Saturday tributes: Nationally touring Taylor Swift simulator Rikki Lee Wilson will perform from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday at Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach. General admission tickets cost $20, or $10 for children age 12 and younger. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Visit Galuppis.com. … Turnstiles, Tony Monaco’s popular homage to Billy Joel, will return to The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $30+ for general-admission standing room. Visit FunkyBiscuit.com. … Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale will host The Linkin Park Tribute from Orlando and Miami-based Lavola’s excellent tribute to Radiohead on Saturday. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $15+. Visit JoinTheRevolution.net.

Emo night: More than just another night of sing-alongs, Emo Night Karaoke will allow you to sing your heart out to your favorite teary-eyed anthems in front of a live band. Taking place on Saturday at West Palm Beach music venue The Banyan Live (8199 Southern Blvd.), the 18-and-older event begins at 9 p.m., with doors opening at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $15. Visit TheBanyanLive.com.

Something different: In Margate on Saturday, Tribe Tea Lounge, “where the art of tea meets the magic of community,” will host TribeCon, with a gaming tournament, a $100 cosplay contest,  food trucks, DJs, vendors, raffles and more. The fun runs from 5 to 11 p.m. Admission is $5 in advance, $10 at the door (and includes a free drink). Tribe Tea Lounge is at 1448 N. State Road 7. Visit Instagram.com/tribetealounge.

SUNDAY

Fashionable brunch: Alert Lady Whistledown! Thrōw Social in downtown Delray Beach will be the setting for the Bridgerton Brunch on Sunday, a celebration of the Netflix cult hit that promises decadent dishes, stylish sips, photo ops, live music, games and a best “Bridgerton” outfit contest. There will be two seatings: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 to 4:30 p.m. Seats start at $50+ for a single spot at the bar and $100+ for a table for two. The most luxe option is a cabana for up to 10 people for $600+. Visit Facebook.com/throwsocialdelray.

Pure Kane: Platinum-selling country star Kane Brown brings his In The Air Tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood at 8 p.m. Sunday, with scattered seats starting at $65+. Dylan Schneider (“Bad Decisions,” “Ain’t Missin’ You”) opens. Visit MyHRL.com.  

LOOKING AHEAD

Sweet dreams are made of this: Funky Buddha Brewery and Wilton Creamery will again collaborate on the popular Ice Cream and Beer Pairing on Thursday, Aug. 8, with five beers presented alongside five small-batch ice cream servings. Tickets cost $25 plus a 20% gratuity. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. Visit FunkyBuddha.com.

Let’s get rocked: Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Def Leppard will bring their stadium-scale hits to the intimate confines of Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Friday, Aug. 9. Scattered tickets remain, starting at $259+. Visit MyHRL.com. 

‘Girls’ night out: Influential podcaster, TikToker and author Drew Afualo and sister Deison will be at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, on the “Two Idiot Girls Live” tour supporting Drew’s patriarchy-smashing manifesto “Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve.” Tickets to the all-ages appearance cost $30.50+. Visit JoinTheRevolution.net.

Garden memories: The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach hosts its annual Obon Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10-11. The traditional Japanese festival and holiday honors the spirits of ancestors, who make a brief return home to visit their living relatives. Tickets are on sale:  $16 for adults; $10 for children (free for museum members). Visit Morikami.org.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.

Close at hand are his myriad day-to-day administrative duties. More generally, he never loses sight of the event’s mission to unite dance across borders. And, tending to his art’s past glories, he aims to invest in its productive future.

Complemented by other activities, the festival’s contemporary and classical performances will take place from Friday, Aug. 2, through Sunday, Aug. 11, at different South Florida locations including Fort Lauderdale’s Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The events close with the Gala of the Stars at The Fillmore Miami Beach, where the yearly dance culture and criticism recognition will be given to Perfecto Uriel, from Spain’s Casa de la Danza and Danza en Escena magazine.

This year, there are eight participating companies from countries ranging from Uruguay and Brazil to Serbia and Romania. Compañía Nacional de Danza de México, on the roster since the festival’s inception, is also scheduled to return. Jiménez coordinates festival logistics including visa approvals, which he confides can be a concern for participants from abroad.

“Visa denials or last-minute injuries may throw off the flow of a program,” says Jiménez. In such cases, he must race to make rearrangements and substitutions. But, he emphasizes, “you just can’t let that sour the artistic experience. It’s part of who I am to find a solution whenever a problem pops up.”

Joining the Latin Americans and Europeans, this edition will bring members of troupes from Milwaukee (a longtime and frequent presence), Pittsburgh and Kansas City. Performances by Jiménez’s Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami, plus Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami and Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, will round out the offerings from locals, for a total of 18 troupes for the main programs.

Representing Milwaukee Ballet in the classical lineup, Cuban-born-and-trained ballerina Marize Fumero takes personal and professional pleasure in her decade of appearances here.

“In these, I can see myself maturing both as an artist and a woman,” she says.

Upon her 2014 arrival in Miami, the festival opened to her the doors of its headquarters at the historic Warner House by the Miami River, easing Fumero’s way into a new life in the American dance arena. From then on, she’s taken to stages far and wide, but Miami still holds a special place in her heart. Applause here seems different — closer to the sounds of family, she feels — which makes her especially happy to come back as a fully confident artist, ready to regale audiences with a passionate scene from Kenneth MacMillan’s “Manon,” its music surging from Jules Massenet’s Romantic-era score.

While championing the bravura of the classical pas de deux, Jiménez has also secured a place for the shadows and shimmer of today’s ballet. An Imperial-to-Soviet Russian style informs his company’s offers: a duet from “Raymonda” — with its 19th-century Marius Petipa choreography to an Alexander Glazunov score variously staged throughout history — and “Diana and Acteon,” to the delight of diehard balletomanes, its grim myth transformed by literal leaps and bounds into a love fest between goddess and hunter.

But then Dimensions brings two sensitively paced pairings, their tenderness and tensions closer to the pulse of our own emotions. Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye’s “On the Sky” and Yanis Eric Pikieris’s “If” will put on view more of choreographers’ works whose premieres were warmly received at this year’s company-season finale.

“We love showing the audience a different side of ballet,” says Dimensions artistic co-director Jennifer Kronenberg, underscoring how a relatable lyricism enhances variety at an event they’ve performed in since 2017. “It’s important for us to return because this is home. We’re proud to contribute to a landscape we share with the festival.”

Kronenberg sums up the experience of appearing alongside international artists as inspiring. And that’s the effect Jiménez hoped to reinforce when he took over the festival after founder Pedro Pablo Peña died in 2018.  The current director had assisted his predecessor from the beginning of this project, but his association with Peña stretched further back.

“I’ll be forever grateful to Pedro Pablo,” says the Colombia native. “When I first came to this country in 1989, he not only offered me a scholarship to study at his then-called Creation Ballet but even a place to stay in the studio. I soon saw he could use help with work around the office and reciprocated by doing that.”

Their partnership blossomed as the festival took shape and grew, with Peña forever the tenacious custodian of big ballet dreams and Jiménez his steadfast right-hand man keen on practicalities.

“Luckily, I’d learned administrative assistance at school in Bogotá, and it came in handy with payrolls and budgets,” says Jiménez, who’d planned to study business administration until ballet won out. To the advantage of the festival, he’s the kind of artistic director whose knack for numbers goes beyond the counts in a dance phrase.

Although he’s given continuity to Peña’s achievements, Jiménez has also ushered the festival into newer territory.

“We’ve evolved for the better throughout our history,” he says, considering festival offerings from the initial single weekend to added activities now spread throughout three weeks, the last two dividing contemporary and classical programs.

The contemporary bill is about to reveal fresh faces from England’s Rambert School and France’s Arles Youth Ballet Co. And that focus on the next generation has become a priority for Jiménez.

“I’ve added a summer intensive course for ballet students, which lets them not only attend festival shows but, in some cases, also perform in them,” says the director. This educational initiative, he underscores, is also an aid to festival finances, which — as is the case with almost every cultural organization in Florida — have suffered from a gubernatorial veto of all state arts funds for the next fiscal year.

To encourage dancers who might someday return to the festival as representatives of notable companies, Jiménez has also instituted a young medalists show, a dance marathon, and Rising Stars on the Streets (which took place free of charge at Lincoln Road’s Euclid Circle) — introducing these emerging talents to our community as prologue to the upcoming main events.

“I’ve always wanted to see more of that contact,” says Jiménez. “The promise of these young people’s success, after all, is inseparable from the future of the festival.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT:  XXIX International Ballet Festival of Miami

WHEN/WHERE: 

• Contemporary I — 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, at Miami-Dade College, North Campus, Lehman Theater, 11380 NW 27th Ave., Miami
• Contemporary II — 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211th St., Miami
• Contemporary III — 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, at Broward Center of the Performing Arts, Amaturo Theater, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
• Classical Galas — 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, and 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, at Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave.

COST: Starts at $30 for Contemporary performances; starts at $58.50 for the Classical Galas; ticket prices vary based on time and location

INFORMATION: 786-747-1877; internationalballetfestival.org

ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more.

“My dad has dementia, and as I’m caring for him, I was struck with this notion of, how could I represent this visually to people? What this is like for him, what this is like for me as a caregiver,” said Beck, a South Florida artist and writer.

Beck uses quilting and photos to focus on the effects of memory, identity and dementia in “Before I Forget,” which opens along with a Main Gallery exhibit featuring Edison Peñafiel’s “Bario Alto,” Mitzi Falcón’s “Sementerxs” and Amanda Linares’ “Dialogue Across Walls.” The exhibits opened Thursday, Aug. 1, and will be on display through Saturday, Oct. 5.

Gulie Carrington, marketing and communications coordinator, said the exhibits are mainly about construction in several different ways.

“Construction seems to tie everything together, whether constructing memory, ‘Barrio Alto’ with the buildings and how easy they come down as far as being made from cardboard, and ‘Dialogue Across Walls,’ ” Carrington said. “Mitzi, as well, with the great work with ‘Sementerxs.’ ”

“Barrio Alto,” which translates to “Uptown Neighborhood,” is a showcase of black-and-white photographs featuring cardboard dioramas of cityscapes. Peñafiel said the works illustrate social-economic dynamics. Originally from Ecuador and now living in Broward County, he was surprised at how fragile the housing is in the United States.

“Each diorama unveils a unique scene portraying disparities and the construction cost of housing,” Peñafiel said. “‘Barrio Alto,’ the title, plays with ambiguity signifying both affluent neighborhoods and also poverty-stricken ‘favelas.'”

“Sementerxs” is a series of photographs of transgender construction workers from the state of Veracruz in Mexico. The workers’ boots and helmets will also be on display. Through “Sementerxs,” Falcón advocates for LGBTQ+ and labor rights.

Falcón said in Spanish that a huge earthquake in Mexico in 1985 led her mother to become a construction worker. Like her mother, the construction workers she photographed had to move to Mexico City to find jobs.

Falcón exhibits in the United States through The Ant Project, a Miami-based nonprofit founded by Guadalupe Garcia. Garcia first met Falcón in Mexico and was impressed with her work.

“The series is about making visible, not only that there are transgender people in the construction field, but also the beauty that these people embrace to their gender identification,” said Garcia, who also translated for Falcón. “They’re not just workers, they’re people, they’re human beings. They have a personality, dreams, and it’s incredible that many of them have transitioned within the construction sites.”

“Dialogues Across Walls” is part of “In the Midst of All,” an exhibition Linares started last year. Linares uses concrete, clay, wood, graphite, color pencils, cracks, insects and shadows to illustrate how our surroundings can reflect our past. “Dialogues Across Walls” will also have an interactive element, allowing museumgoers to depict their own memories.

Originally from Cuba, Linares has lived in Miami for 11 years. She said she uses concrete because of its duality, and the connection to the colonial architecture of Cuba.

“It is a material that can be very sturdy and durable, but it becomes very fragile as well. Within my work, because of the way that I use it, I create these plates that are kind of thinner, and somehow, you see the fragility of the material,” Linares said.

Museumgoers will be able to participate in different stations as part of “Before I Forget.” You could write your favorite memories on a quilt or record something you would you like to remember in the moment. There will also be a bus station that signifies people with dementia or Alzheimer’s wanting to go home.

“You’re seeing this bus stop, but you’re also going to be asked as an audience to write down what you think home is, what home is to you,” Beck said. “I really am interested in not only sharing what these ideas of memory and identity are, but learning from other people what their memories and identities are.”

The opening reception for the exhibitions will be on Thursday, Aug. 1, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Peñafiel and Linares will also lead a free conversation about their works on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Before I Forget,” “Barrio Alto,” “Sementerxs” and “Dialogues Across Walls”

WHEN: Through Oct. 5, 2024

WHERE: Coral Springs Museum of Art, 2855 Coral Springs Drive

COST: Free

INFORMATION: Call 954-340-5000, email museuminfo@coralsprings.org or visit coralspringsmuseum.org.

The calendar is about to flip to August, when the already incessant yammering about Tua and the Dolphins, Canes and Gators, another breakup of the Marlins and blah-de-blah will become even more oppressive. (I say this as a sports fan of impeccable qualifications. Fight me.)

So we look forward to celebrating other ways of looking at life, found in the bold style of Chelsea Handler and (soon) Cassadee Pope, the cult-y cinematic escapism of  “Bring It On” (anyone else forget it stars Dwyane Wade’s wife, Gabrielle Union?), the ABBA/Queen Bingo Brunch at Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton, the Pop Icons Drag Brunch at Tin Roof in Delray Beach, and the bottomless Rosa Mimosa at Miami rooftop Rosa Sky’s new disco brunch. Here we go …

FRIDAY

Local color: The Delray Walls Mural Fest will celebrate the city’s under-appreciated community of wall artists on Friday and Saturday on Old School Square, with live music, a night market, food and drink, and painters creating murals before your eyes. Events take place from 4 to 10 p.m. each day. Music highlights include the energetic Spred the Dub and Bad Apples Brass Band on Friday and local Latin-reggae favorites Bachaco with opening act La Tribu Royale on Saturday. Admission is $10, $5 for children age 12 and younger, free for kids younger than 1. Visit DelrayOldSchoolSquare.com.

Hard truths: South Florida writer, director and educator Darius V. Daughtry, founder of the nonprofit Art Prevails Project, will direct performances of his semi-autobiographical play “Seeking” at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday. The play follows a young musician’s journey of self-discovery, a sudden inheritance from an estranged father, and the influence of family history on his future. “This show is honest, and sometimes in art or in life, and more so in life, we are not very honest. Even with ourselves, right?” Daughtry told the Sun Sentinel. Tickets start at $30+ at BrowardCenter.org.

‘Lear’ here: The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival continues its free performances of “King Lear” with Shakespeare by the Palms IV Friday-Sunday at Commons Park Amphitheater in Commons Park, in Royal Palm Beach. Performances are 8-10 p.m., with a 15-minute intermission (gates open at 6:30 p.m.). Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5 per person. Visitors are encouraged to bring a beach chair, blanket and picnic basket, and on-site concessions will be available. Visit PBShakespeare.org.

Weekend movie: The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival’s new monthly retro film night, FLIFF After Hours, will screen the 2000 cult-fave high school rom-com “Bring It On” (with Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku and Gabrielle Union) at Savor Cinema on Friday. Doors open at 9 p.m. for the 10 p.m. screening. Come dressed as a favorite high school clique (to love or hate) and enjoy themed drink specials, local vendors and a movie trivia challenge before the screening (free Savor Cinema movie tickets to the winner). Tickets cost $9+ at FLIFF.com.

Recommended listening: Matt Horan and Dead Bronco will uncrate their old-school honky-tonk yearnings at Tarpon River Brewing in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Not to be missed, if that’s your vibe. Visit TarponRiverBrewing.com. … South Florida roots rockers 33 Years (led by Paula and Kevin Tolly) play the taproom at Mathews Brewing Co. in Lake Worth Beach, a perfect match of music and venue. Visit MathewsBrewingCompany.com. … Insistently independent Central Florida rockers Virginity will bring the tour supporting new album “Bad Jazz” to Invasive Species Brewing in Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village at 8 p.m. Friday, joined by locally familiar rickoLus (Rick Colado) and Ashley Reda. Visit Instagram.com/invasivespeciesbrewing. … Nearby 511 Bar & Lounge will launch its monthly Jazz & Blues Night on Friday at 7 p.m. with charismatic vocalist and producer Lucian White. Visit Instagram.com/511bar_. 

Free Buffett: Boca Raton’s free Summer in the City concert series continues on Friday at 8 p.m. with Jimmy Buffett tribute band Caribbean Chillers at the Mizner Park Amphitheater. It’s BYO chair and blanket, with chairs available to rent ($5). Food and beverages will be available to purchase inside the venue (no outside food, drinks or pets). The evening also will include the Night Market pop-up. Visit MiznerAmp.com.

Friday tributes: Hard-rocking tribute bands KISS America and Diary of an Ozzman are at Revolution Live in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Friday (doors open at 7 p.m.). Tickets start at $15+ at JoinTheRevolution.net. … Popular Eagles tribute band The Long Run returns to Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free; tables start at $30 for a two-seater. Visit Galuppis.com. … Texas Twister, a salute to Stevie Ray Vaughan and ZZ Top, plays the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton at 9 p.m. Friday. Tickets start at $15+ at FunkyBiscuit.com.

Ticket window: Actor and comedy star Kevin Hart is bringing his Acting My Age Tour to Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Sunday, Oct. 20. Tickets (starting at $108+) go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.com. … Emmy-winning actor, writer and comedian Brett Goldstein has scheduled a stop at Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, Oct. 5. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.com. … Boyz II Men will play Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Saturday, Oct. 5, with opener Robin Thicke. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at MyHRL.com. 

SATURDAY

Hollywood country: Star of prime-time TV and the Billboard charts, Blake Shelton brings 20 years of country hits to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Saturday at 8 p.m. Not surprisingly, only scattered single seats (starting at $125+) and resale tickets are available. Visit MyHRL.com.

Dancing queens: Tin Roof in downtown Delray Beach will wrap itself in a glamorous theme on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. with the Pop Icons edition of Drag Brunch ($45+ for brunch buffet and show). That evening, Drag Bingo will take over (seating at 5 p.m., show 6-8 p.m.), if you’re in the mood for something “hilariously inappropriate” ($25+, which typically includes a free drink and light bites). At 10 p.m., Tin Roof’s Disco Extravaganza dance party will showcase your favorite ear candy. Visit TinRoofDelrayBeach.com.

Get ur Freaky on: Patio Bar & Pizza in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Progresso neighborhood will celebrate its second anniversary on Saturday with Freaky Tiki, featuring DJs Ani Phearce and Rizzo, $10 Spicy Hawaiian pizzas (if you know, you know), $10 Rock ’n Roll Tequila mango margaritas and $4 Corona specials. Admission is free. Visit Instagram.com/patiobarpizza.

A new vibe: Fort Lauderdale’s Thrive Art District, an evolving downtown creative and commercial zone west of the water tower,  will host Art Walk on Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening will include live music, vendors, food and drink. A warren of stark white warehouses, Thrive may be best known as the home to the bright and warm taproom at Uncommon Path Brewing, located at 710 NW Fifth Ave. Visit Facebook.com/ThriveArtDistrict.

Saturday tributes: Sing along to your favorite memories on Saturday when Talking Heads tribute band Road to Nowhere plays restaurant-brewery Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton on Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Tickets start at $15+ for general-admission standing room, with tables also available, at CrazyUncleMikes.com. … Meanwhile, tribute bands Still Alive (Pearl Jam) and Foo Fight (Foo Fighters) take the stage at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, with doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $15+ at JoinTheRevolution.net. 

Capitol ideas: An invigorating subgenre of funk and soul that sprung from Black musicians in Washington, D.C., during the 1960s and ‘70s, the propulsive rhythms of go-go music will be celebrated during the Art of Go-Go Culture Fest on Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. at the Miami Beach Bandshell in North Miami Beach. An amalgam of music, dance and art, the event will feature performances by go-go- artists Janae Music, Backyard Band, Sirius Vybe and Black Passion. Tickets start at $65+ at MiamiBeachBandshell.com.

SUNDAY

Peruvian independence: Aventura restaurant Jarana will celebrate Peruvian Independence Day on Sunday with a DJ (1-6 p.m.) and menu specials from executive chef Martha Palacios. They include Adobo de Rabo (featuring oxtail braised for eight hours; $39; Carapulcra con Sopa Seca (crispy pork belly, Peruvian chilis, sun-dried potatoes, linguini criollo with basil; $29) and Cebiche de Pato (duck leg stewed with aji amarillo broth and yucca; $39). Jarana is at 19505 Biscayne Blvd., in the Esplanade, adjacent to Aventura Mall. Visit JaranaRestaurant.com.

Sunday laughs: Rock star comedian, author, podcaster and TV host Chelsea Handler brings her globe-trotting Little Big Bitch Tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $68+ at MyHRL.com.

Disco brunch: Buzzy Miami rooftop Rosa Sky (from Fort Lauderdale’s The Restaurant People … just saying) will showcase a new brunch menu during Sunday Soirée, which will feature a funk and disco vibe going forward. These gatherings take place from 2 to 8 p.m. (now that’s Miami time!) with a menu that features the savory Lox & Everything Board ($20), the hearty Steak & Egg Chilaquiles ($24) and their signature pink Rosey Cakes ($16). Because you asked, two cocktail staples will be the Discoteca (Grey Goose Strawberry & Lemongrass Vodka, sparkling rosé, strawberry and citrus; $18) and the  Rosa Mimosa (champagne, strawberry and lemon; $12, or $35 for two hours bottomless). Visit RosaSkyRooftop.com.

Queen for a day: Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton will host ABBA/Queen Bingo Brunch on Sunday, which can only get more lively when you factor in the free bottle of bubbly for the ladies with each entree. The party runs from noon to 4 p.m. (brunch starts at noon, bingo at 1 p.m.). Reservations recommended at CrazyUncleMikes.com.

Locals free: NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale celebrates locals on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. during Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Day, with free admission for residents and two-for-one wine in the Museum Cafe. This is your chance to see the exhibits “Glory of the World: Color Field Painting (1950s to 1983)” and “The Daily Act of Art Making” before they close next month. Bring a photo ID or residential utility bill to get the deal. Visit NSUArtMuseum.org.

LOOKING AHEAD

Cassadee is back: Once best known locally as the vocalist for West Palm Beach rock band Hey Monday, then as a Grammy-nominated Nashville country singer, Cassadee Pope comes full circle as her national tour supporting new rock album “Hereditary” comes to South Florida. Pope will perform at iconic West Palm Beach indie-rock club Respectable Street on Wednesday, July 31, on a bill with The Foxies and Natalia  Taylar. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the $18-and-older show cost $20+. Visit Facebook.com/respectablestreet.

Beer games: Garden District Tap Room in downtown West Palm Beach will host the Beer Olympics on Saturday, Oct. 3. Sponsored by 3 Sons Brewing Co., the games will feature teams of four facing off from 6 to 9 p.m. for more than $200 in prizes. Cost is $10 per person, which includes the beer. Register your team in advance at GardenDistrictWPB.com.

Obon Weekend: The popular Obon Weekend will return to the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach on Aug. 10-11, the traditional Japanese festival and holiday honoring the spirits of ancestors who make a brief return to visit living relatives. Tickets (while they last) cost $16,  $10 for children (free for museum members). Visit Morikami.org.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.

The second annual Delray Walls Mural Fest on July 26 and 27 will pair up street artists with reggae musicians for an event staged by Galera Collective and Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA).

The concerts will be headlined by South Florida bands Bachaco and Spred the Dub.

“Delray Walls Mural Fest is a summer festival and, as a tropical resort town, we see reggae as our vibe,” said DDA executive director Laura Simon. “Our goal is to have this event be a celebration of the lifestyle of Delray Beach, our Village by the Sea.”

WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR

Simon said the inaugural Delray Walls Mural Fest was such a success last year that the event has been expanded this time around. Among the new offerings:

• A special night market with vendors curated by Corey Heyman, who produces Coco Market, a monthly wellness market at Old School Square. “She has been very intentional about the vendors so that it matches the vibe of Mural Fest,” Simon said. “Expect local vendors offering food, drinks, jewelry, clothing, crystals, home goods and art.”
• More live music and headliners. Friday night’s Sunset Concert with Spred the Dub has free admission. The Saturday night concert with Bachaco is ticketed ($10).
• The art installation “Wings Over the Square” by Artist Lisa Littell, with 4-foot-tall butterflies hung on poles throughout the Old School Square campus.

Additionally, the event times have been shifted to the afternoon and evening to avoid the hottest part of the day.

“That way it’s a little more comfortable during the event,” said Simon.

THE SCHEDULE

Friday, July 26

• Opening act: Steel Drum Reggae with Brian Haddis
• Opening act: Bad Apples Brass Band
• Headliner: Spred the Dub

Saturday, July 27

• Opening act: DJ
• Opening act: La Tribu Royale
• Headliner: Bachaco

HOW IT ALL STARTED

The idea of street artists painting large murals in front of crowds was borrowed from other cities. The event is a good match for art-forward Delray Beach, according to organizers.

“Delray Walls Mural Fest was inspired by similar events in other cities such as Vancouver, Canada,” said Simon. “Delray Beach has more than 50 murals in our city, and we wanted to highlight our talented street artists. …

“When the DDA took over management and activation of Old School Square last year, we thought that this would be a perfect event to bring to the campus.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Delray Walls Mural Fest

WHEN: 4-10 p.m. July 26-27

WHERE: The Amphitheatre and Park at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. (Parking available in Old School Square garage.)

COST:

• Friday night entry is free.
• Saturday night general admission costs $10 for adults, $5 for children age 12 and younger, and free for guests younger than 1.
• There is a $50 VIP ticket option for both Friday and Saturday night.

INFORMATION: delrayoldschoolsquare.com/events

“We call to our governor because the arts are good for all of us, and it’s time to champion the cause,” said United Arts of Central Florida CEO Jennifer Evins, one of the community leaders, performers and arts advocates who spoke at a Thursday event celebrating World Fringe Day.

The governor vetoed $32 million in grants approved by the Legislature for more than 600 cultural groups statewide when he signed the budget in June. At a subsequent press conference, he blamed the Fringe, which he termed “a sexual festival,” as a reason for his veto — which eliminated funding for everything from orchestras to science centers, film festivals to ballet companies.

DeSantis says he vetoed state arts grants over ‘sexual’ Fringe Festivals

The veto caught arts organizations off guard as it marked the first time that Florida’s cultural organizations received no funding through the grants process administered by the state Division of Arts & Culture.

The Orlando and Tampa Fringes, which run annual multiday festivals of short plays, concerts, comedy acts, magic shows and other entertainment, made their proposal to DeSantis through an open letter and media event on July 11, designated World Fringe Day since 2017.

“Today I stand before you with a fire in my heart and unyielding resolve, not as a state legislator but as a person who is part of a community that is under attack,” said Lavon Bracy Davis, a Democrat member of the state House of Representatives who has served on the Florida Council of Arts and Culture. “Cutting arts funding is not just a financial decision; it is a cultural and economic misstep. It is an attack on the community that drives the economic engine that is Florida.”

“I’m fired up, y’all, I’m fired up,” said longtime Fringe artist Chase Padgett, who also performed at Thursday morning’s event.

Established in 1992, Orlando’s fest “is the longest-running and largest Fringe Festival in the United States, infusing Central Florida with vibrant arts, energy, inspiration and culture — a remarkable achievement we should all celebrate and be proud of,” said producer Tempestt Halstead.

Governor, rethink arts funding, Fringe leaders urge | Commentary

As part of their funding challenge, Fringe leaders also invited the governor, his family and his aides to a future festival, while requesting a meeting with him this fall to further discuss the nature of Fringe.

It’s not likely the offer to return the vetoed grant money so other groups can receive funding will be accepted; there’s no real precedent for a governor to undo his veto once he has signed the budget. And while the Legislature could override the veto — it would have to be called back from summer break for a special session, with two-thirds of legislators approving the change.

Sex? Grandstanding? Arts leaders, experts examine why DeSantis cut funds — and prep for future

Even if the idea comes to nothing, speakers at Thursday’s World Fringe Day event indicated it serves as a way to open dialogue with DeSantis.

“We hope we can build bridges with the governor through this unselfish action,” said Evins, who pointed out his veto affected 89 organizations in Central Florida alone.

The governor’s press office did not directly comment on the Fringe’s offer or invitation when questioned by the Orlando Sentinel, instead providing a video link to the June press conference in which DeSantis first referenced the Fringe.

“We didn’t have control over how it was being given,” DeSantis said at the time of the arts grant funding he vetoed. “So you’d have your tax dollars being given in grants to things like the Fringe Festival, which is like a sexual festival where they’re doing all this stuff.”

At Thursday’s event, former Orlando Fringe Festival producer and current board member Michael Marinaccio humorously referenced the governor’s comments while making a serious point.

“Even for me, a ‘Fringe Festival’ is a hard thing to define,” Marinaccio said. “Each one is different, and every show is new, and every experience is unique. So, I can understand and forgive the governor’s ignorance in trying to describe it. And while I’m not sure where the ‘like a sexual festival’ came from, I will concede that it’s a place where we are ‘doing all this stuff.’”

Some speakers pointed out the unfairness of penalizing arts organizations statewide if the governor objected to perceived adult content at Fringe festivals.

“The Fringe has shown me that you can create wonder and amazement without a lot of money or big sets or special effects — similar to what some of the 600 programs who will lose funding will have to go through,” said Tymisha Harris, star of “Josephine,” a musical about the legendary Josephine Baker that started at Fringe festivals and later had an off-Broadway run in New York City.

Thursday’s event and corresponding letter was also a chance to educate the public on what Fringe is, leaders said.

The open letter points out that the Fringe uses a lottery system to determine what performances are offered, so there’s no guarantee a show with adult content will even be part of the festival. And although the festival is uncensored, it is not unlawful.

“While a fraction of the work at our festivals could be ‘adults only,’ we and the artists operate within the law, including decency requirements,” Halstead read from the letter.

The letter also stresses that taxpayer money does not support any performance, adult or otherwise; performers pay their own expenses to be in the festival, and the money they earn comes solely from ticket sales from their audiences.

Taxpayer dollars, such as those received through the state grants, “help with office expenses, ADA accommodations, and staff salaries (i.e., taxpaying Floridians),” the letter notes.

Speakers stressed what the festivals give back to the community: Money to the artists, jobs to technicians and others who help stage the fests, and a boost to local businesses as that money flows into the local economy.

“You would think a governor who bills himself as a friend of small business would understand that this is more than an arts festival for patrons,” said Padgett. “It is a startup accelerator for artists like myself. And when you do not fund an organization like Orlando Fringe, you ensure that the seeds of tomorrow’s creators never sprout.”

Padgett — best known for his award-winning “6 Guitars,” which debuted at Orlando Fringe, has toured extensively and will return to Orlando with January performances at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts — issued his own cheeky challenge to DeSantis.

“Come to ‘6 Guitars’ and I’ll make you a promise,” he said. “If you get aroused at any moment, I will give you your money back and ensure you get the medical help you so clearly deserve.”

Many speakers emphasized the intangible community building provided by festivals such as the Fringe, which also offers free concerts, food and drink, a visual art gallery and a popular free program of children’s activities.

“We too often let divisive voices separate us, and art brings us back together,” said Cole NeSmith, founder of Orlando’s Creative City Project.

“Fringe Festivals are largely a reflection of the communities they serve and support,” Marinaccio said. “They are places where the fundamental values of fairness, freedom of speech, and freedom of expression are honored and protected.”

And others said the artistic spirit would triumph over political maneuvers.

“Friends, we are living in perilous times where a culture war is the flavor of the day, and the arts have become politicized and partisan,” said Bracy Davis, who questioned why DeSantis would ignore the work done by the panels who evaluate the arts grants and the Legislature, which voted to partially fund them.

Yet she sounded a hopeful note as she paid tribute to the tenacity of artists.

“We still have a mission and a purpose,” said Bracy Davis. “We must push past this dark moment and do what we are called to do.”

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news at OrlandoSentinel.com/entertainment.

FRIDAY

Weekend laughs: Comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias will be at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood this weekend for three shows that will be filmed for an upcoming Netflix special. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets start at $70+ on Sunday. Seats on Friday and Saturday are nearly gone. Visit Ticketmaster.com. … Meanwhile, comedian Alfred Robles, a frequent opener for Iglesias, will perform on the Palm Beach Improv stage at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $27.50+ at Kravis.org.

Night of the living Dead: The Symphonia chamber orchestra in Boca Raton (celebrating its 20th anniversary this month) and longtime local Grateful Dead admirers Crazy Fingers will join forces to celebrate the improvisational adventures of Jerry Garcia and his band of brothers at Mizner Park Amphitheater on Friday at 8 p.m. Part of Boca Raton’s Summer in the City series, admission to the one-night-only event is free. Visit MiznerAmp.com or  TheSymphonia.org.

“Lear” for nothing: This is opening weekend for the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival‘s free Shakespeare by the Sea XXXIV performances of “King Lear” at the Seabreeze Amphitheater at Carlin Park in Jupiter. The 8 p.m. performances are Friday through Sunday, and July 18 to 21. The company also will have Shakespeare by the Palms IV performances of “King Lear” from July 25 to 28 at the Commons Park Amphitheater at Commons Park in Royal Palm Beach. Admission to all performances is free, with a suggested donation of $5 per person. Visit PBShakespeare.org.

Country Cats: The Florida Panthers’ Baptist Health IcePlex in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Park will host Country Night on Friday, with skating to country hits from 7 to 9 p.m. Western wear encouraged. Price to skate: $17. Pre-registration required at FTLWarMemorial.com. … Meanwhile, on the other side of the Holiday Park pickleball courts, The Andrew Morris Band will be playing country hits during the free Starlight Musicals series. The music runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday. Visit Parks.FortLauderdale.gov/starlight.

Yachty by nature: Buzzy taqueria COYO Taco in downtown Fort Lauderdale (401 E. Las Olas Blvd., Suite 150) will host Yacht Rock Night on Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., with smooth jams from DJ Avg Joe, extended happy hour specials and $5 margaritas all night. Guests are encouraged to dress the part. (Ask your dad about Thurston Howell III.) Visit Coyo-Taco.com or Eventbrite.com.

Summer lovin’: The Movies by Moonlight series on the lawn at Las Olas Oceanside Park returns to Fort Lauderdale beach on Friday with a free screening of “Grease” beginning at 8:15 p.m. Movie snacks and drinks will be available to purchase onsite, but visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic, blankets and lawn chairs. Visit Facebook.com/theloopflb.

New laughs: Riverwalk SoFlo Comedy Club is an intimate new spot for laughs, putting on every-Friday shows at the lovely Masa & More restaurant in downtown Fort Lauderdale (510 SE Fifth Ave., Suite 129). With host Brett Engle leading a lineup of local comedians, performances run from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets cost $25+. Visit Eventbrite.com. 

It’s Fry Day: All four South Florida locations of World of Beer Bar & Kitchen will celebrate National French Fry Day on Friday (yes) with a contest to see who can eat 2 pounds of fries the fastest. Also celebrating its 14th anniversary this weekend, the restaurant in Coconut Creek will award $100 cash to the winner, a $50 gift card for second place and 10 raffle tickets for third. Participation is limited, and you can sign up at  Facebook.com/wobcoconutcreek. Also hosting contests with similar prizes are WOB locations in Royal Palm Beach, Miramar and Doral. Visit WorldOfBeer.com.

SATURDAY

‘Office’ trivia: Yes, the largest-ever reunion of cast and crew from popular TV show “The Office” will take place Saturday and Sunday at the Miami Airport Convention Center. The weekend will include the first fan-convention reunion of characters Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Angela (Angela Kinsey), meet-and-greets, Q&As, unique interactive photo opportunities and special merch for sale. General admission for the event, called The Reunion, is $79.95+ for Saturday, $49.95+ for Sunday and $119.95+ for both days. Guests age 6 and younger get in free. Visit ReunionCon.com. To get you in the mood, here are two trivia questions we got from “The Office” stars Kinsey and Kate Flannery (Meredith Palmer). Kate: “What happened to Meredith’s daughter?” Angela: “What is the name of the receptionist at Vance Refrigeration that Phyllis doesn’t trust?” Answers at the bottom of this article. 

Where to meat: Boca Burger Battle 2024 is back on Sanborn Square Park in downtown Boca Raton on Saturday with its popular backyard-grilling vibe and unlimited noshing and sloshing. Returning to the competition this year are past winners Burtons Grill and Bar, Yard House and Tucker Duke’s. Among the new contenders will be PZZA in Boca Raton, Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar in Boca Raton, Sonrisa restaurant at Marriott Boca Center and, from Rio de Janeiro, Sem Frescura Burger & Fries. Boca Burger Battle takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. General-admission tickets cost $69+ in advance (then $100), VIP is  $89+ in advance (then $125+). Both tickets get you unlimited burger samples and other bites, as well as unlimited beer, wine and spirits. VIP tickets include 6 p.m. admission, while GA is at 7 p.m. Perhaps not incidental to your enjoyment, locals Barrel of Monks Brewing will lead the beverages, with help from Funky Buddha Brewery, Pompano Beach Brewing Co. and others. Also for your enjoyment, new this year is a system of high-tech fans placed around the event to lower the temperature and humidity. Visit BocaBurgerBattle.com.

Mango guide: The Mango Festival returns to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami this weekend, a beloved annual showcase for hundreds of varieties of the “king fruit.”  Taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, it will include fruit vendors, cooking demonstrations, live music and family-friendly games. Insiders know to get there promptly to buy Fairchild-grown mangoes and trees, as well as the famed mango smoothies ($8 each, two for $14, and $16 for a spirit-infused smoothie). You’ll also find mango cocktails and mango craft beer from La Tropical. Tickets are $24.95+, $17.95+ for seniors, $11.95+ for kids (age 6-17), free for guests age 5 and younger. Visit FairchildGarden.org.

Yes, mango pizza: To the north, Chef Daniel Ramos of Red Splendor Farm and Palm Beach Meats in West Palm Beach will celebrate the season’s bounty with their own Mango Festival at PBM on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature a variety of farm-grown mangoes to taste and to purchase, a mango menu that includes mango pizza (courtesy of Stepdad’s Pizza), Burmese curry with green mango slaw (Ahmay’s Cuisine), mango pie (Miss Marsha’s) and more. Visit Instagram.com/redsplendorfarm and Instagram.com/palmbeachmeats.

Free jams: The free Concerts at the ArtsPark series in downtown Hollywood will bring popular roots-reggae band Jah Steve & the Counteract Crew to the lawn at Young Circle on Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. Get there in time to catch the openers, funky instrumentalists TWYN (highly recommended). You can bring a picnic, but this also may be a good time to check out Block 40 Food Hall, which has 10 eateries and a large bar just across the street. The attractive 15,000-square-foot space is on the ground floor of the 1818 Park residential tower, in the southwest “corner” of Young Circle. Visit Instagram.com/hollywoodartspark.

Weekend pie: Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop locations in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Wynwood and Coconut Grove will recognize the 10th anniversary of his first brick-and-mortar location (Wynwood) with a weekend celebration that includes slices of chocolate-dipped Key lime pie on a stick for $5. The signature treat, a throwback to Fireman Derek’s food truck days, will be available Saturday and Sunday (open noon-11 p.m. each day), while supplies last. At the Wynwood shop, festivities also will include a new mural on the building by artist Carlos Solano, with signed prints of the work ($30) raising money for local arts organizations. Each purchase of a mural print also will come with a free Fireman Derek’s Birthday Box of treats. Visit FiremanDereks.com.

Lavender haze: Miami-based Lite Up America, which has choreographed laser shows for Ultra Music Festival, III Points and Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, will shine its lights on a Taylor Swift soundtrack at Savor Cinema in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Saturday (the 13th, as her fans know). There will be two shows at 7 and 9 p.m., each featuring more than a dozen music videos from Swift’s various eras, with lasers and Lite Up America’s signature Liquid Sky, a glowing layer of color flowing over your head. Tickets cost $39+, $49+ at the door. Visit Facebook.com/LiteUpAmerica.

Seeing red: The Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar, brings The Best of All Worlds Tour to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Saturday at 7 p.m., with special guests Loverboy. Tickets start at $38.05+ as part of a four-pack. Visit LiveNation.com.

Saturday comedy: Longtime writer and performer on the “Comedy Central Roast” series, Tony Hinchcliffe brings the barbed wit heard on his “Kill Tony” podcast to The Parker in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $39.75+ at ParkerPlayhouse.com.

Home boy: Acclaimed Wilton Manors blues guitarist Albert Castiglia and his band will be at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Saturday to celebrate his new album, “Righteous Souls,” scheduled for release on July 19. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show start at $20+ for standing room at FunkyBiscuit.com. For more on the album, visit Facebook.com/albertcastigliaband.

SUNDAY

Dare ya: DAER dayclub at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood will host a Copa America watch party by the pool on Sunday beginning at 4 p.m. The music will be by DJ Pope, longtime sideman for Colombian star J. Balvin, so you might want to leave your Messi jersey at home. Tickets cost $30+. Visit HardRockNightlife.com.

Sisters with voices: You’ve seen Bravo’s TV series “The Queens of R&B” — now witness the real thing. R&B groups Xscape and SWV bring the tour that shares its name with the 2023 TV show to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Sunday at 7 p.m. Other 1990s female hitmakers on the bill include Mya, 702 and Total. Tickets start at $41.30+ LiveNation.com.

It’s always Sunny: Sunny Side Up Market’s OG event in the MASS District in downtown Fort Lauderdale (844 NE Fourth Ave.) has been bringing the fruits of farmers and artisans together for five years. It returns on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., with more than 40 vendors, food trucks, live music and more. You can pre-game at 11 a.m. with an hour of yoga and mimosas across the street under the trees at The Parker (BYO mat). Visit Instagram.com/sunnysideupmarket.

‘Office’ trivia answers

What happened to Meredith’s daughter? Kate Flannery: “It was mentioned that she had a daughter in ‘The Alliance’ episode, the one where Michael throws Meredith a birthday party even though it’s not her birthday. We did a webisode where Meredith explains that her ex-husband got her daughter, the nice one, and she got stuck with the son.”

What is the name of the receptionist at Vance Refrigeration that Phyllis doesn’t trust? Angela Kinsey: “I was just rewatching the (“Cafe Disco”) episode where Phyllis is not happy with Bob Vance’s new receptionist. It’s Jessica.”

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.

FRIDAY

Backyard party: Pompano Beach Arts and South Bar & Kitchen on Friday will kick off a new summer event called the Backyard Jam Concert Series, taking place from 6 to 10 p.m. on the first and third Fridays of the month in July, August and September. The setting will be Old Town’s Backyard, one of the city’s signature outdoor hangout spaces tucked under a massive tree behind South Bar & Kitchen. Along with South’s Dixie-centric food and drink, the inaugural gathering will have pop, rock and funk covers by locals Sacred Union (including former members of popular funk band B-Side Jones). Visit PompanoBeachArts.org.

Country in Flagler: Recently opened 511 Bar & Lounge in Flagler Village will go full ‘Murica with live country music and celebrated barbecue on Friday. In the beautiful indoor-outdoor space once occupied by restaurant-bar Aqui, the 511 party will feature music from Miami boot-scooter Gabriel Key and his band (as seen at this year’s Seaglass Rose Experience on the beach) at 7 p.m. The meat will come from Delray Beach-based  Mistah Lee’s Smokin’ Good BBQ, which was recently voted the best barbecue spot in South Florida by Sun Sentinel readers. Drinks-wise, there will be $7 house margaritas (by El Bandido Tequila) in flavors such as mango, peach, prickly pear, passion fruit, strawberry and watermelon from 4 to 7 p.m. ($10 after 7 p.m.). You’ll also find $3 Busch Light drafts and $6 tequila shots all night. God bless the U.S.A. Visit Instagram.com/511bar_.

Friday tributes: Revolution Live in downtown Fort Lauderdale will offer a double bill of The Chili Poppers (a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute) and American Idiots (Green Day tribute) on Friday night. Tickets start at $9.25+ as part of a four-pack at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. Visit JoinTheRevolution.net. … ELO tribute Ticket to the Moon is at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Friday at 9 p.m. Tickets start at $25+ for general-admission standing room. Visit FunkyBiscuit.com.

Old chum: Coral Gables Art Cinema’s plan to screen a 4K restoration of the ultimate Fourth of July thriller, Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic “Jaws,” on Thursday was such a great idea that tickets soon disappeared. But, fear not, the theater has added an encore screening on Friday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $11.75+, $10 for military, students and seniors. Visit GablesCinema.com.

Freedom of expression: The Boca Raton Museum of Art will continue its free-admission offer, so popular last month, through the end of July. Among the best reasons to get to the inviting Mizner Park venue is the exhibit “Myths, Secrets, Lies, and Truths: Photography from the Doug McCraw Collection.” The works from the Fort Lauderdale arts patron (and creator of the original FAT Village) include more than 100 pieces from five artists: Hank Willis Thomas, Liesa Cole, Karen Graffeo, Sheila Pree Bright and Spider Martin. You may find the themes that reverberate in the work of the latter two photographers particularly compelling and instructive this weekend. Bright’s work is from her “Young Americans” series, in which she invited a cross-section of young people new to the voting process to pose with the American flag while recording their thoughts on the banner’s meaning. The late Spider Martin was an acclaimed newspaper photojournalist best known for images taken at the height of the 1960s Civil Rights movement. The Boca Raton Museum exhibit offers historic images from the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March, including the attack on peaceful marchers by state troopers at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, an iconic incident known as Bloody Sunday. For more information, visit BocaMuseum.org.

Put on your boogie shoes: Almost since their formation in Hialeah in 1973, KC and the Sunshine Band have been an essential part of the classic disco-era soundtrack, both because of the hits (“Get Down Tonight,” “That’s the Way,” “Keep It Comin’ Love” and “Boogie Shoes,” among many others) and singer Harry Wayne Casey’s charismatic joy in sharing them. The band’s 50th anniversary celebration tour continues at 8 p.m. Friday at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood. Tickets start at $40+ at MyHRL.com.

Bags of booze: Bodega Taqueria y Tequila locations in downtown Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach will get an early start on festivities, opening at 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday with DJ sets and drink specials. Be on the lookout for Bodega’s summer-themed cocktail pouches. Priced at $14 each, they come in four flavors: Pico Picante (Gran Centenario Plata Tequila, lime, spicy agave, cucumber); Purple Paloma (400 Conejos Mezcal infused with butterfly pea flower, lime, grapefruit, agave, Owen’s grapefruit mixer); Margarita (Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila, lime, agave); and Strawberry Lemonade (E11even Vodka, lemon, agave, strawberry). Visit BodegaTaqueria.com.

Weekend anime: Cinema Paradiso in downtown Hollywood will host the Studio Ghibli Mini Film Fest, with multiple screenings Friday through Tuesday of three anime classics from the revered animation studio: “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,” “Spirited Away” and “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.” Tickets cost $9+. For tickets, showtimes and more information on the films, visit FLIFF.com/anime.

Room with a view: One of the freshest new gathering spots in South Florida is Bar Capri, the rooftop lounge that opened a few months ago above Elisabetta’s Ristorante, Bar and Pizzeria in downtown West Palm Beach. The covered space has 75 seats, doesn’t take reservations, but is definitely worth a try anytime this weekend. Bar Capri is open at 4 p.m. Monday-Friday,  and at noon Saturday-Sunday. Bonus: Bar Capri serves Elisabetta’s popular pizza and bar bites, as well as cocktails, wine and beer. Visit BarCapriWPB.com.

Late-night eats: This taco news just in … Velvet Taco in downtown Fort Lauderdale is now open until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Not that you ever need a taco that late, but now you can inform those crazy friends of yours. Visit VelvetTaco.com.

Life is not fair: Speaking of independence, news came this week that Punk in the Park: American Road Trip — a festival featuring Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, T.S.O.L., Alkaline Trio, The Vandals and others — is coming to Florida on Sept. 14. In Orlando. Or-freaking-lando?! Do they even have a Stanley Cup?! Tickets just went on sale for $59+, VIP $149+. Visit PunkInThePark.com.

SATURDAY

Go Flamingo: The ninth annual FlockFest Beach Party, taking place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, is the centerpiece of a weekend of FlockFest-themed events that will raise money for local charities  through Sunday. Hosted by FayWhat?!, the beach gathering will feature DJ Deanne, food and drink, and the iconic FlockFest Flamingo Float (try saying that three times without losing your margarita). For the complete FlockFest calendar and ticket prices for various events, visit FlockFestEvents.org.

Pride of Medellin: Colombian singer, songwriter and producer Feid, a.k.a. Ferxxo,  brings his FerxxoCalipsis Tour 2024 to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $60+ at Ticketmaster.com. … Feid’s official DJ, Sebaxxss, is scheduled to perform at the official after-party that begins at 10 p.m. Saturday at DAER nightclub at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. Tickets start at $40+. Visit HardRockNightlife.com.

Green street: Garden District Taproom, the self-pour taproom and beer garden in downtown West Palm Beach, will host a Vegan Street Party on Saturday from 2 to 8 p.m., celebrating the plant-based lifestyle with food, drinks, shopping, a DJ and a welcoming zen. Visit Facebook.com/GardenDistrictWPB.

South Florida blues: Local blues-guitar favorite JP Soars will stop at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Saturday on a tour supporting his new album, “Brick by Brick” (Little Village Foundation), which was released June 30. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show start at $20+ for standing room, $25+ for table seating. For information about the show, visit FunkyBiscuit.com. For more on Soars and the album, visit Facebook.com/jpsoars. … Coming next Saturday, July 13, acclaimed Wilton Manors guitarist Albert Castiglia and band will be at The Funky Biscuit with music from his new album, “Righteous Souls,” set for release on July 19. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show start at $20+ for standing room at  FunkyBiscuit.com. Castiglia’s recent collaboration with guitarist Mike Zito, “Blood Brothers,” won the award for best blues rock album at the 2024 Blues Music Awards. For more on Castiglia and the album visit Facebook.com/albertcastigliaband.

Island stylin’: Mathews Brewing Co. in Lake Worth Beach celebrates the 50th state in the union with its annual Luau Party on Saturday from 2 p.m. to midnight. Hawaiian attire recommended. Popular locals taking the stage include Girlfriend Material, Reverse Oreo, Maximum Friction, Ambush,  Billy Doom is Dead, Sewerside Bombers, Young Cassidy and D-Gen$. You’ll also find specialty beers Toasted Coconut Cream Ale and Pineapple Express Piña Colada, and free cake (get there early). Visit Instagram.com/mathewsbrewingco.

Saturday tributes: Excellent Boston/Styx tribute band Smokin’ Renegade performs at Boca Raton restaurant-brewery Crazy Uncle Mike’s at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $15+ at CrazyUncleMikes.com. … Jimmy Buffett tribute The Caribbean Chillers will play Stage 954 at The Casino @ Dania Beach on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $23+ at CasinoDaniaBeach.com.

SUNDAY

Magic in Sunrise: R&B enchantress Jhené Aiko will be at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Sunday at 7 p.m., part of The Magic Hour Tour, her first headlining tour in six years. The opening-night concert last month charmed a Detroit Free Press reviewer, who praised Aiko’s “stealthily compelling performance of modern quiet-storm music with her own hippie-trippy touch.” Tickets for Sunday’s concert start at $52+ at SeatGeek.com. Supporting acts include Coi Leray, Tink, UMI and Kiana Ledé.

Weekend burger: You may be able to get your hands on one of the region’s great sandwiches on Sunday at Laser Wolf in Fort Lauderdale‘s Progresso neighborhood when Takeshi Kamioka of Kaminari Ramen food truck and Jay Rok of popular pop-up Eat BMC Smash Burgers collaborate on their infamous Ramen Patty Melt. They’ll serve from 3 p.m. until there are none left. Visit Instagram.com/laser_wolf.

Sunday tribute: Performing at Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton on Sunday, Face Value is a tribute to Phil Collins and his Genesis years by a band made up of Nashville session musicians. It’s a soundtrack that cuts across generations and demographics in interesting ways. Ask Mike Tyson. The show begins at 7 p.m., with tickets starting at $20+ for general admission. Seats at a table for four cost $20 each, with a $25 food and drink minimum. For tickets and a menu of other table options, visit CrazyUncleMikes.com.

Party like it’s 2004: Emo staples Hawthorne Heights brings the tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of debut album “The Silence in Black and White” to the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday. Other MySpace-era bands on the bill include Anberlin, I See Stars and Armor for Sleep. Not surprisingly, the show is sold out, but resale tickets on StubHub were available starting at $80+. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Visit CultureRoom.net.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.

DeSantis pointed to one program put on by one grant recipient, a “fringe festival,” which was in line to receive $7,369 in state matching money as the reason he vetoed $32 million of arts and culture money for organizations throughout the state.

Speaking Thursday, DeSantis said there was insufficient oversight and control of the state money that had been going to such organizations. All the grants he vetoed had been screened and vetted by a panel that included people he appointed and also approved by the Republican-controlled state Legislature.

“Well, if you look at, so this is money that would go and we didn’t have control over how it was being given. So you have your tax dollars being given in grants to things like the Fringe Festival, which is like a sexual festival where they’re doing all this stuff,” DeSantis said.

“And it’s like how many of you think your tax dollars should go to fund that? Not very many people would do that. And so when I see money being spent that way, I have to be the one to stand up for taxpayers and say, ‘You know what, that is an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars.’”

He didn’t provide specifics.

In response to a request for details, DeSantis’s deputy press secretary forwarded an image and description of one production at the Tampa International Fringe Festival. Tampa Fringe was in line for $7,369 of the $32 million in state grant money DeSantis vetoed.

This is the description:

“Tampa’s favorite wacky playwright Christen Hailey births another hilariously sexy mystery, featuring characters and locales from the Perilousverse: Captain Havoc returns to Cockroach Bay after years of service flying the Jizz Jet for the Secret Queen of Tampa. But there’s no rest for the wicked when a greedy developer wants to tear down the whole town and build a super kinky swinging senior center.

“Will Captain Havoc and the Big-Titty Bog Witches save the day? FAFO!”

Tampa Fringe, describes itself as a 10-day festival that includes a range of performances, from someone ranting about the rising price of gas to a new musical to a gospel soloist.

The Tampa Fringe website indicated there were two performances of the show that offended DeSantis, on June 15 and 16, at a 40-seat theater. Tickets cost $13 each.

Arts Council

DeSantis commented in response to a question at a news conference in Auburndale after he announced some state transportation funding. At the same time, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture was meeting via video  conference.

The 15-member council is made up of members appointed by DeSantis and the Senate president and House speaker, both Republicans.

The Council is in charge of the extensive vetting of grant applications and recommended to the Legislature all of the recipients of grants that ultimately were vetoed. The House and Senate then reduced the recommended amounts and included them in the state budget.

Council members said the screening process is lengthy; organizations around the state recently submitted their proposals for funding in the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2025.

DeSantis’ comments indicated dissatisfaction with the Council’s performance, based on how the money is spent. He said he wants changes.

“The Legislature needs to reevaluate how that’s being done. You know, we don’t need to say that somebody that’s working hard is paying taxes. I can go to you and say, hey, we’ve got a very small budget compared to our state’s population. We have a low tax burden all this. But this transportation, these, these roads are important. I can sell that. Education is important. I can sell that. Preserving our natural resources is important. I can sell that. I can’t sell the Fringe Festival to taxpayers. Nor would I want to try to sell the Fringe Festival to taxpayers.”

At the Council meeting, DeSantis appointee Carroll Hanley Goggin, of Winter Park, said she’s been contacted by many people wanting to know what happened and why. She said the applications were vetted extensively and recipients are required to provide metrics showing the results of the government spending.

“I’m a little frustrated. I know we need to look forward,” she said, adding that she was both “surprised” and “a little baffled by (the veto), and would like to know a little bit more myself as well.”

Sandra Mortham, a former state representative and former Florida Secretary of State, told fellow Arts and Culture Council members “obviously the governor felt strongly about this.”

Lisa Burgess, another DeSantis-appointed member of the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, disagreed with his decision in a weekend interview with WPLG-Ch. 10.

“I’d like to state that while I’m a supporter of Governor DeSantis and I voted for him, and I do think he’s doing a great job with the state, nobody gets it right 100% of the time, and I do think he got this decision wrong,” Burgess said. “We were shocked that the funding was cut so drastically.”

Burgess, the owner of New River Fine Art, a gallery on Las Olas Boulevard, could not be reached this week by phone or email, and did not appear to be participating in Thursday’s council meeting.

DeSantis appointed Burgess to the Council on Arts and Culture in 2020. On June 7, DeSantis announced he was reappointing her for a second term.

Veto surprise

DeSantis vetoed the money on June 12 — just 20 days before the July 1 start of the state’s fiscal year when the organizations believed their grants would start flowing.

The elimination of the $32 million in arts and culture grants was part of the $949.6 million he vetoed from the $116.5 billion state budget for the new fiscal year. He cut just enough to bring the total of the new budget below the level of the current year’s projected spending.

DeSantis boasted about keeping spending flat, and what he projected as $17 billion in state reserves.

David Jobin, president and CEO of The Our Fund Foundation, said the state’s healthy reserves shows the arts and culture veto was unnecessary.

“The money’s there. This is not a poor state,” he said.

The state Legislature passed the budget continuing the arts and culture money on March 8; affected organizations said they didn’t expect the veto that came three months later.

“Clearly this took us by surprise. We had no sort of forewarning that this was going to happen,” said David Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.

Phillip Dunlap, director of the Broward County Cultural Division, said via email that the state reduction “was a surprise and is without precedent.”

Community response

The Our Fund Foundation is raising money for eight South Florida groups that are largely LGBTQ oriented with the goal of making them whole by giving them the same amount they would have received from the state.

Jobin said Our Fund Foundation decided soon after the veto was announced that the LGBTQ community should take collective action.

“We’re tapping people in South Florida who have an appreciation for the arts to, frankly, make his action null and void,” Jobin said. “We’re going to fill that gap for LGBTQ organizations, and they’re not going to suffer from this act.”

Our Fund is asking for contributions to support the lost state grant money that would have gone to ArtsUnited, Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida; Island City Stage; Plays of Wilton; South Florida Pride Concert Band; Stonewall National Museum, Library & Archives; Thinking Cap Theatre; and the World AIDS Museum.

Each would have received from $5,687 to $42,300.

Jobin said the $170,500 goal would cover the vetoed total for the eight organizations. Our Fund set a July 31 deadline; eight days after it first put out the word about the effort, Jobin said more than half the desired total had been raised.

“We’re an LGBTQ community foundation” with a mission “to make South Florida the most livable and thriving place in the country for LGBTQ people,” Jobin said. “When we say thriving, South Florida has the most vibrant LGBTQ arts scene in the country. There’s no city in the country — not New York, not San Francisco — that has the same number of LGBTQ theaters, that has the same number of LGBTQ music and chorus groups,” Jobin said.

Jobin said philanthropic organizations shouldn’t have to make up for cuts in state funding. “This is a unique situation because the agencies were told the money was coming,” he said. “These dollars were put into their budgets.”

Many arts organizations, from big-name brands to small theater and choral groups, have been emailing ticket buyers and financial supporters asking them to take a range of actions, from buying season tickets to increasing their contributions.

Dunlap said he’s seen efforts by individual organizations attempting to raise money, but said he’s unaware of any other broader efforts like the one from Our Fund Foundation.

Going forward

Many in the arts world said they want to focus on attempting to get grant funding included in the next state budget, for the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2025. State Rep. Chip LaMarca, the only Republican state legislator from Broward County, said in a recent interview he would support that objective.

Mortham, one of the Council members, urged people to look to the future “as opposed to necessarily looking backwards.”

“We’re calling for a measured response. As devastating as the news is, I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that the Legislature approved funding. And this was an action that took place in an election year,” Lawrence said. “And the arts are often a political football, and it seems that we have landed in this space again here.”

Lawrence said that the initial response from his and other arts and cultural organizations is to concentrate on positive messages to show why funding should come in future state budgets. He said that includes telling people — and lawmakers — that arts are important to the economy, to education, community revitalization and tourism. “These are the messages that we’ll be lifting up as we move forward.”

“Unfortunately we got caught up in election-year politics, I believe. So our task will be to reengage with those legislators, make sure they understand the impact of these cuts, and reinforce with them the importance of arts and culture moving forward,” Lawrence said.

Political heat

The arts and culture veto has received support on social media. Anonymous posts have applauded the cuts, especially to LGBTQ-related organizations.

“Over 40 publicly funded art and cultural centers in Broward today, but one lousy gun range.

And the left is blowing a gasket over less funding for the arts? We built and maintained the buildings … you fill them up,” one post said.

Another objected to funding for the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble, which rebranded last year as the Pride Concert Band. “The GOP way in the rest of the country is to win elections, then fund your opponents. Not in Florida. They can get their funding from donors, not me.”

One person wrote that supporters of the pride band are “more than welcome to fund it” themselves.

Jobin faulted DeSantis, who he said ignores the economic impact of spending on arts, and who he said is politically motivated.

“It’s short-sighted. But what do we expect from a politician who wasted $168 million to finish nearly dead last in the primary? This is what we expect from him,” Jobin said.

Jobin was referring to DeSantis’s ill-fated candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination and suggested the veto was part of a strategy appeal to GOP voters for another attempt in 2028.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon.

“We hear time and time again that the art makes people feel human,” Rudolph said.

The Art Collection offers patients, visitors and caregivers a museum experience within a healthcare setting. With more than 7,000 works of art across 225 Cleveland Clinic locations globally, the artwork is selected to promote healing and create spaces for distraction and contemplation.

Although not an artist herself, Rudolph’s passion for visual art led her to study art history at Northwestern University and eventually receive a master’s degree in art history from Case Western University.

“I learned pretty quickly in college that I wasn’t an artist per se, but in my very first art history class that I took, I realized that I am a visual learner,” Rudolph said. “I discovered that I personally feel better when I am around art and when I’m looking at art.”

Before curating for healthcare spaces, Rudolph curated at galleries and museums in Ohio.

“One of the key differences is that people don’t come to the hospital for the art. In many ways, the art finds them in a moment of need,” Rudolph said. “Even if people aren’t deliberately seeking the art out, it’s there when they need a moment of respite.”

Rudolph and her small team of curators work with artists and galleries locally, nationally and internationally to source the artwork and reflect the many stories and backgrounds represented by those walking through the hospital every day.

“It’s really important for us to reflect the diversity of patients and caregivers through the arts, so that the people, patients and caregivers feel like they are seen and reflected in the artwork on the walls,” Rudolph said.

Whether it’s visiting galleries in New York or attending Art Basel in Miami every year, the curators scan the world for contemporary pieces that emphasize their mission.

When embarking on a project or design, Rudolph and her team make it a priority to connect with the eventual viewers of the space. That could mean a specific department or institute of the hospital like cardiology or oncology.

“We make sure that we understand what the function of that particular space is going to be and what the patient needs are in those locations,” Rudolph said. “Then we tailor the selections to not just the physical space and architecture, but also to the patient’s needs.”

Across their many locations, the Cleveland Clinic aesthetic is the same — white walls and modern furniture. To Rudolph, this plain background represents endless possibilities for design.

“It’s like a wonderful blank canvas for the artwork,” Rudolph said. “It allows the art to be the thing that activates a space.”

For museum curators, it can be hard to predict how people will react to art, and for hospital art curators, that task is even more difficult. What do people want to see during vulnerable, complicated and emotional circumstances?

Beauty.

“There are very beautiful things that are appreciated by many people. Beauty in general is very much appreciated, especially when people are experiencing hardship,” Rudolph said.

Rudolph and her team have found that patients prefer landscapes and nature scenes. This observation is consistent with the theory that people have positive responses to natural environments. Studies show that colors, brightness and vividness draw out pleasure, which can induce a sense of calm within the viewer.

Even then, every person is bound to react differently to the same art piece. To Rudolph, that’s the beauty of the experience.

“We have gotten drastically different responses to the same artwork from different people. That’s the beauty of the interaction between art and people. It’s very individual,” Rudolph said. “That’s why I think it’s so important for us to have a collection that’s diverse in terms of subject matter, medium and where artists come from.”

At Cleveland Clinic Weston, a blue gradient tiled seascape decorates the main lobby. By Sandra Cinto, an artist from Brazil, the commissioned piece reflects not only the South Florida environment of the sea, sky and stars, but also the practical function of the space. Located between main lobbies and across from the cafeteria, the piece can serve many purposes for those who encounter it.

“The waves of the ocean are meant to create a little bit of a rhythm to move you through the space, but also to offer an opportunity for contemplation,” Rudolph said. “If you’re sitting in the cafeteria you have the chance to just gaze or meditate on that seascape.”

As Rudolph and her team have found, the importance of art in medicine lies in the diversity of the piece and the efforts made to eventually connect a viewer with art for an individual experience, a moment of distraction or meditation or even to simply help a visitor find their way around the hospital.

For more information about the Cleveland Clinic Art Collection, visit this website.