THE LIBRARIES DIVISION AND CULTURAL DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION
This item supports the Board's Value of "Cultivating community culture, arts, recreation and life-long learning" and Goal 1: Provide diverse artistic, cultural, educational, and historical amenities and programs that contribute to a vibrant, multi-cultural and economically-viable community.
The County’s inaugural chalk art festival, Chalk-Lit Festival, on January 13, 2018, will serve as the kickoff to the Libraries Division 2018 Big Read Project, a community-wide reading project featuring the book In the Time of the Butterflies by award-winning author Julia Alvarez. This unique event combines arts and literature in support of the National Endowment for the Arts initiative. The Big Read 2018 events will include book and film discussions, lectures, visual arts workshops, and cultural programs featuring the Dominican Republic.
The Chalk-Lit Festival will feature 2D and 3D chalk artists creating murals at the Main Library, 3D printing stations, face painting, museum-curated workshops, and crafting with art materials for all ages. Leading the County’s first chalk art festival is renowned artist and arts educator Carrie Bennett of Lighthouse Point, who specializes in creating local and international large-scale chalk murals and directs public art collaborations in communities to awaken creative growth in young artists.
The Agreement provides for closing a portion of Southeast First Avenue and permission for food truck inspection and operation as a component of the Chalk-Lit Festival. The Agreement has been reviewed and approved as to form by the Office of the County Attorney. The City of Fort Lauderdale is expected to consider the item at their city commission meeting on January 3, 2018. Upon adoption of the item, it will be transmitted to the County for final execution and will be noted in the Monday Night Memo. |