For those who may not have heard yet, Imperial Symphony Orchestra will be performing a free Pops Concert this Friday night, November 6, at the Lake Mirror Amphitheatre. The concert starts at 8:00, and there will be a silent auction by ISO’s Guild to support the orchestra’s educational initiatives. Don’t miss the bake sale and [...]
If it seemed like I was a little quiet this summer, it’s because the arts scene was a little quiet this summer. And without a summer issue of Art-i-Facts, along with the recent changes at the Polk Arts Alliance, it was hard for me to keep up with everything. But the good news is that [...]
Polk Museum of Art is pleased to announce that it will be receiving an NEA Recovery Act grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced direct grants to 631 nonprofit arts groups, totaling $29.775 million as part of the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Polk Museum [...]
Friday night I went to SummerJamz #2 at Polk Theatre, a joint venture between Florida Dance Theatre and Polk Theatre. It was a great show, but I was disappointed by the low turnout. Maybe it’s just because it’s the summer and people are out of town. I’ll do a better job of reminding everyone about [...]
I hope you've been over to PMoA to see the new exhibitions. One of them, Silver Linings: Delicate Drawings by Carol Prusa is really captivating. And, lucky for Lakeland, the artist will be here for the reception on July 24 at 5:30pm.
I recently found out that Polk Museum of Art had been nominated for the Nickelodeon Parents’ Pick Awards, and while I was doing research to find out exactly which categories the Museum was in, I discovered that two other Lakeland arts organizations have also been nominated for the Tampa area: Explorations V Childrens’ Museum and [...]
A couple of weeks ago, I posted about Studio 305, the new theater group operating out of Florida Dance Theatre on Main Street. I went to one of the performances of A Zoo Story, and I was really impressed. The story was enthralling and well presented. I’m not a good judge of stage acting since [...]
Today’s short but sweet post: Polk Museum of Art has a fun new “toy” in its lobby. It’s an Art-O-Mat — an old cigarette machine that has been refurbished to dispense original pieces of art for $5 each (+tax). Clark Whittington, the founder of Art-O-Mat will be at the Museum on Saturday, June 27, to talk [...]
There’s a new theatre company in town that’s operating a little under the radar right now, but hopes to grow into something larger. Studio 305 is a outgrowth of Florida Dance Theatre that intends to produce edgy, raw, sometimes controversial theatre pieces that give our local, talented actors a place to really stretch their talents. I [...]
Polk Museum of Art is going to reduce its hours for the summer again this year. These hours will be in effect June 8 – August 31: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 4pm. Closed Sundays, Mondays, and major holidays. Normal hours will resume on September 1.
Polk Museum of Art is opening three new exhibitions in June, and the first one is called Shelter. Since I've been having a hard time putting the concept behind this exhibition into my own words, I'm just going to quote PMoA's Curator of Art, Todd Behrens:
In case you missed it the first time, on Friday, May 29, Polk Museum of Art will offer a unique opportunity for visitors to learn more about the artwork by Gregory Barsamian that is currently on display. For “Behind the Art,” Curator of Art Todd Behrens and Exhibits Specialist Gregory Mills will turn on the [...]
Just a couple of shots I’ve taken so far at MIDFLORIDA Mayfaire by-the-Lake. It’s hot out here!! But the art is great and the food smells wonderful. I’m actually debating between a couple of necklaces…
Just a quick cruise around Lake Morton on the back of a golf cart got me these images. Now I have to stay out of the sun because I forgot my sunscreen!
If you know Daniel E. Stetson, Polk Museum of Art’s Executive Director, you know that using the word “talkative” to describe him is an understatement. The man is extremely passionate about art and the arts, but ironically, he’s often very reluctant to review or give criticism of artists’ work. So, it’s a rare and exciting treat to know that he has agreed [...]
Polk Museum of Art has purchased two pieces by internationally known master glass artist Dale Chihuly and one piece by prominent glass artist Ginny Ruffner. All three pieces are currently on display in the Museum’s lobby. The story behind the purchases is pretty fun. In January, the Art Resource Trust — a group of Museum members whose [...]
Florida Dance Theatre has just announced that they’re extending a special offer on tickets for their upcoming performance: buy one ticket, get one free! This offer not only applies to the general admission and childrens tickets, it also applies to the pre-performance V.I.P. Cocktail party tickets. Whoo hoo! Carol, the Artistic Director at FDT, decided [...]
Bio: Meredith Spresser is the Public Relations & Marketing Manager for Polk Museum of Art. She has been with the Museum since 2000, and was initially hired as the Curatorial Assistant (not to be confused with the Assistant Curator). In January 2007, she was promoted to her current position.