Press Release

NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale Recognized as Cultural Catalyst by City of Fort Lauderdale; Receives $500,000 Grant

Establishes Monthly Free Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Day

Fort Lauderdale, Fla., January 22 — For the first time in its 60-year history, NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale has been awarded a substantial grant from the City of Fort Lauderdale. The $500,000 grant solidifies the Museum’s role as a cultural center of the community and of the larger South Florida art scene. It is noteworthy that the City’s funding of the Museum occurs on its 60th Anniversary and the 10th Anniversary of its merger with Nova Southeastern University (NSU).

The grant will serve to enhance the Museum’s ability to provide quality cultural programming, dynamic exhibitions and unparalleled learning opportunities for the largest, most diverse audiences possible.

“Partnering with NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale to advance our community’s arts and cultural opportunities celebrates our diversity, encourages creativity and innovation, and enhances the character and identity of our City,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean J. Trantalis. “We look forward to seeing the Museum continue to showcase world-class exhibitions, while strengthening its reputation as one of our City’s true cultural treasures.”

In appreciation, NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale has designated the last Sunday of each month as “Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Day,” which provides free admission to Fort Lauderdale residents on the designated dates. Residents may visit the Museum free of charge on the monthly “Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Day” through Sunday, September 29, 2019.

In addition to free Museum admission, Fort Lauderdale residents will receive a 10% discount on catalogues published by NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale and sold in the Museum Store.

“The contribution by the City Commission of Fort Lauderdale recognizes the positive impact on the quality of life NSU Art Museum has on the citizens of Fort Lauderdale and the economic impact it has on attracting individuals around the world to this great city,” said Dr. George Hanbury, President of Nova Southeastern University (NSU).

“We are proud that the City of Fort Lauderdale recognizes the Museum’s role in providing enriching experiences to City residents and as a catalyst for tourism in the community. With the award of this grant, it’s clear that the City understands the benefits a museum of our standing provides to its residents, and we thank the Mayor and City Commissioners for their investment in the Museum and the City’s cultural infrastructure,” said NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale Director and Chief Curator, Bonnie Clearwater.

The first “Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Day” will take place on January 27, 2019. Additional dates are as follows:

February 24, 2019

March 31, 2019

April 28, 2019

May 26, 2019

June 30, 2019

July 28, 2019

August 25, 2019

September 29, 2019

For free admission, residents will need to show a photo ID, driver’s license, or residential utility bill that lists a Fort Lauderdale address.

NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale currently has two exhibitions on view:

William J. Glackens and Pierre-Auguste Renoir: Affinities and Distinctions which runs through May 19, 2019, and the Contemporary art exhibition, Remember to React, which runs through June 30, 2019.

NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale is located at One East Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. For additional information, please visit nsuartmuseum.org or call 954-525-5500. Follow the Museum on social media @nsuartmuseum

Ongoing Museum Events and Programs

NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale offers free admission to children under 12 every day of the year; and free admission to adults on the first Thursday of each month. Creativity Exploration workshops help participants understand the emotional benefits of making art and foster inclusion, acceptance and understanding as part of NSU Art Museum’s A Sense of Pride programming. Museum on the Move hosts over 4,000 Broward County students each year for tours and activities.

About NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale

NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale provides exceptional learning and inspirational opportunities through access to works of the highest level of artistic expression. The Museum is housed in an 83,000-square foot modernist building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes, and is located in the heart of the city’s downtown riverfront. Under the helm of Director and Chief Curator Bonnie Clearwater, the Museum is a leader in the visual arts and a vibrant cultural resource serving South Florida and national and international audiences. In 2008, the Museum became part of Nova Southeastern University, one of the largest private research universities in the United States.

A collecting institution since 1959, NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale’s permanent collection was established with acquisitions of 19th and 20th Century American and European paintings and sculpture, Oceanic, African, Pre-Columbian and Native American art. Today, among its most notable holdings is the largest collection of Cobra art by the avant-garde post-World War II artists of Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam in the U.S.; the world’s largest collection of works by American painter and Ashcan School founder William Glackens (1870-1938); strong collections of works by Latin American and Cuban artists of the 20th century; and contemporary paintings, sculpture, video, installations, and drawings with an emphasis on women and multicultural artists. Two scholarly research centers complement the collections: The Dr. Stanley and Pearl Goodman Latin American Art Study Center and the William J. Glackens Study Center.

Exhibitions and programs at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale are made possible in part by a challenge grant from the David and Francie Horvitz Family Foundation. Funding is also provided by the City of Fort Lauderdale, Wege Foundation, Community Foundation of Broward, Funding Arts Broward, Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale is accredited by the American Association of Museums.

About Nova Southeastern University (NSU)

Located in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, NSU is ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s Top 200 National Research Universities and is a dynamic, private research university providing high-quality educational and research programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional degree levels. Established in 1964, NSU now includes 16 colleges, the 215,000-square-foot Center for Collaborative Research, a private JK-12 grade school, the Mailman Segal Center for Human Development with specialists in Autism, the world-class NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, and the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, which is Florida’s largest public library. NSU has campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, while maintaining a presence online globally. Classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is one of only 50 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education’s criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. For more information, please visit nova.edu.

Press Inquiries

Bonnie Clearwater

Director and Chief Curator
[email protected]
(954) 262-0225