Creative approach to growth. Professionals within South Florida's arts communities have been ignoring county lines in pursuit of mutual success

South Florida CEO, June, 2005 by Amy Drew Thompson

"We were able to take a truly regional marketing approach," Florida Grand Opera CEO Robert M. Heuer says. "The benefits quickly became obvious. With the new market to the north, we've experienced consistent growth in our donor base and now have the largest audience in the 64-year history of the company."

Heuer attributes this, in part, to the central downtown Fort Lauderdale location of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, which makes attending performances convenient for opera lovers in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Still, there are a few drawbacks. "Perhaps the largest concern," says Heuer, "is the natural anxiety among stakeholders that is generated during a merger. There is a fear that the smaller organization will be swallowed up and lose its identity. We worked very hard to create a new identity for the company and alternate our board of directors meetings between Miami and Fort Lauderdale."

Despite the fact that artistic outlets can wind up in competition for state and federal funds--as well as local donors and subscribers--there remains a consensus that there is room in South Florida for multiple venues of varying size, from the recently renovated 550-seat Maltz Jupiter Theater in Jupiter, to West Palm Beach's Raymond F. Kravis Center, to the $412 million Miami Performing Arts Center, which is slated to open in 2006. Once it is up and running, the Miami venue will be the new home of the Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet, New World Symphony and the Concert Association of Florida.

"The higher the level of culture, the better for the arts groups and the community," says Pete Upham, director of marketing and communications for the Miami City Ballet. "Most have their own artistic vision. It makes for great variety."

Most feel the same way about high profile events such as Art Basel, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival and annual film festivals held in all three counties.

"The effects definitely ripple up," says Meri McGuiness-Mass, director of marketing and public relations for the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County. "Several of our local artists were very involved with the Art Basel event in Europe, so when it came to Miami, it was too close not to be a part of it."

Film festival planners coordinate their calendars to ensure that their events don't overlap. That way, close-knit industry professionals don't have to choose between which county to support.

"Working together can only benefit an organization, and South Florida," says Max Sklar, director of tourism and cultural development for the city of Miami Beach. "The region has come a long way with a predominantly parochial approach and inter-county competition, but now the destination has emerged as a global international center that attracts top caliber events like Art Basel, the Winter Music Conference, the MTV Video Music Awards and the South Beach Food and Wine Festival."

Other examples, Sklar says, are the area convention and visitor bureaus, which partner when bidding on most major sporting events--such as the Super Bowl. "They all realized a long time ago that we are more attractive to the National Football League if we approach this collectively."