City of Fort Lauderdale Surprises With “ArtServe Day” Proclamation
ArtServe CEO Jason Hughes with honorees Andrew Zullo; Jessica Swanson; LTC. Thaddeus Hamilton; Genia Duncan Ellis; Mark Budwig; and Jim Hammond; ArtServe Board Chair Molly Wilson
Broward’s creative community was buzzing during April as they gathered for ArtServe’s second annual Impact Awards, a celebration of unsung heroes in the arts world who exemplify the organization’s core mission of talent-driven inclusivity and the soaring achievements that emerge and thrive because of it.
An education coordinator, a publisher, a puppeteer, a corporate leadership consultant and a man who refused to let another’s legacy fade into history were the recipients of this year’s Impact Awards. Each of their individual stories clearly imparted the revelation that creating art isn’t ever just about a paint brush and a canvas.
“In the world of cultural arts, sharing and teaching are just as important as the actual artwork itself,” ArtServe CEO Jason Hughes explained. “And often, the artist, the conduit and the teacher are all different people who converge to make an impact.”
City of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and Vice Mayor Steve Glassman, whose own dedication to the arts has helped transform the area into a cultural mecca, surprised everyone in attendance that evening by presenting a public proclamation of April 19 as “ArtServe Day” throughout the City of Fort Lauderdale.
Sponsored by OutClique Magazine, Seacoast Bank, Broward Health and FPL, with a custom gourmet feast sponsored by local philanthropist and celebrity event planner Marc Martorana, the Impact Awards included a fabulous silent auction featuring items for bid like a ride on the Goodyear Blimp, gift certificates from area restaurants like S3, Cooper’s Hawk, YOLO, Casa Sensei; airline tickets from Silver Airways and Spirit Airlines; and hotel stays from the Plunge Beach Resort, AC Hotels and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Fine art from Todd Dawes and Penny Fraser was also auctioned.
The 2024 Impact Award winners are:
Artist of Impact: Puppet Network Founder and Civic Leader Jim Hammond, best known for creating the beloved Florida Day of the Dead Celebration
Community Partner of Impact: Leadership Broward Foundation Executive Director Andrew Zullo
Media Advocate of Impact: Riverwalk Trust President and CEO Genia Duncan Ellis and Go Riverwalk Magazine Publisher Mark Budwig
Legacy of Impact: Thaddeus “THAD” Hamilton, Chair of the Tuskegee Airman of South Florida; also United Negro College Fund, South Florida Leadership Council Chair
Educator of Impact: Jessica Swanson, Technology Magnet Program Coordinator; Dillard School for the Arts
“South Florida is filled with creative people, many of whom gather at ArtServe, where anyone can exhibit their unique work, share their talents and learn new techniques,” Hughes noted. “The Impact Awards is about people who bring the community together in that same spirit.”
ArtServe inspires, supports and advances its diverse members, artists and community by promoting artistic development, education and prosperity through the exploration and presentation of the visual and performing arts.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and Vice Mayor Steve Feldman present a proclamation to ArtServe Board Chair Molly Wilson and CEO Jason Hughes
Connor Storch, World Aids Museum Executive Director Jessica Reimers
Christine Shaw, Kathy Salerno
Leadership Broward supporting honoree Andrew Zullo
Loretta Young; Honoree LTC. Thaddeus Hamilton; Steve Stock; ArtServe Board Chair Molly Wilson and CEO Jason Hughes
Celebrating the ArtServe Impact Awards
Bill Wilson, Whitney Dutton, Connor Storch, Gregg Goldstein
Eddy Rodriguez, Seacoast Bank, award-winner Jim Hammond, ArtServe Board Chair Molly Wilson and CEO Jason Hughes
Marc Martorana and City of Wilton Manors Commissioner Don D’Arminio
(Photo Credit: SRL Media, Inc.)
About ArtServe
Named a “Top-Rated Nonprofit” by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews of charities and nonprofits, Fort Lauderdale-based ArtServe is an award-winning arts incubator that is advancing the arts for social good as a creative laboratory and hub for experimental artists committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Now in its 35th year, ArtServe has won several awards for innovation in the arts and is supported in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and Florida’s Department of State and the Division of Cultural Affairs. Each year, ArtServe programs contribute tangibly to the region’s economy, helping 2,000+ artists sell their work, build businesses and engage the community. To do that, ArtServe secures financial support through donations, sponsorships and memberships.
