Eriberto Jimenez of the Hispanic Cultural Arts Center is asking all Miami locals to donate to keep the culture alive
Miami is a vibrant city that hosts people from all backgrounds. It is a place that thrives on diversity and inclusivity, so being able to maintain cultural roots is essential to building community. As of now, Miami’s Hispanic Cultural Arts Center needs major restorations, and you can help!
The center is located at 111 SW 5th Ave. Miami, FL 33130. Built in 1911, the building is on the National and State Register of Historic Places and is quite beautiful. However, it is in desperate need of maintenance. If the building does not get a new roof, Miami could lose an important part of history. This would be a loss of an institution that promotes Hispanic culture to the underserved local community and visitors.
As Miami residents, the loss of this building would be heart-wrenching. With it also comes losses of the Creation Art Center, the promotion of Hispanic Arts in theater, literature, film, art, music, the International Ballet Festival, and the Cuban Classical Batter of Miami.
The entire center was funded by Pedro Pablo Peña and is now under the direction of Mr. Eriberto Jimenez. Within the building, three non-profit organizations are in operation: The Miami Hispanic Ballet (MHB), the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami (CCBM), and the Creation Art Center (CAC). All of these organizations together work to promote and educate Miami about Hispanic culture.
The house was previously owned by JW Warner, who was the first florist in Miami. In the 1980’s it was reconstructed to be used as offices, and it was deemed a historic building in 1983. With money donated from Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami in 2013, it became the Cultural Arts Center.
At the time, the funds did not allow for repairs. As years went by, the center deteriorated even more. The hope is that with this campaign, they will raise at least $100,000 to cover the costs of a new roof. The Florida Historical Division will match that sum to be able to repair the facility. Failure to get the funds will result in the loss of the center and the organizations within it.
To make a donation to the center click on this link. To find out more about Miami’s Hispanic Cultural Arts Center, visit their website here and follow them on Instagram.
