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By providing leadership opportunities and spearheading innovative programs and initiatives, the Arts & Business Council has made a lasting impact on the business community, arts and cultural organizations, and the whole region.  Since our inception in 1985, Arts & Business Council staff, volunteers and outreach has contributed more than nine million dollars in services to the cultural community.

Since 1985, the Arts & Business Council of Miami® has been South Florida's leading service organization for the arts serving over 500 arts groups. Working to "keep the arts in business" by promoting mutually beneficial partnerships between the private sector and non-profit arts groups, ABC Miami creates innovative programs which leverage expertise, resources and leadership talent from the business world and direct them to the arts. Recognizing that a strong cultural community is good for business and recognizing that Miami-Dade's cultural resources are key contributors to economic development, tourism and our quality of life, the Arts & Business Council promotes community growth and vitality through the arts. The corporate sector benefits through meaningful volunteer, leadership and outreach opportunities with the arts and artists, improved access to arts resources, business development and networking. The cultural community is strengthened by access to business professionals that leverage their skills to stabilize and strengthen the management capabilities of arts executives and boards and by providing an effective catalyst for arts organizations to develop corporate partnerships. Our original and inventive programs enhance the capabilities of arts executives and boards in organizational management and planning, leadership, audience development, marketing, financial affairs and legal issues. ABC Miami currently serves more than 500 arts organizations and is one of twenty Arts & Business Council chapters of Americans for the Arts. Since our inception in 1985, volunteer consultants and business professionals have donated time and services to the cultural community valued at millions of dollars.

Competitive Edge

It is increasingly clear that the arts remain a key element in making American business competitive.  The arts develop the kinds of minds, the kind of thinker, the kind of manager that businesses must have to remain competitive in the global marketplace, especially in a multi-cultural community like Miami. Workers today must be creative and innovative individuals who are capable of dealing with rapid change, and have a team oriented work style. The arts are clearly a major element in developing the specific skills and working style important to industry today.

Demographics

The Arts & Business Council serves South Florida. Our primary service area is Miami-Dade county with outreach programs in additional counties. The population of Miami Dade County is 2.3 million people. Miami Dade County has a large minority population of Hispanic and Caribbean groups. 57.3% of the population is Hispanic and 20.3% is African American or Caribbean Black. In addition we have a large number of senior citizens and retirees living in parts of the area and a large population of gay residents. We host many winter only residents and have a significant number of tourists from throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe. In 2008 over 10 million tourists visited Greater Miami and the Beaches. The income throughout the county varies. The city of Miami is one of the poorest large cities in the United States while the cities of Coral Gables and Aventura are among the wealthiest.

We are a Chapter of Americans for the Arts

The Arts & Business Council of Americans for the Arts supports national programs that build stronger private-sector support for the arts. In addition to working to stimulate more financial support for the arts, efforts are also made to stimulate and support voluntarism, services the arts can offer to business, the transfer of management expertise from business to the arts, and sharing of knowledge and best practices. Local Arts & Business Council chapters also pursue this mission at a local level. The Arts & Business Council of Americans for the Arts serves as their “national headquarters."