Cultural Council for Palm Beach County Announces 2023-24 Exhibition Season

Fourteen inspiring exhibitions featuring local artists and thought-provoking discussions will be presented at the Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building in Lake Worth Beach

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is bringing a dynamic season of arts, culture and community to The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®!

Reflecting the Cultural Council’s mission to champion, engage and grow the arts in Palm Beach County, the Council’s 2023-24 season of exhibitions and events will showcase a spectacular variety of work by local artists at the Council’s downtown Lake Worth Beach headquarters. Opportunities to experience the magic include a full schedule of engaging exhibitions in the Council’s three gallery spaces.

“We are delighted to welcome everyone in the community to the Cultural Council to experience our upcoming exhibitions,” said Dave Lawrence, the Council’s president and CEO. “Our new season kicks off with our Main Gallery exhibition ‘Whimsy & Wonder’ this fall, an enchanting exhibition celebrating quirky and magnificent visual creations. In January, we will present ‘She. Her. Hers,’ an exhibition that focuses exclusively on the work of women artists, followed by ‘Beyond Blossoms: The Power of Pollinators’ that will feature work that represents the flora that attracts pollinators to our region.”

Eleven other vibrant exhibitions will also be featured throughout the season in the Cultural Council’s Solo Gallery and Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery. Discussions and special events with artists and members of the community will also be offered alongside the three Main Gallery exhibitions, starting with kinetic sculpture performances with artist Dave Blair on select Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. during Whimsy & Wonder. All exhibitions and their related programs are free and open to the public. The Council will also host a free series of Culture Talks in partnership with The ArtsPaper, a monthly arts-focused publication distributed inside The Coastal Star newspaper.

Upcoming Programming Highlights Include:

Main Gallery: From November 17 to January 13, visitors are invited to experience Whimsy & Wonder, highlighting enchanting, engaging and enthralling visual creations. Florida’s flamingos will be represented in all their glory along with a wide array of quirky and beautiful visual creations. With specific installations that will evolve throughout the show’s run, visitors are encouraged to return again and again. One artist, whose self-created machine projects images, will offer showings for guests on select Saturdays.

Solo Gallery Exhibitions: Celebrate the work of individual artists, starting with Lauren Bertelson: Like Mother, Like Daughter, featuring self-portraiture combined with a variety of domestic crafts to create a feminist body of work, October 6 through December 2. Next up is an exhibition of artist Kristin Miller’s mixed-media “wall-life” works on paper and sculptural installations from December 8 through January 20.

Exhibitions in the Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery: Visitors can take in Veterans of Palm Beach County, an exhibition in honor of Veteran’s Day that will feature the work of seven artists who are also veterans or have family members that are veterans, on display November 3 through December 9. Next up is Palm Beach County Photographers: iPhone Photography, juried by renowned digital imagery expert Jack Davis and celebrating the work of Palm Beach County-based photographers created via iPhone, on display from December 15 through January 27. This exhibition is a collaboration with the Palm Beach Photographic Centre.

The ArtsPaper Culture Talks: The ArtsPaper, a publication founded in 2008 by a group of Palm Beach County-based arts journalists, will host their second annual discussion series at the Cultural Council in January and February 2024. Guests include Ahmad Mayes, executive director of the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, in conversation with Greg Stepanich (January 13); and Marilynn Wick, executive producer and CEO of The Wick Theatre & Costume Museum, in conversation with Hap Erstein (January 20). All Culture Talks will take place at 2 p.m. Free admission; registration recommended by visiting www.palmbeachculture.com/council-events. 

2023/24 Calendar Listings: Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

Main Gallery Exhibitions:

Exhibition: Whimsy & Wonder — November 17 – January 13, 2023

Sometimes we just want to be enchanted, engaged, and enthralled. In this exhibition, Florida’s flamingos will be represented in all their glory along with a wide array of quirky and beautiful visual creations. With specific installations that will evolve throughout the show’s run, visitors are encouraged to return again and again. This free public exhibition will take place in the Main Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.; kinetic sculpture performances with artist Dave Blair will also take place on select Saturdays during the exhibition’s run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com. Whimsy & Wonder is sponsored by Ellen Liman, Publix Super Market Charities, Florida Weekly, The ArtsPaper (The Coastal Star), and Flamingo magazine, and Palm Beach Zoo is the exhibition’s community partner.

Exhibition: She. Her. Hers. — January 26 – April 6, 2024

While women artists are beginning to achieve recognition for their work, they remain under-represented in galleries and museums. This exhibition focuses exclusively on the work of women artists and their responses to perceived requirements of domesticity, the many waves of feminism, and their own lived experiences. This exhibition will be curated by Veronique Chagnon-Burke, co-founder of the Women Art Dealers Digital Archives. This free public exhibition will take place in the Main Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com. She. Her. Hers. is sponsored by Ellen Liman, Palm Beach Media Group, Florida Weekly, WLRN and The ArtsPaper (The Coastal Star), and Habitat for Humanity is the exhibition’s community partner.

Exhibition: Beyond Blossoms: The Power of Pollinators — April 19 – June 21, 2024

Curated by artists and educators Jeff Schmuki and Wendy Deschene, this exhibition features Palm Beach County-based professional artists whose work represents the flora that attracts pollinators to our region. The show will also include a site-specific installation of a wheat paste mural of mandalas based on the colors and patterns of local pollinators. This free public exhibition will take place in the Main Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com. Beyond Blossoms: The Power of Pollinators is sponsored by Ellen Liman, Florida Weekly, WLRN and Flamingo magazine.

Solo Gallery Exhibitions:

Exhibition: Lauren Bertelson — October 6 – December 2, 2023

Lauren Bertelson combines self-portraiture with a variety of domestic crafts to create a feminist body of work that simultaneously recognizes her matrilineage and elevates domestic work to contemporary art. Her work aims to counter the rampant self-erasure and societal dismissal of “women’s work.” This project is about love and anger and the transfer of these sentiments through generations of women. It is ultimately a memorial to the thousands of hours of labor never recognized and a jeremiad against patriarchal judgments that condemned and consigned these efforts for far too long. This free public exhibition will take place in the Solo Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. In October, hours are Tuesdays through Fridays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., as well as the second Saturday of the month from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Starting on November 1, hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Exhibition: Kristin Miller — December 8, 2023 – January 20, 2024

Kristin Miller creates habitats through the layering of mixed media materials in both works on paper and sculptural installations. Referencing South Florida’s unique landscape, her work creates a sense of “wall-life,” which dances delicately between 2D and 3D spaces exploring concepts of identity and adaptation to the environment. This free public exhibition will take place in the Solo Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Exhibition: Sonya Sanchez-Arias — January 26 – March 9, 2024

Using discarded, recycled and alternative material to create her work, Sonya Sanchez Arias challenges the concept of beauty, addresses nostalgia, and honors the tenacity of her ancestors and various found objects that have survived so much over time. By pairing these objects with digitally collaged hybrid portraits and texts, she attempts to visually connect the past and the future and start conversations about topics from then and now. This free public exhibition will take place in the Solo Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Exhibition: Diana Garcia — March 15 – April 27, 2024

Diana Garcia considers paper to be her best channel of communication. Through it she transmits the memories, thoughts, and moments in her day. She finds analog collage both fascinating and limiting — ever searching for the indispensable image, texture, or piece that will complete a work. She considers composition, detail, color, texture, shape, and proportion the protagonists in her process. This free public exhibition will take place in the Solo Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Exhibition: Autumn Kioti — May 3 – June 15, 2024

As an interdisciplinary artist and master naturalist, Autumn Kioti mixes art and nature as humanity’s common languages to create her works. Her diverse materials include garbage, video and sound, poetry, fiber arts, cooking and food, plant and animal companions, and more traditional 2D and 3D work. She confronts issues such as climate change, the Anthropocene urge to conquer the environment, food justice, identity, and the intersection of access to wild space and mental health. This free public exhibition will take place in the Solo Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Exhibition: Sarah Knouse — June 15 – August 3, 2024

Sarah Knouse is a sculptor, designer, and arts educator. Through her artmaking practice, she explores themes of ornamentation and superficial grandeur as they occur at a domestic scale. Her mixed media sculptures often combine notions of quotidian household surroundings with those of the ephemeral and surreal. This free public exhibition will take place in the Solo Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery Exhibitions:

Exhibition: Veterans of Palm Beach County — November 3 – December 9, 2023

In celebration of Veterans Day, seven artists who are also veterans (or have family members who are veterans) will exhibit their work in a range of media and styles including printmaking, painting, and ceramics. These artists explore a variety of topics in their work and celebrate the diversity of those who serve in our armed forces. This free public exhibition will take place in the Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Exhibition: Palm Beach County Photographers: iPhone Photography, in collaboration with the Palm Beach Photographic Centre — December 15, 2023 – January 27, 2024

Palm Beach County-based photographers will explore iPhone photography in this exhibition. Juried by Jack Davis, who for over 35 years has been one of the world’s leading experts on digital imagery, a range of images will be chosen that display the diversity capable with the cameras we all hold in our hands. This free public exhibition will take place in the Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Exhibition: Suzi K. Edwards: Chinese Zodiac — February 2 – 8, 2024

A series of 12 mosaics by the acclaimed public artist Suzi K. Edwards will be on display. Edwards’ golden glass mosaics dance with handmade ceramic elements: pearls, jewels, crystals, and coins are arranged to tell timeless tales of the animals of the zodiac. Edwards redefines the ancient art form of mosaic in a contemporary and accessible style. This free public exhibition will take place in the Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Exhibition: Nicole Doran: 2023 South Florida Cultural Consortium Grantee from Palm Beach County — February 16 – April 6, 2024

Working within the trajectory of abstract painting, Nicole Doran’s work investigates spiritual practices and systems of belief through a multitude of entry points. Whether researching ancient Celtic ceremonies, English witchcraft, or modern science fiction fantasy, Doran designs a vibrant comfortable zone where the viewer can uncover fragments of cynicism and speculation. The painted, stained, and dyed surfaces are often adorned with ceramic elements and additional fiber embellishments rekindling craft techniques in pursuit of new and unfamiliar compositions. This free public exhibition will take place in the Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Exhibition: 2024 Dina Baker Award for Mature Female Recipient — April 12 – May 24, 2024

The Council’s Dina Baker Fund for Mature Female Artists was established in 2015 thanks to the generosity of philanthropist and local artist Dina Baker. The fund is intended to help stabilize and strengthen the careers of female artists 60 years of age or older who reside and work in Palm Beach County, who have recognizable artistic merit and who are deserving of financial assistance (whether professional, personal, or both) to enable them to further their artistic development and achievement. The 2024 recipient’s work will be featured in this exhibition. This free public exhibition will take place in the Donald M. Ephraim Family Gallery at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

The ArtsPaper Culture Talks:

The ArtsPaper Culture Talks: Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach’s Ahmad Mayes in Conversation with Greg Stepanich – January 13, 2024

A discussion series hosted by The ArtsPaper at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, the January 13 session will feature Ahmad Mayes, executive director of the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, in conversation with The ArtsPaper founder and editor-in-chief Greg Stepanich. Attendees will be treated to a special performance by the society’s Artistic Director, violinist Arnaud Sussman. Talk will take place at 2 p.m. at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Free admission; registration recommended. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

The ArtsPaper Culture Talks: The Wick Theatre & Costume Museum’s Marilynn Wick in Conversation with Hap Erstein – January 20, 2024

A discussion series hosted by The ArtsPaper at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, the January 20 session will feature Marilynn Wick, executive producer and CEO of The Wick Theatre & Costume Museum, in conversation with longtime arts journalist Hap Erstein. Talk will take place at 2 p.m. at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Free admission; registration recommended. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

The ArtsPaper Culture Talks: Miami City Ballet’s Lourdes Lopez in Conversation with Tara Mitton Catao – February 3, 2024

A discussion series hosted by The ArtsPaper at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, the February 3 session will feature Lourdes Lopez, artistic director of Miami City Ballet, in conversation with journalist, educator and award-winning choreographer Tara Mitton Catao. Talk will take place at 2 p.m. at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Free admission; registration recommended. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

The ArtsPaper Art Talks: Norton Museum of Art’s Ghislain d’Humieres in Conversation with Gretel Sarmiento – February 24, 2024

A discussion series hosted by The ArtsPaper at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, the February 24 session will feature Ghislain d’Humieres, director and CEO of the Norton Museum of Art, in conversation with arts journalist Gretel Sarmiento. Talk will take place at 2 p.m. at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, located in The Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. Free admission; registration recommended. Call (561) 471-2901 or visit palmbeachculture.com.

Fundraising Events:

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County presents An A-MUSE-ing Evening – March 7, 2024

Taking a cue from the success of the Council’s “Met Gala”-inspired cultural awards and fundraising program in 2023, the 2024 event will dazzle eyes and tummies by expressing art through creatively-crafted food. An A-MUSE-ing Evening will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Hangar in Riviera Beach. Tickets and more information will be announced soon.