Ten professionals in various disciplines will share their creative endeavors in a special showcase
June 18, 2025 (Lake Worth Beach, Fla.) — In 2024, 10 Palm Beach County-based creative professionals were each awarded $7,500 under the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s Artist Innovation Fellowship program.
As their year-long fellowship comes to a close, the 2024 cohort will present their culminating works at the Cultural Council’s Lake Worth Beach headquarters this summer. The “2024 Artist Innovation Fellowship Showcase” runs July 11 through Aug. 29, 2025.
An opening reception to celebrate the artists’ efforts over the past year will occur on Thursday, July 10 at 5:30 p.m. The reception will feature special performances by Victoria Cardona, with selections from her new album, and Noah Garbarino on the drum and zither (a type of stringed instrument). Guests can also learn more about the projects from each fellow throughout the Council’s three galleries. They’ll also be able to view artworks from the program’s participating visual artists—such as Eli Cecil, who will present his blown glass, including a chandelier he created under the tutelage of a Venetian glass master, and Molly Aubry’s installation of wallpaper inspired by images from Vietnamese temples.
The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.
“Supporting professional artists is essential to our work at the Cultural Council,” said Dave Lawrence, president and CEO. “The Artist Innovation Fellowship gives artists the freedom to explore new ideas and innovate in their craft—without the constraints of budgets or specific outcomes. We invite the public to join us as we celebrate these 10 talented individuals from our 2024 class, who are at the core of our vibrant community.”
The Artist Innovation Fellowship, which launched in 2020, is unique among professional development opportunities. It focuses on personal creative growth and the belief that an entire community will benefit through investments in creative individuals. Since then, three rounds of grants have been awarded to 21 fellows, thanks to the support of the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation.
Selected by a regional panel of discipline-specific arts professionals, applicants were evaluated according to the quality of their artistic work, the strength of their proposed activities and its relation to their work, and the intended impact the funds would have on their work. Fellowships were awarded to those who demonstrated a sustained level of accomplishment, commitment, and artistic excellence.
To learn more about the 2024 Fellows, the program, and past recipients, visit palmbeachculture.com/aif.
Calendar Item
Who: Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
What: 2024 Artist Innovation Fellowship Showcase
Featuring photographs, music, and more, this showcase celebrates the work and talents of the 10 local creative professionals who participated in the 2024 cohort.
When: July 11 – Aug. 29, 2025 (reception on Thursday, July 10 at 5:30 p.m.)
Where: Cultural Council for Palm Beach County (601 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach, Fla., 33460)
Details: The exhibition is free and open to the public. The Cultural Council is open during the summer Tuesdays through Fridays, noon to 5 p.m.
About the 2024 Artist Innovation Fellows
Suzanne Ankrum-Harris, Theater Artist, Jupiter
Suzanne is a theater artist who works as an actor, director, and devised-theater practitioner. She has performed in productions at several South Florida theater companies since making the region her home in 2019, including Palm Beach Dramaworks, Island City Stage and the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. She is passionate about sharing her love of the craft of acting and physical storytelling—leading courses and workshops at Lynn University, Hartford University, Momentum Stage, SUNY Albany, Housatonic Community College, Middletown Circus, Hartbeat Ensemble and more.
Molly Aubry, Visual Artist, West Palm Beach
Molly’s work explores entangled perceptual worlds through the matrix of print media. Mining the tension between organic materials and digital processes, the work imagines artifacts from a world in which the natural and artificial are inextricably linked. Selected exhibitions include Molly Aubry: Dark Luminosity at the Cultural Council, Strange Paradise: A Window into Surrealism at the Annmarie Sculpture Gardens and Art Center in Solomons, Md., and Intimacy at Science Gallery of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. She received her BFA from the University of Florida and her MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art.
Victoria Cardona, Musician, West Palm Beach
Victoria is a multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter and composer that has been performing extensively throughout Florida and internationally through Spain and The Canary Islands for over a decade. Her one-woman-band and live-looping performances are a sonic and visual experience that take the audience on a ride through the mind of a spontaneous improviser. Victoria’s Cuban American roots and passion for multicultural and ethnic world music genres are the inspiration behind her creations.
Eli Cecil, Glass Artist, Boynton Beach
A glass artist, much of Eli’s work orbits the dialogue of a conscious and sustainable future. His sculpture reflects on the balancing act between humanity and nature. Many of the themes are a narrative about growth, causality and the legacy left from one generation to the next. In 2021, Cecil created his first public art installation, titled Take Flight, for the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. He is currently the creative director at the Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts, as well as an alumnus of Leadership Palm Beach County Class of 2023.
Noah Garbarino, Musician, Delray Beach
Noah is a music performance artist and educator primarily focused in Japanese taiko drumming and traditional music. He is a member of the ensemble Fushu Daiko, which performs across South Florida and nationally for various cultural festivals and programs. In addition to drumming, he is currently studying koto, the thirteen-string Japanese zither, under the traditional Yamada school.
Tracy Guiteau, Visual Artist, Greenacres
Tracy is a celebrated artist whose work transcends boundaries and captivates audiences worldwide. Her distinctive style, characterized by rich colors and emotive storytelling, has garnered attention on the international stage, including exhibitions at prestigious events like Miami Art Basel. What truly sets her apart, however, is the profound influence of her Haitian heritage and independent spirit on her art. Her work is a testament to her ability to blend tradition with innovation, infusing each piece with a timeless perspective and vibrant energy.
Jeanne Jaffe, Visual Artist, Boynton Beach
Jeanne is a multi-disciplinary artist working in installation, sculpture, drawings, and stop motion animation. Her work is influenced by an interest in language, literature, psychology, and history and explores how we construct identity, our world and our value systems. Jeanne is Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and has been a visiting artist for five years at Xian Academy of Fine Arts in Xian, China.
Janis McDavid, Musician, Palm Beach Gardens
Janis, also known as Ms. Janis or Jahnice, is a multi-talented individual who has made significant strides in both education and music. As Ms. Janis, she performs as a children’s music entertainer, spreading joy and positivity through her lively performances. As Jahnice, she performs adult contemporary music that is based in soul and reggae vibes, captivating audiences with her powerful vocals and meaningful lyrics.
Jose R. Mendez, Visual Artist, Lake Worth Beach
Jose is a self-taught artist, educator, gallery coordinator, curator, and co-founder of Day of the Dead Lake Worth Beach & Taco Fiesta. Jose works with nonprofits, government agencies, and private organizations to coordinate, collaborate, and promote art, cultural events and activities. Leading cultural organizations he works with include the Norton Museum of Art, the Cultural Council, Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, City of Lake Worth Beach, and LULA Lake Worth Arts, among others.
Gillian Kennedy Wright, Visual Artist, Lake Park
A multi-disciplinary artist, Gillian creates fabric collages, raw edge mixed media quilts, and functional art. Influenced by her Jamaican, Canadian and American heritage, her professional graphic design and textile training melds multi-cultural portraiture, Adinka symbolism, native plants, and environmental themes. Gillian’s socially uplifting creative energy is fueled by Wilma Rudolph’s words to “never underestimate the power of dreams,” and Georgia O’Keeffe’s bold colors and shapes.
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About the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is the official support agency for arts and culture in The Palm Beaches, Florida’s Cultural Capital®. Headquartered in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. building in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, the Council presents exciting year-round exhibitions and performances featuring artists who live or work in Palm Beach County. The Council features spectacular work by Palm Beach County-based professional artisans in its Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store and offers complimentary resources for visitors in its Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center. The Council is open to the public during the summer Tuesdays through Fridays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and a comprehensive calendar of cultural events in The Palm Beaches, visit palmbeachculture.com.