Proceeds from the signature fundraiser will support programs for local cultural organizations and artists
April 8, 2025 (Lake Worth Beach, Fla.) — The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County recently celebrated the region’s vibrant cultural community and its supporters at An A-Muse-ing Evening: Art in Motion.
Inspired by movement, music, and muse-worthy moments, the annual fundraising soirée welcomed more than 200 guests on March 27. The event was chaired by Cheryl K. Crowley and raised funds in support of the Council’s mission to nurture, promote, and support a healthy, diverse, and inclusive cultural community.
Held at The Hangar in Riviera Beach, guests donned their most creative cocktail attire and were invited to “make it move.” During the event, attendees mingled, savored light bites created by Northern Trust’s executive chef Grant Gillen and sipped on a signature cocktail by the Coolinary Café. Other exciting activations included live pottery demonstrations by the Armory Art Center, a floral archway created by Mounts Botanical Garden, a silent auction, an interactive painting display and strolling violinist. Additionally, the evening featured a stunning dance performance curated by local nonprofit Natural Movers Foundation and energizing music from South Florida contemporary jazz vocalist Bianca Rosarrio with the Smooth Operators.
The party also included the Council’s highly anticipated annual Muse Awards. This time-honored tradition celebrates outstanding individuals and organizations who have committed their time and talents to supporting, sustaining, and championing arts and culture in Palm Beach County. Recipients are selected by the Council’s Advocacy, Outreach, and Events Committee.
Once Crowley welcomed guests and thanked sponsors, Cultural Council President & CEO Dave Lawrence took to the stage.
“Though our impact is sometimes hard to measure or not easily seen, it’s always felt, shaping the very fabric of our cultural sector,” said Lawrence. “This evening is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and celebrate the Cultural Council’s work and the impact our work has had on our arts community, tourism, and Palm Beach County as a whole. For 47 years, we’ve been building, growing, and supporting our cultural community—and we are just getting started.”
After Lawrence detailed the arts agency’s longstanding commitment to the sector, he and Crowley announced the 2025 Muse Award recipients:
- Palm Beach Media Group, Outstanding Business Support for the Arts
- Verdenia Baker, Outstanding Cultural Ambassador
- Alyce Erickson, The Alexander W. Dreyfoos Lifetime Achievement Award
- Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Community Arts Champion
“This year’s theme—Art in Motion—celebrates our diverse and incredibly creative community through music, dance, paint, nature, clay, and food and drink,” Crowley reflected. “Congrats to each of our Muse Award recipients and all that you do to make our arts and cultural community such a vital part of tourism, our economy, and our quality of life.”
Proceeds from An A-Muse-ing Evening support the Council’s services and programs for professional artists and cultural organizations in The Palm Beaches. To learn more about the event, visit palmbeachculture.com/muse.
An A-Muse-ing Evening sponsors include The Angelwish Fund; Northern Trust; The Hangar; Roe Green, The Roe Green Foundation; Cheryl and Brian Crowley; Frances Fisher; Karen and Richard Bodwell; Philip DiComo, Nason, Yeager, Gerson, Harris & Fumero, P.A.; Donald M. Ephraim Family Foundation; Luann and Bill Parmelee; Christopher Caneles and Stephen Nesbitt; David Cohen and Paul Bernabeo; Ruth Hartman; Stephen Jacobs and Marilyn Wilson; Law Office of Edrick E. Barnes, P.A.; Merrill G. & Emita Hastings Foundation; Gil and Denise Rivas;Palm Beach Kennel Club; Lawrence Rooney, The Keyes Company; and Greg and Marzena Silpe. Special thanks to the Council’s Advocacy, Outreach, and Events Committee: Chair Cheryl K. Crowley, Denise Rivas, Ruth Guerra, and Jen Guerra.
About the 2025 Muse Award Recipients
The Outstanding Business Support for the Arts recipient was Palm Beach Media Group, a distinguished leader in Florida’s publishing industry. The company produces 42 magazines and 12 websites, delivering captivating content to discerning audiences throughout Florida and beyond. The company supports many civic, arts, and charitable organizations in the region—including Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, Cox Science Center and Aquarium, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, and the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Palm Beach Media Group also creates, designs, and produces the Cultural Council’s award-winning art&culture magazine and annual Collecting in Palm Beach County gallery guide.
The Outstanding Cultural Ambassador award went to Verdenia Baker. For nearly four decades she has served Palm Beach County in various roles, starting as a budget analyst. In 2015 she became the County Administrator—and was the first woman and first Black person to hold the position. Throughout her career, Baker constantly advocated for the cultural sector. Her efforts have driven remarkable growth and fostered an inclusive environment for residents and visitors. She championed the creation of the Palm Beach County Cultural Capital Fund, secured funding for the Council’s Cultural Resiliency Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic, and played a pivotal role in establishing the County’s early financial support for the new African American Museum and Resource Library. In recent years, Baker significantly increased funding for the Council’s Category C1 grant program, supporting outreach and educational programs for small and emerging organizations. She will retire in May after 38 years with the county.
Alyce Erickson received the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Lifetime Achievement Award. A longtime arts champion, Erickson was a founding member of the Lynn University Conservatory of Music Board, Florida Symphonic Pops, the Miami City Ballet Guild of the Palm Beaches, and the Coalition of the Arts for Boca Raton. With a commitment to mentoring the next generation, she has been involved with the Boca Raton Museum of Arts, the Children’s Museum of Boca Raton, and the Florida East Coast Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL). In 2011, she received the NSAL South Florida Chapter Distinguished Service Award for Leadership. She also created the High School Photography Project for the NSAL Florida East Coast Chapter, enabling over 60 students in four Palm Beach County high schools to participate in a masterclass with nationally known photographers and showcase their work. She has received numerous awards for her volunteer work in Palm Beach County.
The Community Arts Champion was the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation. Founded in 2007, the foundation supports organizations focused on education, veteran outreach, medical research, and most significantly, the arts.The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to countless local cultural organizations, including Loggerhead Marinelife Center, the Norton Museum of Art, and Palm Beach Dramaworks, to name a few. In recent years, the foundation’s gift to the Cultural Council helped launch the Artist Innovation Fellowship, which supports professional artists across disciplines to pursue new avenues of creativity, expand upon current work, and propel their careers forward. In addition to supporting the Council’s new Emerging Artist Prize, the foundation was instrumental in funding the Council’s Arts Administrators of Color Fellowship, which launched in 2024. The program provides professional and leadership development, local and national networking opportunities, and mentorship to emerging and mid-career leaders of color in Palm Beach County’s cultural sector.
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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 Tuesdays through Saturdays 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.
