The purpose of Beaux Arts, Inc. is exclusively educational and charitable:
- To continue community outreach programs at the Lowe Art Museum and introduce handicapped and underserved children to the cultural arts
- To provide improvements, equipment, and financial assistance for exhibitions
- To promote interest in the Museum of the University of Miami
- To encourage a more thorough understanding and appreciation of the Arts
History
Beaux Arts was founded in the spring of 1952 by fifty members under the direction of Ann Atkinson, the assistant Director of the newly built Joe and Emily Lowe Art Gallery. The organization has grown to 100 active members and over 200 active associate members.
The first Festival of Art (formerly Clothesline Sale) was held in the spring of 1952 in order to give young artists a chance to meet the buying public. The Festival became an annual project and is now recognized as one of the leading art shows in Florida. The 2003 Festival netted nearly $100,000, with over 250 artists from all over the country, drawing crowds in excess of 150,000.
In 1953, Beaux Arts built the Childrens Pavilion to provide art classes for children. The facility was later enclosed, then renovated and enlarged in 1994. Committee members organize, supervise, and operate year-round classes, which offer opportunities for children of various ages to study a variety of disciplines under local artists. Today Beaux Arts provides scholarships enabling selected students to attend the Museum art classes.
Other successful Beaux Arts programs have included the founding of the Docent Committee, now the Docent Guild of the Lowe Art Museum. In 1974, the Museum store was opened under the direction of Beaux Arts and became financially successful in less than one year, with the management of the store now turned over to the Docents of the Lowe Art Museum. In 1974, Beaux Arts members produced its first cookbook of regional recipes, Seasons in the Sun. Our latest cookbook, Tropical Seasons, continues to provide additional program funding.
Programs
- HANDS ON! A Childrens Celebration of Art is a program designed to provide art experience to the children of South Florida. This project involves free busing, a guided tour of the Museums exhibitions, hands on time to create under local artists supervision, refreshments, and entertainment relating to the exhibition.
- The Student Artist Showcase, now entering its third year, involves high school and middle school student artists in the Beaux Arts Festival of Art. Students are invited to participate by submitting their artwork, which is entered in a juried contest. All entries are displayed at the Lowe Art Museum and the winners of the various categories receive cash prizes and get the opportunity to exhibit their artwork at the Festival.
- Beaux Arts Childrens Art Classes provide instruction in drawing, painting, ceramics, and other areas of art.
Fundraising Activities
- Beaux Arts Costume Ball is held annually in the fall and holds the distinction of being the oldest costume ball in the area.
- The annual Festival of Art is held every winter. It is a two-day juried show that is consistently ranked as one of the top 200 Fine Arts shows in the U.S.
- Holiday Tables, also known as the Art of Table Decorating, now in its twelfth year, is a 3-day exhibit showcasing more than 30 beautifully designed tables. These creative tables are primarily designed by Beaux Arts members.
- Tropical Seasons is the current Beaux Arts Cookbook sold to the public.
FAMILY PROGRAMS
Family Days are held twice annually for children and adults to explore art and culture through an array of music, dance, storytelling and hands-on art activities related to the Lowes permanent and temporary exhibitions. Through this edu-tainment and in an informal festival setting, the Lowe provides an environment for adults and children to experience education together. Creative activities based in the arts and culture serve to strengthen both families and education within the University community and Miami-Dade County. Family Days have a strong impact on the community by ensuring that quality arts education and cultural experiences are accessible and demonstrate the Lowes commitment to serving as both a university and community resource. Since 2000, Family Days have been presented to the community free of charge.
LOWE ART MUSEUM EDUCATION
The goal of education at the Lowe Art Museum is to facilitate exploration of the visual arts. All educational opportunities, whether led by museum staff, museum volunteers or guests strive to challenge the visitor to engage (individually or as a group) in a learning process utilizing and encouraging critical inquiry, object-based education and visual literacy. Overall education at the Lowe Art Museum intends to provide visitors with the necessary skills to explore the visual arts inside and outside of the museum, to instill a sense of excitement about art among our visitors, and to build lasting relationships between our community and our collections.
The Lowe Art Museum Docent Guild supports the mission of the education department by providing a corps of trained volunteer guides (docents) to lead group tours for museum visitors. Docents present tours using inquiry-based strategies. An inquiry-based approach uses questions to help people learn. Inquiry-based learning and teaching allows learners to participate in the education experience, opportunity for rich exploration, as well as, multiple perspectives and ideas. The Lowe Art Museum often uses Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) [
www.vue.org ], a method of inquiry, for K-12 and college tours due to its student-centered approach, its emphasis on constructivist theory, skill building and aesthetic development.
With over 14,000 objects in our permanent collection, the Lowes exhibitions represent 5,000 years of art history throughout the world. Our collections enhance and support a multidisciplinary curriculum from pre-K through college. In addition the Lowe Art Museum installs several
temporary and traveling exhibitions each year.
HOW TO SCHEDULE A TOUR
Tours feature permanent collections and special exhibitions. Typically tours include between one and three collections or exhibitions. Tours should be scheduled at least three weeks in advance. Self-guided tours must also be scheduled in order to avoid conflict with other museum events.
Tour Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10:00 5:00; Thursday 12:00 7:00; Sunday 12:00 5:00. Closed Mondays
Tour Cost
$5 for adults; $3 for students pre K college; Free for University of Miami students.
All non University of Miami tours, regardless of admission fee, require a deposit of $15. Cancellation of a confirmed tour forfeits the deposit. All other deposits are deducted from admission charges on the day of the visit, or returned to groups who receive complimentary admission.
Tour Length:
Tours last one hour, unless otherwise noted.
Group Size:
Groups of ten or more may be accommodated. Large groups will be divided into smaller groups and time spent in each area of the museum will be limited.
Chaperones:
One adult chaperone for every ten students is required. These chaperones are admitted at no charge. Additional chaperones are charged $3 each.
Lunch:
The Lowe Art Museum has a patio where groups can picnic, and the museum is within short walking distance of the University of Miami Student Center food court.
Contact:
To schedule a tour, prepare three dates and times in priority order. Complete and submit the Museum Visit Request form or print and fax it to 305.284.2024, or mail your request to: Education Department, Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami, 1301 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33124-6310.
ADMISSION
Adults: $7.00
Students/Senior Citizens/Adult Group tours (over ten): $5.00
K through College Group Tours (over ten): $3.00
Lowe Lectures: Non-member Adults: $10.00
Opening Receptions: Non-members: $10.00
The Lowe Art Museum is free to museum Members, University of Miami students, faculty and staff with I.D., and children under age 12. Lowe lectures are free for members and UM Students with I.D. Opening receptions are free to members.
Lowe Art Museum1301 Stanford Drive
, University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL 33124
Map305-284-3535
www.Miami.edu/LoweHours of OperationMonday: closed
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
