2025 Polk Arts & Culture Hall of Fame Inductees
(listed in alpha order)
Carol Krajacic Erkes | Arts Educator (Dance) | Lakeland
Carol Krajacic Erkes, a professional dancer who danced with major US ballet companies, founded Florida Dance Theater in 1993 in Lakeland, FL. As the Artistic Director of FDT, she provided a rich repository of dance culture, both in the school she established as well as providing a venue for professional dance performance through the dance company. FDT was made up of professional dancers from all over the country, and featured guest choreographers and teachers with a wide range of experience.
In addition to performing, Erkes made sure FDT had strong outreach programs: partnerships with organizations such as Family Fundamental; the Lakeland Housing Authority; free summer camps; scholarship programs; and in-school Art Education performances. For many years, FDT provided special performances of the Nutcracker to thousands of Polk County elementary students and senior citizens.
At the same time, she staffed, ran, and taught at the dance school at FDT, Erkes devoted many of her efforts to supporting the community by providing scholarships and summer programs to students who could not otherwise attend. She mentored a number of students who went on to have careers in dance. For 30 years, prior to her retirement, Erkes was tireless in her commitment to provide the best in dance education and performance to the citizens of Polk County.
John and Terry Frost | Arts & Cultural Champions | Bartow
John Frost and his wife, Terry, are long-time Bartow residents and have been renowned for decades for their civic involvement and philanthropy. John Frost, a prominent attorney (founding partner of Frost Law Firm), was the first Florida Bar president from Polk County. The Frosts have long been champions of the arts, earning them recognition as arts & cultural leaders in Polk County. A nominator noted that “events like art festivals wouldn’t be possible without the sustained generous support of people like John and Terry Frost,” underscoring how their giving has enabled local arts opportunities year after year. Some of their notable contributions to Polk’s arts and culture scene include:
- Bloomin’ Arts Festival: The Frosts are best known for their pivotal support of the annual Bloomin’ Arts Festival, Bartow’s premier juried art show. Frost (through his law firm) has been the presenting sponsor of Bloomin’ Arts for over 31 years, including 10 years as the first Presenting Sponsor of this signature Bartow event. Their firm is the longest-running sponsor of the festival.
- Mayfaire by the Lake: Beyond Bartow, the Frost Law Firm has the distinction of being the longest consecutive sponsor of Mayfaire-by-the-Lake, Polk’s largest fine art festival hosted by the Polk Museum of Art, now the AGB. The Frosts’ support extends to 32 consecutive years.
- Bartow Chalk Walk: The Frosts extended their arts patronage to Bartow’s Chalk Walk Festival, a street art event launched in 2018. They have been the Title Sponsor since its inception, underwriting the creation of large-scale chalk murals by professional artists.
- Polk Museum of Art and Polk Theatre: Frost served for many years on the Board of Directors of the Polk Museum of Art, helping guide one of the region’s premier visual arts institutions. He also served on the Board of the Polk Theatre, supporting live music and cultural programming at the historic Lakeland venue.
- Bartow Public Library (Literary Arts): The Frosts were instrumental in the development of Bartow’s modern public library. In addition to generous donations to the capital campaign, the Frosts created a unique endowment through the non-profit Friends of the Bartow Public Library. The John and Terry Frost Endowment enables the acquisition of fiction, drama, and poetry works of enduring literary value, including (but not limited to) titles that have received Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes, as well as children’s literature awards.
Mimi Hardman (d) | Arts & Cultural Champion | Lake Wales
Mimi Hardman moved to Lake Wales in 1965 and will long be remembered as the founder and director of the Depot Museum, host of the annual Pioneer Days festival, red outfits and patriotic costumes, and a tenacity for her passions. Over the course of her career, she raised millions of dollars for historic preservation and cultural and recreational projects throughout Lake Wales.
Hardman was appointed by the Lake Wales City Commission as chair of the Bicentennial Committee in 1974. The idea of a history museum emerged, and she convinced the CSX Corporation to donate their abandoned 1928 Atlantic Coast Line railroad depot to the city. She spearheaded the effort to restore and convert the pink depot into the city’s first museum with a mission to preserve, safeguard, and share the historical records of the life, people, and places of Lake Wales. Hardman was appointed the executive director of the museum and chairperson of the city’s Depot Commission in January of 1980. She became the driving force for the collection of historic materials, the preservation of other historic buildings, fundraising for projects and events, and spokesperson for the promotion of arts, culture, and heritage throughout the city.
Hardman created and oversaw the first Pioneer Day in 1976. For her efforts, she was named Citizen of the Year in 1977 by the Chamber of Commerce. Pioneer Day became an annual celebration of Lake Wales’ early settlers. Over the years, the event grew into a two-day affair attracting thousands of people.
Hardman was appointed by Governor Martinez to the Division of Cultural Affairs’ Florida Council on Arts and Culture. She served on the board of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation and, for more than a decade, served on the Florida Historical Commission under the appointments of Governors Bush, Crist, and Scott. In 1999, she was presented with the Historic Preservation Award for Individual Achievement from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. In 2000, Hardman was named by The Ledger as one of the most influential persons in Polk County for the 20th Century.
Hardman passed away in 2019.
Joe Mitchell (d) | Arts Educator (Visual Arts) | Lakeland
Joe Mitchell, a gifted artist and art educator was a Lakeland, FL native. He graduated from Florida State University and returned to Polk County as a teacher of visual arts, which began is 40 year career in art education. He became the Visual Arts supervisor for Polk County Schools until he retired. As supervisor, he encouraged the placement of art teachers in every school in the district which is and has been the standard for Polk County Schools since 1998. Under his supervision the district formed a partnership with the Polk Museum of Art (now the AGB). Every fifth-grader in Polk schools was given the opportunity to visit the museum. That program is flourishing today, giving many students an opportunity to experience the arts in a museum. Under this partnership the museum opened a student gallery in partnership with Polk County Schools, the first of its kind in Florida, which flourishes today. Mitchell’s support made this partnership possible, enabling thousands of students over the years to be celebrated in a museum exhibition. He was also one of the earliest visual arts teachers at Harrison School for the Arts, Polk County’s only visual and performing arts high school.
Mitchell made an impact on the State level as well. During his tenure as Arts Supervisor for Polk Schools, he served as president of the Florida Art Education Association, the statewide professional organization for art teachers. He led that organization to grow and become the best source of high quality professional development for art teachers in the State. He also supported the Academic Tournament established by Polk County Schools until his retirement from the district. At his heart, Mitchell was an art educator – he taught ceramics at Florida Southern College until his retirement.
Mitchell’s contribution to Polk County extended beyond the school system. One the most significant and long lasting contributions to the Polk community at large was in establishing the Mayfaire by-the-Lake Arts Festival, which continues today. Mayfaire by-the-Lake is one of the most prestigious arts festivals in Florida, with thousands of visitors each year, enriching the local community and making an economic impact on Lakeland and the surrounding area. It was Mitchell’s passion project for the community and he continued to volunteer and help with the festival for the rest of his life.
His work has impacted thousands of students through the years and this legacy continues today through the Scholarship fund he established to support graduating art students in their future endeavors. Above all, Mitchell was a devoted and caring mentor to students and teachers alike. The visual arts in Polk County are enriched and thriving because of him.
Alan Reynolds | Artist (Theatre) | Lakeland
Alan Reynolds has over 40 years of experience in theatre, film and television. He is a fully-credentialled professional artist that earned his BFA in Theatre from Florida Atlantic University and did graduate studies in Theatre Design at Carnegie-Mellon. He was born and raised in Lakeland and has been the Artistic Managing Director of Lakeland Community Theatre since 2009. Under his leadership and artistry, the theatre has flourished and expanded their offerings to the community including youth education via various summer camps and the establishment of “Out of the Box” for special needs artists which is offered at no cost to the participants and families. He also created the Paul Hughes (Polk Artist Hall of Fame member) Scholarship Fund which now has a nest egg of $27K.
As a producing director, he has delivered over 120 productions, including Chicago, SpongeBob the musical, The Bridges of Madison County, Sweeney Todd, Les Misérables, Aida, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Hello Dolly, and many more. As an actor, he has delivered stellar performances in over 80 roles in productions that include Elf, Oklahoma, The Graduate, The Crucible, and Bye Bye Birdie. He has served as a master scenic artist/arts director for over 40 productions with LCT, TWH, Busch Gardens, FSC, FAU, Mad Cow Theatre (Orlando) Universal Studios, Home Shopping Network, Publix, Badcock, Family Worship Center and multiple films and TV shows such as the Waterboy, Ace Ventura Pet Detective, Mortal Kombat Conquests, Thunder in Paradise, 21 Jump Street, etc.
In 2010, he received the John F. Kennedy for the Performing Arts American College Theatre Festival Meritorious Achievement Award for Excellence in Direction. He is the 2014, 2015, and 2016 recipient of the Broadway World Orlando Regional Awards for Best Scenic Design and his creation, “Out of the Box” theatre was featured in the documentary “People Like Us.”
Reynolds has devoted his life to the performing arts, artistic inclusion, arts in education and enriching the arts/culture/heritage offerings in his hometown (Lakeland) and County (Polk). He has trained many talented actors and technicians along the way and has seen his work pay off as many have gone on to prosperous theatre-related careers of their own. He has created a legacy of arts excellence and community service to which many will aspire for years to come.