Rick Olivo, who moved to Polk County from New York and passed away in 2022, has long been recognized as one of Lakeland’s art icons. He founded Pied Pipers Children’s Theater (Lakeland Community Theatre) and was also one…
Posts tagged as “Artist Hall of Fame”
Harriet Rust, a Polk County native, founded the Davenport Historical Society with then-Mayor Peter Rust (her late husband). The DHS founded the Quilts and Tea Festival that brought together the Davenport School of the Arts, many sewing organizations,…
Milford Myhre, a long-time Lake Wales resident, was the carillonneur of Bok Tower Gardens for 36 years, until his retirement in 2004. During that time, he played daily concerts at the tower, greeted thousands of visitors to the…
Jazz icon, Nat Adderley made Lakeland his home in the eighties and is credited with being a founding member of Florida Southern College’s Child of the Sun Jazz Festival, eventually serving as Artist-In-Residence for the school. Adderley, who…
Polk Arts Alliance executive director Meri Mass retired on January 31, 2022, closing out a 12-year tenure as the organization’s leader. Meri was a fervent advocate for the arts and played an instrumental role in the establishment of…
Polk Arts Alliance cordially invites you to the 3rd Annual Polk Artists Hall of Fame Award, in memoriam of internationally renowned concert pianist Robert MacDonald during a free performance by the Florida Southern College Symphony Orchestra. Symphonic Celebrations April…