Value: Cultivating community culture, arts, recreation and life-long learning
Value: Consistently delivering responsive, efficient, quality services to the public and internal customers
As a County, and in collaboration with community partners, Broward seeks to provide artistic, cultural, educational and historical amenities and programs that contribute to a vibrant, multi-cultural and economically viable community, to deliver world-class recreational opportunities, and to promote life-long learning opportunities for our residents and visitors.
Cultural Division
In 2018, the Board of County Commissioners brought statewide attention to the importance of integrating the arts and literacy. The Cultural Division completed its first year of Kid Culture, a pilot arts and literacy program for the Broward Reads Campaign, providing free and discounted experiences for young children, their families and caregivers at arts and cultural attractions throughout the County. Educators and health and human service providers received additional professional development and early learning support services through the Florida Center for Arts Integration, in partnership with the School Board of Broward County and Broward Cultural Division.
There were eight Public Art & Design projects completed and installed in various locations including the airport, port and library. The Division completed four Calls to Artists, six artist or artist teams were selected, and seven final designs were approved.
In June, the Cultural Division completed the 12th year of the Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute, an artist-focused course of study designed to assist artists of all disciplines by cultivating and advancing their business skills. To date, over 772 artists have completed the program.
The Division’s Advocacy, Education and Cultural Tourism section provided arts-based educational and professional development programming for over 3,800 adults and youth of all ages. The Destination Sistrunk cultural tourism program provided 20 creative businesses with opportunities for development, technical assistance and contractual services.
The New Starz Talent Show with Parks and Recreation Division and Libraries Division, along with Florida Children’s Theatre and Developing Dreams Foundation, took place in June and July. Over 1,000 youth, caregivers and families participated in the revival of Parks’ Broward Star Time Program. Showcased were talented youth in the visual and performing arts, ages 6 to 17 who were registered in the six-neighborhood park Summer Recreation Programs throughout the County. A total of 600 youth participated in information and recruitment workshops about the Program; 100 auditioned to participate in the Program; 90 received performance workshops with practicing professional artists; and 450 attended and performed in and served as “crew” in a professionally directed, culminating performance at Lauderhill Performing Arts Center.
Broward County Parks
Attendance at Broward County Parks increased 8.5 percent in Fiscal Year 2018, to 12.4 million, thanks to major improvements and new construction projects, along with children’s programs and T20 soccer.
The neighborhood parks in the Broward Municipal Services District (unincorporated area) helped coordinate and hosted the 10th Annual Broward Aware: Protecting Our Children campaign in partnership with the Children’s Services Council, Nancy J. Cotterman Center, and more than 30 other agencies and nonprofit organizations. The campaign brings awareness and resources to the community to stop child abuse.
In partnership with the Children’s Services Council, neighborhood parks hosted Lights on After School, to celebrate the benefits children receive when participating in after-school programs.
Tradewinds Park & Stables partnered with Youth Environmental Alliance to conduct six horticulture field trips for elementary school students and implemented a series of seven staff-led STEM animal science field trips for middle school students to enhance agricultural education opportunities for Broward County youth. STEM is a program that encourages student learning in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
Broward County Parks hosted five international T20 cricket matches at Central Broward Regional Park and Stadium which attracted more than 15,000 spectators, an increase of nearly 9,000 from the previous year.
A new 240-foot-long public dock on the Intracoastal Waterway at Birch State Park was opened.
Broward County Libraries
The Libraries Division increased new library card accounts by over 20 percent in Fiscal Year 2018 as compared to Fiscal Year 2017.
This was the second year Libraries partnered with the School Board to provide seamless access to eContent for students through Digital Resource Sharing. More than 60,000 Broward County school students registered for the Digital Direct Card which grants access to electronic resources that support the learning environment.
Libraries implemented the Library for Life Program, which celebrates all who were born in Broward by offering them an instant e-card, regardless of their current residency. Broward County also launched a new series of free language classes offering teens and adults the opportunity to learn American Sign Language at three Broward County Libraries.
New resources for lending to the public included Merge Cubes, which allow the public hands-on access to virtual reality and augmented reality experiences and Launchpad Learning Tablets for children on a variety of topics.
Chalk Lit, a new signature event offered by Libraries in partnership with local municipalities and other County agencies was the kick-off event for the Big Read and engaged the public through a combination of library and visual arts with more than 5,000 people attending. Artists created masterpieces on the sidewalk in the Main Library plaza.
