The latest edition of our annual Best Of Broward-Palm Beach issue is up and live, and it is chock-full o' awesomeness. From the best dive bars to the best places to meet single men and ladies to the best local restaurants in town and even your readers' choice votes, it's all here -- and more!
To whet your appetite, here are a few of the best places for art that we've honored in this issue, from art walks and art events to the best museum in town, we've got you covered on how to get your culture on.
You can pick up the Best Of Broward-Palm Beach issue at newsstands right now.
See also: Best of Broward-Palm Beach 2014
Best Art Exhibition: (Un)Common Traces Dwelling Projects at Boynton Beach Arts District Boynton Beach cargocollective.com It wasn't the biggest or the glitziest art exhibit last year, and "big" or "glitzy" would have been completely out of place in the industrial Boynton Beach Arts District anyway -- but (Un)Common Traces, featuring the work of four members of art collective Dwelling Projects, was far and away the scrappiest and most spirited. Spread throughout three bays of the BBAD compound, the photography, video, pen-and-ink, watercolor, charcoal, and fiber assemblage drew inspiration from the artists? recent visit to Ecuador, where they spent a month immersed in the Andean nation?s artistry and culture. Their work plays on themes of spirituality, nature, landscape, travel, work, and the commodity economy, overrunning boundaries and commenting one on the other. For building bridges among cultures and among South Florida arts communities, (Un)Common Traces was unmatched.
Best Art Gallery: Art and Culture Center of Hollywood 1650 Harrison St. Hollywood 33020 954-921-3274 artandculturecenter.org Every few months, curator Jane Hart presents a new show, and every time, she hits the mark in quality. This year , we saw "XYZ.: Visual arts aside, quality encompasses the center's arts programming, from education for kids and adults to live stage shows and artist talks like the recent Hot Topics series.
Best Museum: Stonewall National Museum and Archive 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. Fort Lauderdale 33304 954-763-8565 stonewallnationalmuseum.org Thank the queer deities for South Florida! There are few spots on this Earth where two dudes or two ladies starting a life together is about as everyday as a man and a woman getting hitched and subsequently divorced -- and southeastern Florida, friends, is one of them. That's why Fort Lauderdale is the fieriest place in the world to preserve and share knowledge on LGBT culture and its place in American society. That's exactly what Stonewall National Museum and Archive does with thoughtfulness and pizzazz. It all started in the '70s with then-FAU student Mark Silber hoarding books at his family home in Hollywood. And today, it has two locations filled to the brim with gay info ? the Fort Lauderdale Branch Library/ArtServe building and a new gallery in Wilton Manors. It hosts unusual exhibitions like "Dear Abby: Letters and Advice on Homosexuality" and photographer Jeff Larson's "Men in Living Rooms," who were scantily clad in their homes. The collection includes more than 25,000 books, a thousand DVDs, and 5,000 archival objects, such as the gavel Nancy Pelosi pounded when ending ?Don?t Ask, Don't Tell. But there's a lot more to do than gaze at stuff: The lively schedule included a gala with Megan Mullally of Will and Grace this year, and the community is welcome for movie nights, author series, discussion groups, and more.
Best Art Event: The Love Burn 1142 NE Sixth Ave. Fort Lauderdale 33304 954-816-9191 makerssquare.com When Maker's Square opened its doors late last year, Fort Lauderdale got its coolest tool shop. The venue doubles as a social club for would-be "makers," a movement of DIY artisans who adore tools. Memberships follow a gym business model: Sign up and use any tool from the $100,000 collection. Make arduino robots here! Or sew up a cosplay outfit! Weld car parts together, whatever -- make amazing things with your hands. Also, the facility boasts sweet-ass events with a bohemian, educational, and welcoming atmosphere. Tuesday nights, come for tacos and TedX talks projected on a huge outdoor screen. Workshops occur weekly, and circus music is often blared from the speakers. But arguably the greatest event that Makers Square has hosted to date when attendees could really let their freak flags fly -- was the Love Burn, a Burning Man-inspired event that took place over Valentine's Day weekend on Virginia Key.
Best Art Walk: FAT Village Art Walk FAT Village Arts District Offices 17 NW Fifth St. Fort Lauderdale 33301 954-760-5900 fatvillage.com Just a few short years ago, the area now known as FAT Village -- short for Flagler Arts and Technology -- was a no-man's-land just east of Maguire's Irish Pub. There wasn't much to see and even less to do. Sure, there were some artists toiling in little warehouse studios and a few graphic arts companies churning out their art in obscurity, but you had to be a real inside member of the hyperlocal art community to even know they were back there. Anyone living outside of downtown would say, "Art scene" You mean those chichi galleries on Las Olas?? Pause and appreciate how far the area has come in such a short time. The monthly art walk is largely responsible for that growth. Helium Creative, the World and Eye Arts Center, Cadence Landscape Architecture + Urban Design, the annual Day of the Dead Celebration, and C&I Studios are just a few of the well-known denizens of this scene. C&I Studios has even put in a coffee shop next door called Next Door. From 7 to 11 p.m. on the last Saturday of each month (except December), the galleries throw open their doors, the food trucks line up, and the crowds gather. About 1,000 people descend on the gritty, gravelly area by the railroad tracks. You bump into people you haven't seen in a while, admire some out there art, find some inspiration, pet some dogs, and visit the pop-up galleries, all within four square blocks.
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