Jorge M. Perez Family Foundation funds Little Haiti arts collaboration

The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation (the Pérez Family Foundation) has awarded a grant to the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab-FIU (WPHL-FIU) and Iris PhotoCollective/IPC ArtSpace (IPC ArtSpace) to foster the arts scene in Little Haiti.

The donation is part of the third edition of the Pérez CreARTE Grants Program (CreARTE). The grants, which total $5 million, will be distributed over the next two years and benefit 39 cultural organizations across Miami-Dade County to help cultivate a more vibrant, connected and stimulating arts ecosystem.

The funded project, iWitness ArtSpace, is a collaboration between the WPHL-FIU and IPC/IPC ArtSpace that will bring a series of documentary photography exhibitions to Little Haiti over the next two years. The IPC/IPC ArtSpace is guided by the belief of its founder and CEO, award-winning photographer Carl-Philippe Juste, that photojournalism should be accessible to all.

“Through the presentation of captivating images made by the most talented photographers of our time, we are dedicated to serving the public. By immersing our audiences in the universal language of visuals, which is, undoubtedly, our first language, we aim to create an unforgettable and deeply engaging experience for each and every viewer,” Juste said.

Each show will be accompanied by activations that are aimed at being rich and inspiring, along with multidisciplinary programming. The idea is that the collaborative space will act as an “art triage” where visitors walk in with one idea of creative expression and exit with another, said Rebecca Friedman, the founding director of the WPHL-FIU.

“Rather than the old-fashioned hierarchies of power so often found in gallery and museum spaces, iWitness ArtSpace embraces a multidisciplinary and flexible approach, where we can all embrace art as transformative both individually and collectively,” Friedman said. “This collaboration is always evolving and responds to the public’s needs. I am honored and thrilled to be embarking on this journey with my collaborator, Carl-Philippe Juste.”

The mission of the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab-FIU is to leverage the university’s resources in service of arts and humanities institutions and communities, such as with iWitness ArtSpace.

CreARTE is made possible through a unique partnership between the Pérez Family Foundation and The Miami Foundation, a pillar of the local nonprofit community that currently manages close to $445 million in philanthropic funds.

About the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab-FIU
The Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab (WPHL) serves as FIU’s hub for public-facing research, teaching and community initiatives in the areas of arts and culture.

About Iris PhotoCollective
Iris PhotoCollective empowers Photojournalists of Color to share independent narratives and stories, fostering a deeper understanding of diverse cultures and experiences.

About The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation
The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation fulfills the philanthropic vision of Jorge M. Pérez, chairman and CEO of The Related Group, and his family to develop South Florida as an exemplary world-class urban center. The family foundation promotes sustainable, inclusive, and just communities by supporting programs and organizations focused on arts and culture, health and well-being, education, environment, and economic development – with a particular preference for programs and organizations that could serve as models for other urban centers.  Since 2015, the family foundation has committed $43.6 million in support of nearly 150 non-profit organizations. For more information, please visit www.jmperezfamilyfoundation.org.

About The Miami Foundation
The Miami Foundation builds the philanthropic, civic, and leadership backbone for Greater Miami. Since 1967, the Foundation has invested $505 million to strengthen our community with partnerships and contributions from more than 1,000 fundholders and 35,000 donors. The Miami Foundation, which currently manages over $445 million in assets, mobilizes donors, nonprofits, leaders, and locals to set a bold vision for our community's future and to invest in a stronger, more equitable, more resilient Greater Miami. For more information, please visit Miamifoundation.org.