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Michael Spring: Director of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs

Michael Spring: Director of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs

  




Introduction to Michael Spring.  1:01 min.  Interview:  Raymond Elman.  Videography:  Layra Gonzalez + Brea Jones.  Production:  Brea Jones.  Music:  Amernet String Quartet.  Recorded:  7/12/2019, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.

 

MICHAEL SPRING serves as director of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, where he is responsible for the supervision of a public arts agency with an annual budget of more than $53 million and a staff of 100. He represents the Department on numerous cultural and civic organizations including service as chairman of the board of the Florida Cultural Alliance, secretary of the board of directors of Americans for the Arts, a founding board member and officer of Americans for the Arts Action Fund, member and past president of the United States Urban Arts Federation, chairman of the 5-county regional arts alliance, the South Florida Cultural Consortium, and director of the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council.  In 2014, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez expanded his responsibilities by appointing him to serve as a senior advisor for the County’s Cultural Affairs and Recreation portfolio, including oversight of the arts, parks and library departments.

MiamiDadeArts.org 

The videos below are organized by topic and run between 50 seconds and 5 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.

 

EXPOSURE TO BROAD INFLUENCES: 1:13 min.




Where did you grow up and what is your earliest memory of art of any discipline?

 

INSIGHT & INSPIRATION:   2:00 min.




What were the opportunities to see art in Miami during your childhood?

 

SEIZES OPPORTUNITIES:  4:13 min.




Why did you move from making art to a leadership position in arts administration?

 

UNDERSTANDS THE BUSINESS OF ART:  1:22 min.




How do you negotiate the complex maze of state, county, and local government?

 

COMMUNITY VALUES:  0:55 sec.




What were some of your early epiphanies when you started working “behind the scenes” in museums?

 

CREATES A UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND:  4:32 min.




Describe the evolution of your career.

 

EXPOSURE TO BROAD INFLUENCES: 3:35 min.




Who have been your role models and influencers?

 

COMMUNITY VALUES:   4:18 min.




Describe the evolution of getting the governments of South Florida to appreciate the financial and reputational contributions of the arts to the area.

 

UNDERSTANDS ARTISTS’ NEEDS:  4:35 min.




Historically we’ve witnessed cycles of artists colonizing a neighborhood, followed by galleries, patrons, restaurants, boutiques, & developers, who raise property values forcing artists to move. How can the government help break this cycle?

 

OVERCOMES CHALLENGES TO SUCCEED:  4:55 min.




Describe the genesis of ArtBurst, your brilliant idea for an arts publication bureau.

 

UNDERSTANDS THE BUSINESS OF ART:  1:44 min.




You have had a long successful career and people trust you. Do you have a succession plan?

 

 UNDERSTANDS THE AUDIENCE PERSPECTIVE:  2:27 min.




How does your group distinguish between supporting preeminent organizations and smaller start-up entities?

 

VALUES FIRST-RATE EDUCATION: 0:53 sec.




Almost inexplicably, people in the arts are often asked to provide their talents for free, with the lure that “it will be good exposure.”

 

COLLABORATION:  3:11 min.




Who do you use as a sounding board?

 

COMMUNITY VALUES:  1:14 min.




Why is Miami “the city of the future” in regard to the arts, and how did Miami’s evolution happen so quickly?

 

VALUES FIRST-RATE EDUCATION:  1:49 min.




What role should Miami-Dade County universities play in the arts?

 

COLLABORATION:  2:21 min.




How do you stay informed about the large diversity of arts activities and programs in Miami-Dade County?

 

CREATES A UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND:  1:36 min.




How do you ensure that your work colleagues have “good taste” in the arts?

 

OVERCOMES CHALLENGES TO SUCCEED:  4:32 min.




Describe one or two projects that were extremely challenging, but had successful outcomes.

 

INSIGHT & INSPIRATION:  1:16 min.




What’s your favorite movie?

 

UNDERSTANDS ARTISTS’ NEEDS:  2:35 min.




There’s been a lot of discussion and controversy about the State Of Florida not providing incentives to the film industry. What are your thoughts as someone who supports Indie film?

 

COMMUNITY VALUES: 1:42 min.




I am deeply involved with building local, national, and global awareness of the Historic Hampton House (HHH) and its unique history as a nexus for the most prominent African-Americans during the Segregation Era. Now that HHH has been 98% restored to National Historic Registry Standards, is DCA able to help HHH develop museum programming and promotion?