For two decades, the Adrienne Arsht Center has stood as one of Miami’s most transformative cultural forces, catalyzing artistic excellence, economic growth, and the evolution of a world class city. What began as a bold vision has become a dynamic hub where generations gather to experience music, theater, dance, and community. As the Center celebrates its 20th anniversary season, its impact is unmistakable: a revitalized downtown, internationally acclaimed performances, and a deeper cultural identity for Miami and South Florida.

At the heart of this journey is Adrienne Arsht, whose leadership and philanthropic commitment helped rescue the Center at a pivotal moment and propel it into global prominence. In this conversation, she reflects on the Center’s milestones, her lifelong devotion to the arts, the resurgence it helped inspire in Miami, and the broader role of culture in shaping vibrant cities.

 

CHRISTINE SCHOTT: As the Center celebrates its 20th anniversary season, what do you see as its major accomplishments?

ADRIENNE ARSHT: Marking our 20th year, the Adrienne Arsht Center has become a true cultural anchor—both for Miami and for the global performing arts community. Today, it stands alongside Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center as a premier destination to experience world class performances. The Arsht has welcomed more than 6 million guests and generates over $125 million each year in economic activity/impact. It provides more than 80,000 students each year with free access to arts experiences, employs more than 1,000 Miami artists each year and generates 11,500 jobs. This season is also a shared celebration with our Resident Companies: Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet, and New World Symphony Together, these milestones reflect the depth and vitality of the arts ecosystem that has flourished here over two decades.

CS: What is in store for this year’s 20th Anniversary Gala?

AA: For our 20th anniversary, we’re inviting the community to Paint the Arsht Red and celebrate two decades of impact at a spectacular gala on April 11, 2026, featuring Grammy Award winner Gregory Porter. Guests will enjoy an unforgettable onstage dining experience, followed by the Arsht Awards, which honor leaders who have strengthened Miami’s arts community and supported the Arsht. We’re also proud to welcome Richard Blanco—the nationally acclaimed poet and inaugural poet for President Obama— who will recite a poem he has created for the Arsht’s 20th anniversary. Tickets and information can be found at arshtcenter.org.

 

Adrienne Arsht

 

CS: What is the Arsht Center’s value to Miami and South Florida?

AA: The Arsht Center has been a catalyst in Miami’s transformation—artistically, economically, and socially. It has emerged as a leading performing arts institution nationally and internationally, elevating Miami’s global cultural profile. Its artistic excellence has helped drive the revitalization of downtown Miami, becoming a gathering place—a true “town square”—that shapes where people choose to live. New residential towers continue to rise, apartments in the neighborhood sell quickly, and businesses and developers have invested heavily in the area. The Arsht Center hasn’t just reflected Miami’s growth; it has helped shape it. The addition of the Brightline has further strengthened this momentum by improving regional connectivity and drawing more visitors from across South Florida, deepening the Center’s role as a cultural anchor for the entire region.

CS: When you saved the performing arts center in Miami from going under, could you have imagined the impact it would have on Miami?

AA: A performing arts center brings extraordinary value to a city. It offers transformative possibilities—connecting generations, expanding artistic horizons, and strengthening civic identity. When the Center was first built, the money had been raised and the doors had opened, but poor management and programming choices brought it to the brink of bankruptcy. With renewed leadership and my contribution, the Center was repositioned to fulfill its potential as a great American performing arts institution. Yes, I did imagine, and the results speak for themselves: the Arsht Center became an engine of cultural vitality, economic growth, and urban renewal, impacting Miami far beyond what any of us could have predicted.

CS: Where does your passion for the arts come from?

AA: My passion for the arts is rooted in my childhood. Music filled our home—my mother played the piano, and I studied piano and ballet. Every Saturday, we listened together to the Texaco live broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera. I was also fortunate to experience theater in Wilmington and on Broadway in New York. I cannot imagine a world without the arts. Supporting them means preserving the essence of civilization—today and for generations we will never meet. Art shapes who we are and how we understand one another. It has endured across centuries and will continue to do so.

CS: What are your go-to spots when you visit Palm Beach?

AA: I always love spending time at the Norton Museum, it has long been a treasure for the community. When I lived in Palm Beach from 1979–80, my days were filled with playing tennis, strolling along Worth Avenue, and spending time with wonderful friends, including Robert and Harriet Cohen, founders of Hudson News. Back then, Palm Beach felt like a quaint town where you knew almost everyone. Café Europa was one of the first truly “European” dining spots in the area, and stepping inside felt like being transported to a café in France. It still carries that same charm and sense of escape today.

CS: How did living in Miami impact your role globally?

AA: When I moved to Miami in 1996 to run TotalBank, I couldn’t have foreseen how profoundly it would shape my global perspective. After selling the bank in 2007 and returning to Washington, DC, it became clear that Latin America needed to be more fully integrated into conversations linking the U.S. and Europe. That vision became reality in 2013 with the creation of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC. The Center is dedicated to fostering a strong partnership of shared values and collective interests across the Americas and Europe. I am proud to champion an initiative that positions Latin America as a vital part of the transatlantic community and recognizes its critical role in our shared future.

CS: You have been described as a badass do-gooder – renegade altruist. What drives your passion so deeply?

AA: Our time on earth is a gift, and I believe the price we pay for that gift is how we give back—how we work to make the world better than we found it. I like to say I live in a very high rent district, and that means my responsibility to contribute is even greater. The arts define our civilization. A world without them is unimaginable. When we preserve the arts, we are preserving our collective humanity—our stories, our creativity, our shared identity—for generations to come. Supporting the arts isn’t just philanthropy; it is safeguarding the cultural legacy that will outlast all of us.

CS: Any advice you can share with us?

AA: A few of my favorites that come to mind: Be committed to fixing things that are wrong. Don’t cling to a mistake just because you spent a longtime making it. A nap solves almost anything.