Island SPACE Celebrates 50 Vibrant Years of Bahamian Independence

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Bahamas Independence, Island SPACE was proud to host The Bahamas in a reception that celebrates Bahamian art, music, history, and culture. This past Tuesday, June 6th, the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum was decorated with Junkanoo pieces, lively music, and Bahamian themed d or.

The night began by welcoming all those who wished to celebrate into an evening of bright colors, festive music, and inspiriting artwork. After guests were checked in, they began the evening with a special sip-and-paint.

Artist Preston Hanna, whose artwork is featured in the Island SPACE verandah in our ?Kollide-O-Scope? exhibit, hosted the sip & paint. Guests were able to take direction from Hanna and create their own flamingo painting- the national bird of The Bahamas. After creating their masterpieces in the media room, guests were then treated to food and drink in the Verandah, where Preston Hanna?s large colorful paintings made for a beautiful backdrop.

Hosted by The Bahamas, Jennifer Gardiner, Area Manager for the Bahamas Tourism Office in Florida, took the stand to welcome everyone into celebrating The Bahamas. Gardiner greeted the guests with excitement and enthusiasms, The Bahamas Office was proud to host this event and was happy to see those in attendance.

Then, featured artist Preston Hanna took center stage to discuss the inspiration behind his artwork. Hanna started with a question: ?On a flight to The Bahamas, what is the first thing one sees?? Almost in unison, the crowd answered: water. There was the inspiration for Hannah?s artwork, the beautiful water amongst the island tapestry that is The Bahamas.

The night ended with a live performance, where entertainers dressed in full Junkanoo garb played music and danced with the audience. The night was a night to showcase Bahamian spirit and culture, all while celebrating the 50 year anniversary of The Bahamas independence, officially on July 10th.

About the Museum

Island SPACE is supported in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, Florida Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, Florida Power & Light Company, Grace Foods, Broward Mall, the Broward County Cultural Division and the following Funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Mary N. Porter Community Impact Fund, Jack Belt Memorial Fund, Ginny and Tom Miller Fund, Stearns Weaver Miller Fund for the Arts, Harold D. Franks Fund.

General museum entry is $10 per adult and $5 per child. The facility is open Thursdays through Saturdays from 11:00a.m. through 7:00p.m. and Sundays from 11:00a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Donations, sponsorships, memberships and volunteer commitments are encouraged. Visit islandspacefl.org to learn about this unique experience and other activities and exhibitions at Island SPACE Caribbean Museum.