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Home > Releases > Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center celebrates 50 years of transforming young lives through the arts

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Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center celebrates 50 years of transforming young lives through the arts

Press Release department

http://www.miamidadearts.org/ 2025-09-12 2025-09-12T12:00:00.000Z 08 00 am Carmen Morris [email protected] 305-638-1037 Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center celebrates 50 years of transforming young lives through the arts Sunday, September 14, 6 PM, at the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Knight Concert Hall On September 14, 2025, the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center will mark its 50th Anniversary with a celebration at the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Knight Concert Hall, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. For half a century, the Center has served as a cultural cornerstone in Liberty City, nurturing generations of young talent through arts education, mentorship, and community. On September 14, 2025, the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center will mark its 50th Anniversary with a celebration at the Adrienne Arsht Center's Knight Concert Hall, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. For half a century, the Center has served as a cultural cornerstone in Liberty City, nurturing generations of young talent through arts education, mentorship, and community. "From nurturing future stars to honoring visionary leadership in our community, the Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center stands as a national model for empowerment through the arts," said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. "The 50th anniversary marks a powerful milestone in Miami’s cultural history, celebrating decades of artistic excellence and community impact by the Center and its alumni. This celebration also reflects the strength of public-private partnerships—especially with the Redland Banyan Fund—whose steadfast support has helped sustain and elevate the Center's transformative mission." Highlights of the evening include screening of the new documentary An Instrumental Start: A Model for the Nation, chronicling the Center's origins and its founder's belief that the arts could be a pathway to success. The film, directed by Brian Bayerl and Michael Huter, includes appearances by Phylicia Rashad, Savion Glover, and several Center alumni whose lives were shaped by its programs. Live performances will include alumni artists including Marshall Davis, Jr., Willerm Delisfort, a dance piece choreographed by Robert Battle, former Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and others. Nu Deco Ensemble will bookend with signature performances. The celebration honors not just the Center's legacy, but the often-overlooked contributions of Black Miamians who helped build the city—from the Bahamian signers of the 1896 city charter to E.W.F. Stirrup, and D. A. Dorsey, who financed the Brickells during the city's early development. This 50th anniversary is both a celebration and a call to remembrance. For more information, call (305) 638-6771 or visit <a href="http://www.ahcacmiami.org">www.ahcacmiami.org</a> About the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center   Part of the <a href="https://miamidadearts.org/">Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs</a>, the Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center was founded in 1975 to serve as the nesting ground for emerging talent in the performing and visual arts in the heart of Liberty City. By providing quality instruction, inspiration, and encouragement to young people within the community, the Center has fulfilled its mission for 50 years, and everyday creates a means for youth to discover their artistic talents. The Center receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, and the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Arts and Culture. About the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs   The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council develop cultural excellence, access, and participation throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating and promoting opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and our residents and visitors who are their audiences. The Department receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, and the Taft Foundation. Other support and services are provided by TicketWeb for the Culture Shock Miami program, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the South Florida Cultural Consortium, and the Tourist Development Council. For information visit <a href="http://www.miamidadearts.org/">www.miamidadearts.org.</a>  no 2025 00 a.m. 00 a.m. Gloria Diaz 305-638-6771 [email protected] Cultural Affairs 1 rel1757625603447743 Cultural Affairs Stephen P. Clark Center 111 NW 1st Street Miami 33128 local county miami-dade department department Cultural AffairsCUA Contact Us http://www.miamidadearts.org/content/contact-us About Us http://www.miamidadearts.org/about /global/publicrecords/search.page Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs We strategically create and promote opportunities for artists, cultural organizations and their audiences by developing cultural excellence, diversity and participation.   <div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: 0px; top: -25px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden;"></div> We are developing better cultural facilities in neighborhoods throughout Miami-Dade, improving the visual quality of the County's built environment and making cultural activities more accessible for all of our residents and visitors. We manage, program and operate the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, the Joseph Caleb Auditorium and the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. Our Art in Public Places program commissions, curates, maintains and promotes the County’s award-winning public art collection. <div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: 0px; top: -25px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden;"></div> /resources/images/banners/cultural-affairs.jpg other Interim Director Ashlee Thomas Ashlee Thomas /global/government/biographies/cultural-affairs.page Stephen P. Clark Center - 111 NW 1st Street [loc1454454181420459] : Miami ^ 33128 loc1454454181420459 Suite 625 305-375-4634 http://www.miamidadearts.org/ facebook twitter <a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/MiamiDadeArts" data-widget-id="732209526099873794">Tweets by @MiamiDadeArts</a> <script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script> cultural-affairs org1462991764124130 loc1454454181420459 Stephen P. Clark Center 111 NW 1st Street Suite 625 Miami 33128 305-375-4634 http://www.miamidadearts.org/ facebook,twitter https://www.facebook.com/miamidadearts,https://twitter.com/MiamiDadeArts Interim Director

Sunday, September 14, 6 PM, at the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Knight Concert Hall

MIAMI-DADE ( September 12, 2025 )–

On September 14, 2025, the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center will mark its 50th Anniversary with a celebration at the Adrienne Arsht Center's Knight Concert Hall, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. For half a century, the Center has served as a cultural cornerstone in Liberty City, nurturing generations of young talent through arts education, mentorship, and community.

"From nurturing future stars to honoring visionary leadership in our community, the Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center stands as a national model for empowerment through the arts," said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. "The 50th anniversary marks a powerful milestone in Miami’s cultural history, celebrating decades of artistic excellence and community impact by the Center and its alumni. This celebration also reflects the strength of public-private partnerships—especially with the Redland Banyan Fund—whose steadfast support has helped sustain and elevate the Center's transformative mission."

Highlights of the evening include screening of the new documentary An Instrumental Start: A Model for the Nation, chronicling the Center's origins and its founder's belief that the arts could be a pathway to success. The film, directed by Brian Bayerl and Michael Huter, includes appearances by Phylicia Rashad, Savion Glover, and several Center alumni whose lives were shaped by its programs.

Live performances will include alumni artists including Marshall Davis, Jr., Willerm Delisfort, a dance piece choreographed by Robert Battle, former Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and others. Nu Deco Ensemble will bookend with signature performances.

The celebration honors not just the Center's legacy, but the often-overlooked contributions of Black Miamians who helped build the city—from the Bahamian signers of the 1896 city charter to E.W.F. Stirrup, and D. A. Dorsey, who financed the Brickells during the city's early development. This 50th anniversary is both a celebration and a call to remembrance.

For more information, call (305) 638-6771 or visit www.ahcacmiami.org

About the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center

Part of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center was founded in 1975 to serve as the nesting ground for emerging talent in the performing and visual arts in the heart of Liberty City. By providing quality instruction, inspiration, and encouragement to young people within the community, the Center has fulfilled its mission for 50 years, and everyday creates a means for youth to discover their artistic talents. The Center receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, and the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Arts and Culture.

About the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council develop cultural excellence, access, and participation throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating and promoting opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and our residents and visitors who are their audiences. The Department receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, and the Taft Foundation. Other support and services are provided by TicketWeb for the Culture Shock Miami program, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the South Florida Cultural Consortium, and the Tourist Development Council. For information visit www.miamidadearts.org.