Oolite Arts - Board of Directors

Dear Friends,

As members of the Board of Directors at Oolite Arts, we invite you to join us this Give Miami Day in celebrating 40 years of empowering artists and enriching South Florida’s cultural landscape.

Oolite Arts was founded in 1984 by the late potter and visionary Ellie Schneiderman, whose vision transformed vacant storefronts on Lincoln Road into vibrant studios and sparked the revitalization of one of Miami Beach’s most iconic neighborhoods. Her vision continues to guide us today.

Oolite Arts remains a vital resource for artists, providing free studio space, exhibitions, residencies, and educational programs that foster experimentation, innovation, and community. Each year, hundreds of South Florida artists and thousands of art lovers from all over the world benefit from these opportunities to create, learn, and connect.

This Give Miami Day, our goal is to secure 40 donations, one for every year of Oolite Arts’ history. Your gift, in any amount, helps sustain the programs that make this city’s creative ecosystem thrive.

Join us in honoring Ellie’s legacy and supporting the next generation of artists. Donate today and help us reach 40 donations for 40 years of Oolite Arts.

With gratitude,

The Board of Directors of Oolite Arts

Oolite Arts Annual Impact & Programs

• Residencies

  • 13 year-long Studio Art Residencies, each with a $1,000/month housing stipend.

  • 4 Cinematic Arts Residencies with $50,000+ in project funding per resident.

  • 5 Home + Away Residencies, sending 32 artists to top programs across the U.S. and abroad (Atlantic Center, MASS MoCA, Artpace).

  • South Florida’s only Youth Artist Residency, mentoring five local teens and connecting them with working artists.

• Exhibitions & Public Art

  • 4 exhibitions annually at the 924 Lincoln Rd gallery (free admission, open daily), with printed materials, public openings, performances, and lectures.

  • 8 Windows @ Walgreens exhibitions each year, on view 24/7 at two Miami Beach locations, with opening events.

  • Open studios during each exhibition opening.

• The Ellies Oolite Arts Awards

  • $500,000 annual non-restricted awards for artists living and working in Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, and Palm Beach counties.

• Film & Conversations

  • Art Films series

  • In Conversation: Visiting artists and curator lectures from around the world, with professional development opportunities for residents like critics, and curatorial engagement.

• Education & Professional Development

  • Skills: Professional development workshops/year for artists and filmmakers.

  • Bringing professional artists into K–12 schools, giving students hands-on, high-quality art experiences where access is limited.

• Community Reach and Art Classes

  • Approx. 11,000 people/year attend Oolite’s free and low-cost programming.

• Future Growth

  • Ongoing development of the new 27,000 sq. ft. Oolite Art Center, which will have more than double studio and public program space.