The rich history of the Caribbean can sometimes feel far away, lost to time. But one glimpse of a well-used artifact, or hand-written letter can suddenly bring the past crashing into the present. That the sentiment driving new Caribbean history non-profit museum, Island SPACE. The new organization in South Florida is on a mission to elevate the profile of Caribbean art, history and culture throughout the tri-county area and the broader diaspora.
The team behind Island Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Education (Island SPACE) has spent several years demonstrating their commitment to cultural and creative excellence. Their catalog of work includes Taste the Islands TV show, Pieces of Jamaica photo exhibition and coffee table book, the annual Taste the Islands Experience event series, and the 2019 – 2020 Caribbean Culinary Museum tour. Under the nonprofit, the museum concept has evolved into a full-scale Caribbean museum of history, tentatively named the Island Archives, now the nonprofit’s flagship project.
A campaign is now underway, seeking donations from 1,000 founding funders — to validate the demand for the Island Archives project, and to set it up for a strong beginning. While the organization raises funds for project development and a permanent structure, its site selection committee is also in the process of identifying an interim location where they can expand their collection of artifacts and relics, and begin welcoming visitors in late 2020.
Directors of the Executive Board include co-founder and president David I. Muir, attorneys Charise Morgan-Joseph and Lloyd Stanbury, business consultants Clover Thompson and Karl Russell, CPA Leary Mullings, nonprofit consultant Andrea JohnBaptiste, real estate professional Sharon McLennon, and co-founder and Executive Director Calibe Thompson.
Along with inaugural activities, the organization’s 2020 projects include a virtual Caribbean-American heritage month exhibition, and an ongoing virtual photo art project. These activities are supported in part by the Broward County Cultural Division and the following funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Helen and Frank Stoykov Charitable Endowment Fund, David and Francie Horvitz Family Fund, Ann Adams Fund, Mary and Alex Mackenzie Community Impact Fund, Blockbuster Entertainment Unrestricted Fund, Robert E. Dooley Unrestricted Fund for Broward, Harold D. Franks Fund, and Jan Moran Unrestricted Fund.
Donors, volunteers, researchers, those with artifacts and relics to donate, photographers, artists and anyone interested in finding out more about Island SPACE projects explore more at their website.
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