The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami proudly welcomed the Coconut Grove Arts Festival and looks forward to an evening devoted to art, culture, and the highly anticipated official poster unveiling. “We believe deeply in the power of the arts and are honored to align with a cherished festival tradition that has inspired generations and continues to flourish after 62 years,” said Rosa Tamajon, Hotel Manager”

Each year, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival commissions a distinguished artist to create the official poster, a tradition that has produced a coveted collector’s item and featured many celebrated names in the art world. Chosen as the 2026 poster artist is Kenneth Kudulis, a nationally recognized artist whose work blends theatrical storytelling, rich color, and intricate digital craftsmanship. “The poster unveiling marks a special moment for our community. It’s the first glimpse of the creative spirit that will define the upcoming festival, and it’s something people truly look forward to. These posters have become cherished collector’s pieces, and we’re thrilled to add Kenneth Kudulis’ work to that legacy,” says Camille Marchese, executive director of the CGAF.

Posters from past years are proudly displayed in homes, offices, and galleries, serving as lasting symbols of the festival’s legacy and commitment to artistic excellence. Kenneth’s work captures that sense of wonder and creativity in a way that immediately resonates with collectors.  He brings a unique background to this honor. With a BFA in Theatre and formal training at the Juilliard School in New York City, he spent years as a professional scenic artist painting for theaters, opera houses, ballets, and fashion ateliers. His work includes contributions to Tony Award winning productions such as Spring Awakening and Next to Normal, as well as the iconic holiday windows at Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.

“My art is inspired by traveling and exploring new places with my wife, Jen, and our French Bulldogs, Scribble and Dot,” said Kudulis. “After years of painting for the stage, I eventually found my voice as a fine artist. Discovering digital art allowed me to create wherever I go. My iPad became my studio, and my Apple Pencil became my paintbrush.” Over the past decade, Kudulis has traveled extensively across the country participating in outdoor art festivals, an experience that deeply informs his work. His digital pieces are built layer by layer, often containing tens of thousands of hand drawn marks. The result is a fantastical world of whimsy, pattern, and movement that challenges viewers to question whether the surface is paint or pixels.

The poster will be available for sale during the festival which will run President’s Day Weekend, February 14, 15 and 16, 2026. For more information about the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, visit cgaf.com.

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The Coconut Grove Arts Festival (CGAF) Board of Directors awarded $45,000 in scholarships to 15 outstanding high school seniors from Miami-Dade County. Each student receive da $3,000 scholarship in recognition of their exceptional artistic talent and dedication during a private scholarship ceremony on Sunday, May 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Courtyard Miami Coconut Grove, located at 2649 S. Bayshore Dr., Miami, FL 33133. Friends and family of the students being honored were invited to attend this inspiring event, where they got to see some of the student’s artwork.

As one of the most celebrated outdoor fine arts festivals in the country, CGAF has long recognized that the future of the arts lies in the creativity and passion of the next generation. “Supporting our vision is at the heart of the festival’s mission. These young artists are truly extraordinary,” said Dave Hill, Chairman of the CGAF Board of Directors. “Recognizing their contributions to our creative community and helping them pursue their dreams through education is one of the most meaningful things we do each year.”

The $45,000 awarded this year is part of CGAF’s broader $75,000 annual scholarship fund, which also supports students currently enrolled in Florida International University’s art programs. Camille Marchese, CGAF’s Executive Director, emphasized the transformative power of art in young lives. “We’re deeply committed to fostering new talent, and our scholarship program is a vital part of that,” said Marchese. “By supporting these promising young artists, we not only help them develop their craft -we help them find a voice, a purpose, and a creative future.”

About the Scholarship Program
The CGAF scholarship program is available to graduating seniors from Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Finalists are selected through a rigorous review process. This year’s recipients were chosen by the founding members of the Fund for Design & Art Education, who originally established this scholarship. Marlen Kohn, Marilyn Traeger, and Cathi Rivera assessed students’ art portfolios, artist statements, and teacher recommendations. The CGAF Board is grateful to these retired art educators for their continued dedication to arts education, supporting visual arts students in our community.

2025 Scholarship Recipients
This year’s recipients use a variety of mediums to convey their relationship with their culture, religion, family and/or self. The 15 students represent the very best of Miami-Dade’s young creative talent. Most attended school on free or partially paid for lunches but are now headed to college with a little more money in their pockets.

About the Coconut Grove Arts Festival
For 61 years, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, managed by the Coconut Grove Arts & Historical Association, has been dedicated to cultivating future generations of artists. As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, and the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, the organization champions South Florida’s arts community through educational programs – and by hosting one of the nation’s premier outdoor art festivals. Held annually over Presidents’ Day weekend this three-day event features 285 juried artists across multiple visual categories, live performances, and interactive art experiences along Coconut Grove’s scenic bay front streets. Proceeds fund impactful year-round programs, including scholarships for Florida International University and Miami-Dade high school students, the Visiting Artists Program, and the Next Generation Emerging Artist Program. Learn more at cgaf.com.

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MIAMI, June 2 , 2024 – The Coconut Grove Arts Festival Board of Directors proudly continues its long-standing tradition of honoring local students who excel in creative arts, with the announcement of 16 winners for the 2024 scholarship program. Each of the Miami-Dade County high-school scholarship recipients was awarded a $3,000 check during a family-and-friends ceremony on Sunday, June 2. Works by these exceptionally talented artists also were exhibited during the event, hosted at the Courtyard Miami Coconut Grove, 2649 S. Bayshore Dr., Miami, FL 33133.

Held annually over Presidents’ Day weekend for over 60 years, the CGAF is one of the most internationally acclaimed outdoor fine-arts festivals. However, as Chairman of the Board Dave Hill acknowledges, the vision and creativity of the young artists themselves is truly the driving force – and CGAF’s Board of Directors remains dedicated to encouraging rising new talent.

“These young artists are beyond remarkable. To be able to honor the outstanding contributions of budding artists in our community, in addition to helping further their education, is simply the best and most important task that our Board undertakes each year,” Hill adds.

CGAF manages an annual scholarship fund totaling $75,000, of which $48,000 has now been provided to the current roster (see below) of high-school graduates, with the balance going to select students attending Florida International University arts programs later this year.

Engaging Young Minds through Education

The CGAF continues to expand its outreach to mold the future generations of fine art creators. In addition to the annual scholarship, CGAF proudly provides enhanced programs such as the Emerging Arts; Visiting Artists who provide workshops for students at local schools; and the Young Collectors Club, which is hosted each year during the three-day festival to encourage young people to acquire their first-ever art pieces. Additionally, CGAF donates art supplies to area schools.

Executive Director Camille Marchese is very familiar with the importance of allowing an artists passion for the arts come alive. As Executive Director, her primary objective is to ensure that the level of art at the annual outdoor art show remains second to none; while widening the benevolent efforts of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival organization.

Noting that CGAF’s scholarship program, in particular, provides brilliant students with crucial educational funding that will help advance their studies, Marchese emphasizes, “We remain committed to fostering new talent and believe that by doing so, we are cultivating self-expression and providing promising young artists with a positive, creative outlet. We are honored to be able to continue to motivate these artists who, in turn, motivate us.”

2024 CGAF Scholarship Recipients

The annual scholarship is open to seniors enrolled in Miami-Dade Public Schools. The selection of these incredibly talented students is rigorous, as a jury of professional artists and art educators expertly review their art portfolios, artists’ statements, and teacher recommendations to select the final 16 winners.

The following graduating seniors are the 2024 recipients of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Scholarship program (school in parenthesis denotes where each student plans to next attend):

• Federica Atabaki: Design and Architecture Senior High School (Carnegie Mellon University)
• Lizandra Amador: Senior Miami Senior High (Florida International University)
• Nicole Bosch: New World School of the Arts (Otis School of Art & Design)
• Sandro Daniel Castellanos: Miami Lakes Education Center
• Katrine Eliev: New World School of Arts (Cooper Union for the Advance of Science & Art)
• Sophia Kessler: Dr. Michael Krop Senior High (Broward College)
• Rocio Laucerica: Design & Architecture Senior High (Washington University in St. Louis)
• Ashani Lillie: New World School of the Arts (Kansas City Art Institute)
• Saily Milian: New World School of the Arts (Florida International University)
• Cing Nuam: New World School of the Arts (Otis College of Art & Design)
• Hannah Mesa: Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy (Syracuse University)
• Elise Olazabal: Design & Architecture Senior High (Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design)
• Jeannie Paguaga: South Miami Senior High (Middlebury College)
• Sophia Regalado-McCoy: New World School of the Arts (Pratt Institute)
• Manola Silva-Hanson: New World School of the Arts (accepted at CalArts, California College of the Arts, Kansas City Art Institute, and NYU Tisch)
• Sasha Stoppi: New World School of the Arts (Savannah College of Art & Design)

About the Coconut Grove Arts Festival


The annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival is the region’s premier art festival celebrating the fine arts with live performances and local flavors. As one of the largest art festivals in the United States, thousands of people gather each year along Coconut Grove’s waterfront streets to view the works of nearly 300 internationally known and jury-selected artists across 15 visual categories.

Produced by the nonprofit, 501(c)(3), Coconut Grove Arts & Historical Association, festival proceeds are used to fund the Annual Scholarship Program and other education and outreach programs such as the New & Emerging Artists Program and the High School Mentoring Series.

For information, visit the Coconut Grove Arts Festival website at https://cgaf.com/.

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MIAMI, April 18, 2024 – Coconut Grove Arts Festival proudly announces the appointment of its 2024-25 Executive Committee. This leadership committee is responsible for driving forward the organization’s mission to support the arts community as hosts of one of the nation’s largest outdoor arts events.

The Board of Directors oversees all aspects of the operation of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. The event is one of the top 10 art festivals in the U.S., drawing tens of thousands of attendees each year. 

Proceeds of this world-renowned annual festival – now entering its 61^st year – help fund year-round arts programs including scholarships for local high school and college art students, an emerging artist mentoring program, and multiple other initiatives promoting arts education in South Florida.

Comprising accomplished leaders with diverse expertise in their respective fields, each member of the newly appointed Executive Committee brings a wealth of experience and insights to steer the Coconut Grove Arts Festival towards continued success and excellence. Elected March 11, 2024, the esteemed Executive team includes: Chairman Dave Hill Jr., Chair-Elect Pam Mayer, Treasurer Flavio Carillo, Secretary Marshall Steingold, and Past Chair Michelle Barton King.

Chairman Dave Hill expressed excitement about the 2024-25 Executive Committee, stating, “I am thrilled to work alongside such a distinguished group of individuals at the heart of our Board of Directors. By driving sustained innovation and growth of our much-loved festival and year-long philanthropic programs, we look forward to delivering outstanding value to our community – artists, art students, supporters, and art collectors.”

Mr. Hill has a long history of service in the Coconut Grove community, volunteering since the age of 10 by working alongside his father, Board Member Emeritus, Dave Hill, Sr. For him the opportunity to serve on the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Board of Directors – and now as Chairman – is truly a labor of love.

Spanning three days over Presidents’ Day weekend, the annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival is a top-tier outdoor festival celebrating the fine arts with live performances, interactive arts activations, and culinary arts experiences along Coconut Grove’s bay-front streets. The highly popular event presents the works of nearly 285 internationally known and jury-selected artists across multiple visual categories. For information, visit https://www.cgaf.com/.  

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PHOTO CAPTION:

The Executive Committee of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Board of Directors (2024-25) (left to right) Treasurer Flavio Carillo, Chairman Dave Hill Jr., Chair- Elect Pam Mayer, Past Chair Michelle Barton King, and Secretary Marshall Steingold.

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