By Laura Bruney and Etain Connor, Arts & Business Council Monty Trainer is called the “Grove Father” for his love of Coconut Grove. A well-known business owner, community advocate, local personality and Coconut Grove Arts Festival president, Monty is active in the resurgence of Coconut Grove  He wants the label of a laid-back arts community, to be the reality once again. Under his leadership, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival is one of the top juried arts events in the U.S. and consistently attracts upwards of 100,000 cultural tourists and arts aficionados. This zealous arts supporter tells us why the arts play a leading role in our community.

ABC: What do you think makes a vibrant community and what role do the arts play? MT: The arts are one of Miami’s most important assets. The arts develop community spirit, bring people together, attract tourists and appeal to companies looking to relocate. Without art we would be an industrial town without our recognized flavor, innovation and excitement. The arts differentiate us from other cities. It has been proven that quality of life issues including the arts are at the top of the list for businesses looking to establish themselves in Miami. I am on the Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Council and our economic surveys show impressive results. The cultural community has an annual impact of more than one billion dollars and employees more 30,000. That is a workforce bigger than our 3 largest corporations combined. The arts are an integral part of the economy in Miami.

ABC: Tell us about this year’s Coconut Grove Arts Festival. MT: The Coconut Grove Arts Festival, on President’s Day weekend on the shores of Biscayne Bay, is beyond compare. It is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top outdoor fine arts festivals. This year we are excited to welcome more than 380 juried artists. We are launching a New and Emerging Arts Area this year and continue to feature our artists in Dade County schools to connect students to the arts. Our Children’s Alley, done in conjunction with the Children’s Trust, involves children between the ages of 2 and 11 in hands on art activities. This annual celebration of the arts gives collectors and arts lovers the chance to meet the exhibiting artists and learn about their work. We are also bringing back our popular culinary program featuring 12 performing chefs and an array of gourmet delights. We are partnering with Miami New Times this year to book the music acts for the entertainment stage in Peacock Park. We are hoping to attract a younger audience that will want to hear some of the nationally renowned music acts on the main stage. A signature event on the South Florida cultural calendar, the festival offers one mile of arts, fine food, performances and fun. Tickets are $15.

ABC: Who are some of the festivals corporate partners? MT: The presenting sponsor and one of our top community resources is the Terra Group. The company has been one of the leaders in transforming Miami-Dade into the prosperous metropolis we know today. Aside from their popular development projects, Terra Group has enriched South Florida’s communities by actively participating in charitable, civic, arts, and cultural organizations. They also include an arts component in each of their developments. Terra Group founders Pedro and David Martin all about arts and culture. Another of our best community partners is Baptist Health. They have been with us for several years and give back to the community in many ways. We have a real win-win partnership with The Lincoln Motor Company. They display their luxury automobiles throughout the festival streets with opportunities to see, touch and experience their new models.

ABC: What about opportunities for small companies? MT: We have some wonderful partnerships with local companies including Frameworks who does framing for our festival posters and hosts some events at their Coconut Grove flagship store, Republica who does our advertising and marketing outreach, and Milams Market who is one of our cuisine sponsors.

ABC: Why do you think it’s important for corporations to support the arts? MT: The corporate community is the beneficiary of our first class cultural community. In addition to the enormous economic impact the arts have in Miami-Dade the arts improve the quality of life for our regions employees and are a proven winning combination in keeping business professionals engaged. It is good business sense to support the arts. Our festival sponsors enjoy an amazing amount of visibility and community good will from our ad campaigns and our media partners. They reach wealthy, sophisticated and urban arts collectors, interact with other business leaders and potential clients and reach 100,000 festival participants. It is a great opportunity for these companies to build name recognition and to tie their brand into the arts.

ABC: Can you tell us about one of your great art experiences? MT: I love the opportunity to interact with artists, see where they work and what inspires them. I had the chance to visit Romero Britto’s studio last year. Seeing the work he is doing, the process, the energy and the excitement of making art was energizing. This year’s feature festival artist, Duaiv, is a French-American artist and internationally recognized painter. He has spent his lifetime nurturing, fostering and sharing the arts with the world. He has is a very artsy guy. He came to our attention through a unique and innovative corporate partnership with Lamborghini Miami. The North Miami based dealer prides themselves on doing things differently with extreme marketing tactics and unique projects that often involve the arts and artist. Duaiv collaborated with the dealer turning a half million dollar Lamborghini Aventador Roadster into a work of art featuring his unique style. I loved seeing our community through his eyes. This year’s poster image encompasses Duaív’s signature uplifting and bright style with one of Coconut Grove’s most emblematic icons, our famous harbor in Biscayne Bay.

ABC: As a visionary where do you see the arts in Miami in ten years? MT: The arts are on the upswing. The growth on the cultural community in the short term and the long term is going to be phenomenal. We have been doing the Coconut Grove Arts Festival for 52 years and it just keeps getting better and better. Our community is now blessed with dozens of world renowned arts events, performances and festivals. The proliferation of the arts and recognition of their value to business, residents and visitors is going to continue to provide the resources to grow our vibrant, diverse and world class arts community. Everyone is buying into the arts. The future is rosy.

About the Arts Biz Dialogue The Arts & Business Council of Miami has developed a new blog to focus on corporate leaders that support the arts. The interactive exchange of ideas will provide us with insight on successful corporate partnerships. Each conversation will be featured on our ArtsBizBlog. Stay tuned for more interesting interviews and get the inside scoop on why some of South Florida’s top corporate leaders collaborate with the arts.  For information on the Arts & Business Council and to see past blog entries visit www.ArtsBizMiami.org.