The Coconut Grove Playhouse Receives $2 Million From The Knight Foundation!

The Coconut Grove Playhouse revival project just received a major boost from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which awarded $2 million to Miami-Dade County to complete the project. This major gift brings the return of regional theater at the Coconut Grove Playhouse one step closer to reality!

Alberto Ibargüen, President and CEO of the Knight Foundation, announced the Playhouse grant during the Knight New Work Miami announcement event held at Perez Art Museum Miami on Dec. 3 to showcase Miami as a place where great art is born. Mr. Ibargüen emphasized the grant was for the County to build a 300-seat theater as the future home for GableStage, soon to be GroveStage.

"We are grateful to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for its extraordinary leadership in support of our cultural community and for this generous $2 million grant to Miami-Dade County for the Coconut Grove Playhouse project," stated Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. "Along with the County's secured funding, this grant ensures that we can build an outstanding regional theater designed to the very highest standards of quality.

"Just as importantly, Knight Foundation support is a strong affirmation that our project is the right one for Coconut Grove, for our arts community, and for Miami-Dade County," Mayor Gimenez emphasized. "We remain committed to returning great theater to Coconut Grove and to bringing the Playhouse back to life for generations of our community's families and kids."

The Knight Foundation also named Joe Adler, GableStage/GroveStage's producing artistic director, as one of the 2018 Knight Arts Champions, each with a $10,000 contribution to be donated to an artist or arts organization of his/her choice. Mr. Adler directed the gift to arts education nonprofit Arts for Learning, for its robust student programs in the heart of the West Grove community, reaching underserved children and families in the area. The Knight Foundation is a prominent national foundation with strong local roots. The $2 million Playhouse grant was announced as part of the Foundation's new $37 million investment to support the arts and anchor institutions.

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