Festivities Open To All and Free of Charge

The Miami-Dade Public Library System is proud to host the exhibition New Horizons in Contemporary Italian Painting from March 10 through May 22, 2005 at the Main Library, 101 West Flagler Street, Miami. Organized by the L’Albero Celeste Gallery in Italy, this exhibition is derived from PremioCeleste, Italy’s first nationwide painting competition in which artists themselves award the prize money.

Thousands of artists throughout Italy competed for $18,000 in prize money in three categories: student artists, emerging artists, and established artists. The work of sixty of those artists was selected by critic Gianluca Marziani. Thirty-two of these artworks will be traveling to Miami. To celebrate, the Main Library exhibition will include a reception on Thursday, March 10, hosted by the Società Dante Alighieri of the Centro Culturale Italiano in Miami.

In addition, the Main Library will host other special activities that will enrich patrons interested in Italian culture and gastronomy. Experience Italy at the Library: A Celebration of Italian Culture will feature Italian films on Saturday, March 12, beginning at 11:00 am. And the Italian Renaissance Festival will be held free of charge on Saturday, March 19, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. with Nicolas the Storyteller, literary lectures, Italian cooking demonstrations, music by Generica, crafts, and much more. For additional information on the Italian celebrations at the Library or other programs, please call (305) 375-1413 or visit www.mdpls.org

Media Contact:
Marivi Prado, Public Affairs
(305) 375-5180; pradom@mdpls.org