Sen. Gwen Margolis (D-FL)

2012 Honoree - State Legislature Arts Leadership Award

Biography

 

Senator Gwen Margolis has been championing pro-arts policies at the local and state government levels for decades. Of the eight years that she served on the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, she was chair for 6 years and leveraged her position to elevate the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs from an agency to a full department while also tripling its budget. During her tenure as Senate President, she led the successful restoration of funding for the grants programs under the Division of Cultural Affairs. And now as the vice chair of the Senate Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee, she has championed restoring Florida's investment in its arts and cultural grants programs. Under her leadership, she initiated the restoration of the state of Florida's arts funding which had been slashed in previous years.

“Senator Margolis has been a tremendous supporter of the arts,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "Her advocacy for the arts in Florida not only demonstrates her commitment to public funding for the arts as a financial stimulus in Florida’s communities, but also to the people of Florida, who benefit from the arts in so many ways.”

"Florida's quality of life amenities are too numerous to list. The cultural and recreations offerings, natural environment, beaches, culinary experiences, and festivals, draws millions of people to the State of Florida each year," said Margolis. "It has always been my goal to enhance the quality of life by increasing the awareness of the art industry, and to work tirelessly to ensure funding will always exist."