Brian May elected Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council

The Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council has elected Brian May Chairman of the 15-member volunteer advisory board. May, founder of Floridian Partners, LLC, a lobbying and consulting firm, will lead efforts by the board, appointed by the Miami-Dade County Commission. May will use his expertise in issue strategy and management and community engagement to lead the Council in carrying out its mission to develop cultural excellence, diversity, and participation in the arts by strategically creating and promoting equitable opportunities for artists and cultural organizations throughout Miami-Dade County. 

A member of the Council since 2019, May succeeds Xavier Cortada, the first professional artist to serve as Chairman from 2018 to 2020. "Brian May is the type of leader and champion the Council and our arts community need in this new era,” said Cortada. “We face a range of challenges, from COVID-19 to climate change and I am confident that through his leadership the Council will continue to be powerful voice for the arts."

Prior to forming Floridian Partners in 1998, May worked in state and local governments. "Our vibrant cultural organizations and artists are part of what makes South Florida unique. The cultural sector has an essential role in our local economy and in the quality of life of our children, families and visitors," stated May. "I look forward to working with our board and the cultural community to secure more support for the arts at the local, state and national levels, especially given the unprecedented challenges we are facing."

The Council reelected Janá Sigars-Malina, Esq. to serve as First Vice Chairperson and Mireille Chancy-Gonzalez as Second Vice Chairperson. The Cultural Affairs Council oversees the County’s annual investment of grants to non-profit cultural organizations and artists, supports cultural education and outreach initiatives, manages County arts facilities and the development of new and renovation of existing cultural facilities, advocates on behalf of cultural issues, and advises the County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners regarding cultural policy.

For more information about the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council visit www.miamidadearts.org.

About Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council develop cultural excellence, diversity, and participation throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating and promoting equitable opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and our residents and visitors who are their audiences. The Department receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, The Children's Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Peacock Foundation, Inc., and The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation. Other support and services are provided by TicketWeb for the Culture Shock Miami program, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the South Florida Cultural Consortium, and the Tourist Development Council. For more information, please visit www.miamidadearts.org.

Photo: Brian May Headshot