Society Of The Four Arts

TO ENCOURAGE AND CULTIVATE A TASTE FOR MUSIC, LITERATURE, DANCE AND OTHER ARTS. TO MOUNT OPERATIC OR DRAMATIC PRESENTATIONS, CONCERTS, LECTURES, EXHIBITS OF THE VISUAL ARTS, AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENTS. TO BRING INTO COMMUNICATION WITH EACH OTHER ALL THOSE WHO DESIRE TO ELEVATE THE STANDARD OF THE ARTS, AND TO PROMOTE AND CREATE THE ENJOYMENT OF THE ARTS.

ARTISTIC PROGRAMMING CONSISTS OF ART EXHIBITIONS, CONCERTS, FILMS, HD SCREENINGS FROM THE METROPOLITAN OPERA AND OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND LECTURES. EACH YEAR THE SOCIETY OF THE FOUR ARTS PRESENTS A FULL SEASON OF NOTABLE PROGRAMS IN EACH OF ITS FOUR DESIGNATED MISSION AREAS: MUSIC, DRAMA, LITERATURE, AND THE VISUAL ARTS (PAINTING, SCULPTURE, AND ARCHITECTURE). CONCERTS, USUALLY PRESENTED ON WEDNESDAY EVENINGS AND SUNDAY AFTERNOONS, ATTRACT ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCES TO PROGRAMS BY THE WORLD'S LEADING MUSICIANS IN DIVERSE PERFORMANCES OF CLASSICAL, JAZZ, BLUEGRASS, AND MORE. RECENT ART EXHIBITIONS IN THE SOCIETY'S ESTHER B. O'KEEFFE GALLERY INCLUDED IN GOD WE TRUST: EARLY BIBLE PAINTINGS FROM THE DAVID M. RUBENSTEIN AMERICANA COLLECTION; UBUHLE WOMEN: BEADWORK AND THE ART OF INDEPENDENCE COLLECTION; AND, THE CHARLES AND JACKSON POLLOCK COLLECTION. ART FILMS AND MEMORABLE HOLLYWOOD MOVIES ARE SHOWN ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENINGS; EACH SEASON'S FULL SCHEDULE OF LIVE HD BROADCASTS IS OFFERED ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS. MANY EXHIBITIONS AND CONCERTS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY LECTURES AND GALLERY TALKS, AND THE SOCIETY'S MULTI-ACRE GARDENS - BOTANICAL DISPLAY GARDENS AND A TWO-ACRE SCULPTURE GARDEN - ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YEAR-ROUND, FREE OF CHARGE. ATTENDANCE 24,168 AND 94 EVENTS.

BECAUSE THE TOWN OF PALM BEACH HAS NO PUBLIC LIBRARIES, THE SOCIETY'S TWO LIBRARIES - THE KING LIBRARY FOR ADULTS AND A SEPARATE, SUPERBLY EQUIPPED CHILDREN'S LIBRARY, SERVE, IN EFFECT, AS THE TOWN'S "OFFICIAL" LIBRARIES. BOTH ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT NO CHARGE (ADULTS PAY A SMALL FEE FOR BORROWING PRIVILEGES); BOTH PRESENT A FULL SEASON'S SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: STORY HOURS FOR CHILDREN, PLUS CELEBRATIONS OF SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK WHEN PALM BEACH'S FIRE TRUCKS AND FIREFIGHTERS VISIT THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARY, AUTHOR VISITS, BOOK SIGNINGS, POETRY READINGS, LECTURES, BOOK DISCUSSIONS, AND OTHER EVENTS FOR ADULTS. ATTENDANCE 17,190 AND 206 EVENTS.

EDUCATION (CAMPUS ON THE LAKE) PROGRAMMING CONSISTS OF FIELD TRIPS, LECTURES, MASTER CLASSES, SEMINARS, AND WORKSHOPS DEDICATED TO THE LIVING ARTS. THESE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS ARE PRESENTED IN THE NEW FOUR ARTS CAMPUS ON THE LAKE EDUCATION BUILDING. THE PRESENTATIONS RANGE WIDELY IN SUBJECT MATTER: ONGOING CLASSES ON CLASSICAL MUSIC, OPERA, LITERATURE, ART, WATERCOLOR PAINTING, SCULPTURE, COOKING, AND FLOWER ARRANGING; ONE-TIME LECTURES ON A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS. DESIGNED TO ATTRACT A BROAD AUDIENCE, THE CAMPUS ON THE LAKE HAS WON WIDE PRAISE FOR THE VARIETY AND DEPTH OF ITS PROGRAMS. ATTENDANCE 4,482 AND 111 EVENTS.

THE FOUR ARTS GARDENS WERE FOUNDED IN THE 1930'S, WHEN MANY VISITORS AND NEW RESIDENTS WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE SUBTROPICAL FLORA OF SOUTH FLORIDA. THE GARDENS WERE DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE THE VARITIES OF HORTICULTURE POSSIBLE IN THE REGION. THE HORTICULTURAL DISPLAY GARDENS FEATURE NINE SEPARATE SECTIONS RANGING FROM A CHINESE-STYLE WALLED GARDEN TO A FORMAL COLONIAL GARDEN TO A SPANISH GARDEN AGAINST A MEDITERRANEAN-REVIVAL FACADE AND SHOWCASING AN ANTIQUE SPANISH WELL. THE GARDENS ARE MAINTAINED BY THE GARDEN CLUB OF PALM BEACH.IMMEDICATELY ADJACENT, THE TWO-ACRE PHILIP HULITAR SCULPTURE GARDEN, WHICH DISPLAYS AN ENCYCLOPEDIC COLLECTION OF AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE AND FUNCTIONS AS A PUBLIC PARK FOR PALM BEACH, IS A FURTHER SHOWCASE FOR SUBTROPICAL HORTICULTURE. THE GARDENS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YEAR-ROUND, FREE OF CHARGE. ATTENDANCE 34,834.