Key West artist Marlene Koenig takes her talent to a new surface in the Bahama Village Music Program “HeArt Strings” pop-up art exhibit at The Studios of Key West, on display until December 24. Event profits, funds much needed due to the outfall of COVID-19, will be split 50/50 to support the artists and the island’s only free music education school.

The Studios of Key West hosts Bahama Village Music Program HeArt Strings pop-up exhibit that brings artists and old instruments together for fundraiser

More than a dozen “retired” instruments transformed into works of art by celebrated Key West artists are now on display at The Studios of Key West in support of Bahama Village Music Program. Sales from the pop-up exhibit will be split 50/50 amongst the artists and the island’s only free music education school.

Participating artists include Eric Anfinson, Kassy Burnette, Fran Decker, Cricket Desmarais, Kate Divoll, Kate Fago, Tony Gregory, Ben Harrison, Pam Hobbs, Marlene Koenig, Lauren P. McAloon, Jack McDonald, Jim Salem, Jimm Sherington, and B Lucy Stevens.  The artists were invited to transform a “retired” string instrument into a creative masterpiece to be sold at a fixed price selected by them.

Since March 2020, Bahama Village Music Program has had to cancel over a dozen fundraisers, including their 20th Birthday Bash and many annual events like Fats Navarro Day and Sugarloaf Oktoberfest.  These annual events bring in much-needed funding for the non-profit program.

The exhibit, sponsored by The Studios, runs until December 24, and unlike traditional exhibits, buyers can take their purchase home immediately, making for great holiday gifts while also supporting artists and the beloved music program.

The comprehensive music school fosters important mentor relationships between local teenage musicians and their students and has taught over 20,000 lessons to more than 2,000 children since 1999.  The program has grown to include free summer camps for BVMP students, free dance lessons with Dance Key West, yearly full-tuition scholarships and grants to student teachers to attend the Berklee College of Music’s Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive, and full-scale musical theater productions with Keys Kids Junior and House of Pan Steel Pan Band at Horace O’Bryant School— inspiring children island-wide to discover the musician within.

The Studios of Key West is open from 12:00pm – 4:00pm Tuesdays through Saturdays.  For more information, email BVMP board member Cricket Desmarais at [email protected]. BVMP- Celebrating 21 years of free music education. It takes a village.

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