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Giant painting to be unveiled
LONDON - An outdoor painting which is longer than the Sistine Chapel ceiling is to be unveiled. One of the UK's largest outdoor paintings is to be unveiled beneath a railway bridge in south London. At 48m long and 3m tall (157 x 10ft), the steel painting Poured Lines is longer than five London buses and will go on show near the Tate Modern. The idea, according to artist Ian Davenport, was to create a gateway to London's Bankside attractions. Mr Davenport had to travel to Germany to find factory furnaces big enough to make the painting's steel panels.

'The Scream' is back, but 170,000 other art treasures missing
PARIS — Together, they would make up a stunning gallery: 167 Renoirs, 166 Rembrandts, 175 Warhols and more than 200 works by Dali. Experts have a tally of 170,000 pieces of missing art — many stolen from private homes, others taken from museum walls or pilfered from storerooms. Only a small fraction are ever found: Interpol puts the figure at around 10%. Yet masterpieces like Edvard Munch's "The Scream" and "Madonna," recovered last week in Norway, turn up more often, partly because of intense police work and partly because they are so tough to sell.

Art commission votes to send Rocky statue back to steps of Philadelphia Museum of Art
PHILADELPHIA — Rocky Balboa is headed back to his old stomping grounds. The city's Art Commission approved a plan to return a statue of the big-screen boxer to a site near the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Sylvester Stallone ran the stairs in the movie as the boxer in training. By a 6-2 vote, the commission voted to move the statue, currently stored in a warehouse, to a street-level pedestal near the site of one of the 1976 movie's iconic scenes.

Art and Culture Center of Hollywood to Participate in an International Cultural Exchange Project
Hollywood, FL – The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood is taking part in an international cultural exchange project that will send American jazz artists Kenny Millions and Charles Greene to the annual Haarlem Jazzstad Festival, which occurs Aug. 16-20, 2007, in the Netherlands (Holland). Started over 20 years ago, this event currently draws hundreds of musicians, who perform on eight outdoor stages before more than 250,000 people. The Haarlem Jazzstad Festival is supported by downtown Haarlem’s cafés and bars, which open their doors to visiting musicians looking to perform. This year’s event will once again celebrate the influence of American jazz artists on largely western European interpretations. As a final part of the exchange, two European jazz groups will travel to Hollywood to perform during the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood’s 2007 One-Night Jams series in the spring.

OCA RATON MUSEUM OF ART Announces $5,000 Donation from Boca Raton Branch Office of SMITH BARNEY
Boca Raton, FL - The Boca Raton Museum of Art announced that it has received a grant in the amount of $5,000 from the Boca Raton branch office of Smith Barney. These grant dollars were made possible by the Citigroup Foundation as a part of its local contributions program, in which Smith Barney branches across the country participate.George S. Bolge, Executive Director of the Museum, commented, "We are pleased to have the opportunity to work closely with global corporations such as Smith Barney and Citigroup towards better serving the community of Boca Raton.” The funds will be used to fund Meet a Master Roadshow this summer.

The Orlando Philharmonic Celebrates Financial Growth and Stability
Orlando, FL - The Board of Directors of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra proudly announces a balanced $2.7 million budget with a modest surplus for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006. This marks the thirteenth consecutive year that the Philharmonic has balanced its budget, for every year of its existence. Contributing the Philharmonic's success is its earned income through increased concert performances. The Philharmonic reports a 61% earned income ratio for the 2005 - 2006 season, much greater than the American Symphony Orchestra League standard of 43%. "As the Orlando Philharmonic's programs and services continue to evolve and expand, it is gratifying to know that the community's support, by both purchasing tickets and expressing philanthropy, is growing simultaneously, says Schillhammer. "

OPERA America President & CEO To Join Pensacola Opera Board for Annual Planning Meeting
Pensacola, FL -Pensacola Opera has reached another milestone in its growth. Because of their unprecedented growth they have earned the privilege of hosting nationally renowned speaker and OPERA America President and CEO, Marc A. Scorca. The twenty-four year old company has progressed to a level three company, a distinction given by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera. “This means that we have finally reached the one million dollar budget mark,” said Treasurer Malcolm Ballinger. “The strong support from our business community has enabled us to reach a new milestone. One in which we are extremely proud.” Scorca will be joining Pensacola Opera’s board of directors to facilitate the annual strategic planning meeting. “This is a great opportunity for Pensacola Opera to have the guidance it needs to move this company forward” said Chairman of the Board, Patricia Wright “it is a huge coup for Pensacola Opera!”

NEA AWARD GAINS MOMENTUM FOR 25TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
MIAMI, FL. - Momentum Dance Company begins its 25th anniversary season with a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts to fund training and performance of Jose Limon’s 1950 classic The Exiles. The twenty-minute work set to music by Schoenberg is considered one of the great classics of American modern dance, and one of Limon’s signature works. The Exiles will have its company premiere on December 1 & 2 at the Colony Theater in Miami Beach as part of Momentum’s Twenty-Fifth Anniversary celebration. The $25,750 award from the NEA’s American Masterworks Fund is the first NEA grant to Momentum Dance Company. “We are all so joyful that Momentum will be able to acquire and perform The Exiles,” says Artistic Director Delma Iles.

outh Florida Business Journal Awards Barbara S. Stein 2006 Corporate Business Woman of the Year
The South Florida Business Journal named Barbara S. Stein, Executive Producing Director of Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, the 2006 Corporate Business Woman of the Year at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 on August 10, 2006. Chosen among women executives from Palm Beach to Miami-Dade County, Barbara Stein was acknowledged as co founder of Actors’ Playhouse in 1988 with husband Dr. Lawrence E. Stein, and for her leadership and vision in creating one of Florida’s eight major professional theatres, the largest producing company in the region, one of twenty-two major cultural organizations in Miami-Dade County. Actors’ Playhouse was recently recognized and honored as a Florida Presenting Organization by the Secretary of State.