Nancy Wolcott is a long-time South Beach resident who loves the arts. She was
an administrator at the Bass Museum and heavily involved in their programs for
many years. In the interview she talks about the arts scene in Miami Beach prior
to the arrival of Art Basel, which, she says, happened because of the vibrant art
scene already flourishing here. She describes a fusion of performing and visual
arts that was exciting. She helped promote and raise funds to nourish the talent
and the emerging Miami City Ballet company, among others.
She also was an administrator at the New World School of the Arts in its early
days and watched South Florida's most talented students emerge, spread their
wings, and, eventually, fly back to South Florida because it was now feasible to
make a living as an artist or performer here without the high rents and cold
winters of New York.
Ms. Wolcott's grasp of the art world here is also grounded in a deep appreciation
of the architecture and history of Miami Beach. She and her husband, Jeff
Donnelly, a Miami Beach historian and Deco tour guide, have been avid
supporters of the work of the Miami Design Preservation League. Ms. Wolcott
talks about the MDPL work and ongoing concerns about historic preservation on
the Beach.