Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Announces Key 2026 Events, Grants, Calls, and Jobs

Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs has announced a full slate of 2026 civic, cultural, funding and employment opportunities, including the State of the County and State of the Arts addresses, a construction solicitation for Joseph Caleb Auditorium, multiple grant deadlines for organizations and artists, the release of the 2026 Golden Ticket Arts Guide, a countywide cultural grants workshop, and a guest services position at the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center.

The Moss Center/Photo Arquitectonica

State Of The County Address

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava will deliver the 2026 State of the County Address on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Florida Memorial University’s Lou Rawls Center for Performing Arts, located at 15800 NW 42nd Avenue, Miami Gardens, FL 33054.

Residents and stakeholders are invited to attend the address in person.

To RSVP, register online in advance of the event.

Joseph Caleb Auditorium Construction Bid

Miami-Dade County has issued a construction solicitation for front-of-house and courtyard improvements at Joseph Caleb Auditorium, located at 5400 NW 22nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33142. The project is under the County’s cone of silence, and the solicitation sets several key dates for interested bidders.

A site walkthrough is scheduled for January 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Joseph Caleb Auditorium. The last date to submit Requests for Information is February 11, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., and bid submittals are due February 25, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

Interested bidders may review the full public notice and bid details in the solicitation and request documents directly from the Department of Cultural Affairs.

Funding For Organizations

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs is accepting applications for its Quarterly Grants Program, which supports nonprofit organizations producing cultural programming throughout the county.

Community Grants Program

The Community Grants (CG) Program is a quarterly funding opportunity for nonprofit organizations developing small to medium-scale community-based cultural programs, projects and events, including fairs, parades, neighborhood festivals, conferences and publications.

For the FY 2025–2026 fourth quarter cycle, a virtual pre-submission workshop will be held on January 22, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Applicants are encouraged to participate to review program guidelines and application procedures.

The courtesy review deadline is February 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., and the final application deadline is February 19, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Program guidelines and application information are available on the department’s Community Grants page.

Tourist Development Grants

The Tourist Development Grants Program (TDC) provides quarterly support to significant cultural and special events, including sports activities and television or film projects that promote Miami-Dade County’s appeal as a tourist destination.

Funded activities are expected to stimulate tourism and generate significant media visibility for Miami-Dade County.

For FY 2025–2026 third quarter funding, the application deadline is January 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

For the FY 2025–2026 fourth quarter, a virtual pre-submission workshop will take place on March 11, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. The courtesy review deadline is April 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., and the final application deadline is April 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Details on eligibility and applications can be found on the Tourist Development Grants page.

Funding For Individual Artists

Through its Art in Public Places Program, the Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with Miami-Dade County Seaport at PortMiami and Royal Caribbean Group and its design and construction partners, has issued a national call to professional visual artists for new public artworks at the renovated and expanded Terminal G at PortMiami.

The Request for Qualifications has a deadline of Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. and is open to professional visual artists based in the United States.

The total artwork budget is $3,200,000, with multiple commissions anticipated. Selected artists will be shortlisted, receive a proposal honorarium and be invited to develop site-specific proposals that contribute to the identity of Terminal G and engage employees, visitors and passers-by.

Artists can review the full call and submit qualifications via the APP portal.

2026 State Of The Arts Address

The 17th State of the Arts in Miami-Dade County Address will be held on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. The annual event convenes business, government and cultural leaders for a status report on the county’s cultural landscape and priorities for the coming year.

Community members are encouraged to save the date; additional details on venue and registration will be shared closer to the event.

2026 Golden Ticket Arts Guide

The 2026 Golden Ticket Arts Guide is now available online, offering free admission for seniors to a wide range of cultural venues, holiday events, festivals and performances across Miami-Dade County.

Participants can search offers by month, explore ongoing events and check regularly for new last-minute opportunities posted throughout the year.

Seniors and caregivers can access current offers and printable coupons on the Golden Ticket page. Those wishing to receive a printed guide can join the mailing list.

Cultural partners can submit new or last-minute offers through the submission form for inclusion in the guide.

Cultural Grants Workshop

The Department of Cultural Affairs will host a virtual Cultural Grants Workshop for arts groups, artists and nonprofit community organizations as part of its Arts Energize 305 initiative.

The online session will take place on Monday, February 23, at 2:00 p.m. via Zoom and will provide an overview of Miami-Dade County cultural grant programs and resources.

Arts groups, cultural organizations, community nonprofits, individual artists, artist collectives, municipalities, social service organizations, colleges and universities are invited to attend this free workshop to learn which grant opportunities best align with their projects.

The session will highlight projects that feature strong community involvement, outreach that promotes inclusion and equitable access to the arts, services for underserved populations and under-resourced neighborhoods, tourism potential, support for indigenous cultural activities and preservation of heritage and traditions, as well as collaborations between social service organizations and cultural groups using the arts as a tool for community engagement.

An interactive question-and-answer period will follow the presentation, with questions welcomed in English, Spanish or Haitian Creole. ADA-accessible accommodations are available.

Those interested in participating can RSVP online to receive Zoom access details.

Cultural Affairs Job Opening

Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs is recruiting for a Cultural Affairs Guest Services Aid position at the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center.

The application period for this position closes on January 13, 2026.

Details about this and other cultural job opportunities are available on the department’s job opportunities page.

By ML. Photo(s)/Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs