New celebration of gospel music history and culture kicks off in January 2025 with the first Arsht Gospel Choir Invitational, followed by free concerts throughout Miami-Dade County and culminating with Gospel Fest Miami Weekend in June 2025 A weekend of free concerts, workshops, a film screening, gospel conversations and a finale concert featuring national and local gospel acts

(Black PR Wire) Miami, FL – The Adrienne Arsht Center (@arshtcenter) is proud to announce the inaugural Gospel Fest Miami, a new six-month celebration of gospel music’s rich history and vibrant culture. From January through June 2025, the Arsht will invite Miami audiences to enjoy free community concerts around town, a film screening, workshops and performances at the Arsht, all leading up to a show-stopping finale concert featuring national gospel stars alongside local artists. More information about participating artists, performances and a schedule of events will be announced soon. The celebrations will kick off on January 18, 2025 with the first annual Arsht Gospel Choir Invitational, a free choral competition where collegiate, community and church choirs from across Florida are invited to compete for a cash prize and the opportunity to perform at the Arsht’s first annual Gospel Fest Miami Weekend, scheduled for June 21-22, 2025, alongside headliners to be announced soon. The festival will also feature free seminars and panel discussions exploring the history of gospel music, vocal clinics, choir workshops and more.

"Gospel Fest Miami is an evolution of the Arsht Center's fan-favorite Free Gospel Sundays series, which showcased the rich gospel music in Miami for 15 seasons," said Jairo Ontiveros, executive producer and Dorothea Green Chair of Education & Community Engagement at the Arsht Center. "We're excited to expand this popular series so that Miami can truly immerse itself in gospel culture by learning about its history and cultural significance in addition to enjoying magical performances by Miami’s own gospel talents as well as some of the genre's biggest names."

Gospel Fest Miami is made possible with support from the community, including longtime Arsht supporters Michelle and Rodney C. Adkins along with Melanie and Martin Kirshner and Baptist Health.

The inaugural season of Gospel Fest Miami includes the following:

ARSHT GOSPEL CHOIR INVITATIONAL
Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 6 p.m.
Knight Concert Hall
FREE – First Access Passes available starting December 3

The Arsht invites South Florida Gospel music lovers to enjoy a day of gospel music at the inaugural Arsht Gospel Choir Invitational. Enjoy performances by collegiate, community and church choirs from across Florida as they compete for a $5,000 grand prize – and a chance to perform onstage at Gospel Fest Miami in June. Audiences are encouraged to cheer for their favorite choir, sing along to gospel classics and experience the power of gospel music on one of the country’s biggest stages. The evening will feature the best top choirs in each category, with special performances by the “How Sweet the Sound” Award-winning Florida Fellowship Super Choir and Florida Memorial University’s Ambassador Chorale. The invitational will be hosted by gospel singer, songwriter and producer Corey Edwards.

All choirs interested in competing in the Arsht Gospel Choir Invitational can find more information and apply here by December 18, 2024.

First Access Passes for the Arsht Gospel Choir Invitational will become available to the public starting December 3 at arshtcenter.org.

GOSPEL ON THE ROAD
February-May 2025 

The spirit of gospel will fill the streets of Miami with four pop-up performances throughout Miami-Dade County, featuring our city’s best local acts spreading joy, unity and inspiration. Pop-up locations, dates and times will be announced soon.

Gospel on the Road performances are free and open to the public. No reservations needed.

GOSPEL FEST MIAMI
June 21-22, 2025
Knight Concert Hall

This two-day celebration of faith, culture and community at the inaugural Gospel Fest Miami weekend will feature a free film screening at the Arsht on the history and roots of gospel; pre-show artist conversations at the Arsht with historians speaking on the rich history of gospel music, its connection to the Civil Rights movement and its influence on secular music; clinics and choir workshops for vocalists of all skill levels; a free performance by some of Miami’s best gospel acts, and more - all culminating with a star-studded concert featuring national headliners alongside local acts and the winners of the Arsht Gospel Choir Invitational.

Detailed information about the lineup, ticket prices and on-sale dates and free First Access Passes will be announced at a later date.

ABOUT ARSHT IMPACT PROGRAMS

Gospel Fest Miami is one of the 12 ongoing Arsht Impact programs that create magical experiences and enrich the lives of more than 120,000 people of all ages in Miami, for free. Programs include: Family Fest, a season of performances featuring the world's leading family-friendly artists; The Heritage Project, which celebrates Black artists in our community through our annual Heritage Fest and Juneteenth Juke Joint festivities; AileyCamp Miami, a full-scholarship, six-week summer camp which uses dance as a vehicle for the personal development of young people; CommuniTea Dance, an annual celebration honoring Miami's LGBTQ+ community; Arsht on the Road, a series of pop-up performances that bring the arts into Miami-Dade County's diverse neighborhoods; Broadway on Biscayne, interactive pre- and post-show experiences connecting audiences more deeply with each Broadway show; Knight Masterworks Classical Conversations, lectures which give the audience insight into the music presented in our Knight Masterworks Classical Music series; and programs that marry arts and wellness, such as Accessing the Arts Residencies, performance workshops for children and adults with disabilities; Brushes with Cancer, a program that matches artists with patients, survivors and caregivers touched by cancer to create art reflective of their journeys, and Art + Mind Day, a daylong event which celebrates the connection between art and physical wellbeing.

*All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Visit arshtcenter.org for up-to-date information.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

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About Us

Set in the heart of downtown Miami, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami Dade County is committed to welcoming and connecting ALL people to the arts, to the Arsht Center and to each other. Our stages are alive year-round with artists from around the world, innovative programming from our resident companies and local arts partners, free community events that reflect Miami’s unique identity and arts education experiences for thousands of Miami children each year.

Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has been recognized as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area, a leader in programming that mirrors South Florida’s diversity, a host venue for historic events and Miami’s hub for arts education.

Each year, we serve more than 60,000 young learners and offer more than 100 culturally diverse and inclusive education programs — many enhanced by the Arsht Center’s relationship with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, local teaching artists and Miami-based arts organizations. The Arsht Center is also a home stage for three resident companies — Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony — and a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage. Our 300+ events each year include the Center’s Signature Series of classical, jazz, Broadway, local theater and much more. We present a robust series of touring Broadway musicals direct from New York, the largest jazz series in South Florida, a major annual Flamenco Festival and an award-winning Miami-based theater program. In addition, our Family Fest, CommuniTEA LGBTQ+ celebration and Heritage Fest are among dozens of free events that bring together people from all corners of our community. For more information, visit arshtcenter.org.

Source: Adrienne Arsht Center