Meet Michael Spring, a prominent figure in Miami's cultural community, who serves as the Director of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department, where he oversees a wide range of initiatives aimed at promoting and supporting arts and culture throughout Miami-Dade County.

The Department has played a pivotal role in fostering a vibrant and diverse cultural community, providing funding, resources, and advocacy to local artists and organizations.

Bakehouse Art Complex is one of many organizations that have benefited from the County’s cultural funding. We are forever grateful to Michael, the Mayor and Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, the Cultural Affairs Council, and the Department of Cultural Affairs for believing and investing in us from the beginning.

Why is it important to support artists and the organizations that serve them?

Great centers of art and culture are those where new work is created by artists with a voice that is unique to that place. This is why our Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and our advisory board, the Cultural Affairs Council, focus on programs, services, and resources for the support of artists of all disciplines in our community. We believe that it is the diversity and inspiration of our artists that is catapulting us into worldwide cultural prominence. It is also why we are so proud of the work being accomplished by the Bakehouse Art Complex in creating a nurturing environment for visual artists to work and showcase their creativity.

What inspires you about Bakehouse?

There are many inspirational qualities epitomized by the Bakehouse. First, is the visible evidence of the dedication and imagination of its artists. We never cease to be astonished by the incredible work created by this and prior generations of Bakehouse artists. Second, we know how very difficult it can be to sustain affordable workplaces for artists and the Bakehouse has done such a pioneering job of serving artists in this critically important way. We find the commitment of the Bakehouse’s volunteer board of directors not only inspirational but a model for what civic engagement can mean to the lives and livelihood of artists. Lastly, we are inspired by the vision of the Bakehouse’s founders and the succession of leaders that have brought us to Cathy Leff and her compact, but powerful team. It took remarkable imagination and real grit to envision that a former commercial bakery building in what was then an almost abandoned neighborhood could be the catalyst for an artistic and social renaissance in Wynwood. The DNA for this same visionary perspective persists today.

Why should someone donate to Bakehouse?

Over the years, Miami-Dade County through our Department of Cultural Affairs has invested millions of dollars in supporting the work of the Bakehouse Art Complex, including initial funding for helping to purchase the property. We did this – and other donors have and should join us – because of the essential work that the Bakehouse does in creating a fundamental framework for artists to be able to work and make a living in our community. An investment in the Bakehouse is an investment in ensuring that artists can continue to serve as a defining force for one of the most diverse and dynamic international cultural centers on the planet. In turn, this makes us a great place to visit, grow a business and live and raise a family.

What is your wish for Bakehouse as it embarks on its next generation for 21st-century artmaking?

We are more committed than ever to helping the Bakehouse achieve its next set of goals in support of artists. This includes creating improved facilities that provide artists with even more resources to achieve their work; developing affordable living spaces so that artists can focus on their work in a stable, conducive environment; and continuing to attract dedicated volunteers and donors to sustain the tradition of board leadership and philanthropy so essential to the Bakehouse’s – and our cultural community’s – future.

Where would you like to see Bakehouse in three years?

It would be great to see the ambitious plans for the Bakehouse’s renovation and expansion well underway in the next few years. This includes the essential work to shore up and improve the existing building and the visionary plans for expansion in collaboration with the County’s Department of Housing and Community Development and a private sector affordable housing developer/partner.

In addition, it would be essential for there to be a clear recognition from the public and private sectors that additional resources will be needed to help with the annual operating and programming costs of an improved and expanded Bakehouse. This is indispensable for keeping the studios and support spaces affordable for artists. With the support of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, we have started this by increasing our annual grant to the Bakehouse Art Complex this year. These bold, vital, and achievable goals will continue to position this incredible institution at the forefront of making Miami-Dade County a welcoming and sustaining home for the artists and audiences who have justifiably come to expect no less of the Bakehouse Art Complex.