SoBay Festival of the Arts
The SoBay Festival of the Arts was created in 2006 to raise awareness of the visual, literary and performing arts in the South Miami-Dade community and to promote the missions of partnering organizations. The SoBay Festival of the Arts is an annual celebration of the literary, performing and visual arts. 
The overarching goal for SoBay FOA is to provide an opportunity for the community to come together through the arts. We strive to include events that appeal to a wide range of audiences of all ages. The cornerstone of our programming strategy is that we collaborate with several local community arts organizations. Our list of past partners has included: Miami Short Film Festival, the Moth Story Corp, ArtSouth, Bake House Art Complex, LegalArt, Founding Artists of the Living Artist Concert Series, Miami String Project, The Edge Theatre Company, Books and Books, Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, South Florida Writers Association, to name a few. Featured events for SoBay FOA generally include poetry readings, art lectures, theatre performances, fine art exhibits, and musical performances. The closing event for the Festival is the annual Moonlight and Music Valentine’s Day Jazz Concert.
The following events are held at the Deering Estate from January 31 – February 14, 2008:
Thursday, January 31: The Festival kicks-off with the ArtSoBay Exhibition Opening at 7 pm at the Deering Estate.
Distinguished South Florida artists will showcase their diverse styles and expressions in a variety of artistic mediums in an exhibition entitled “ArtSoBay” curated by David Castillo, in collaboration with LegalArt. Innovative and original musical pieces will also be performed by the Miami String Project, a group of top student performers from around the county. The exhibition opening is free. The artwork will be on display at the Deering Estate at Cutler from January 31 through March 31.
Saturday, February 2: Children, ages 6-10, can enjoy a “Paper Sculpture Class” with Pepe Mar, an Artist in Residence at the Deering Estate. The class will be held from 9 am – 12 pm. Cost: $30.
Saturday, February 9: A curator’s tour and lunch with David Castillo. The tour of the ArtSoBay Exhibit, located in the Artist Village at the Estate, will be at 11 am and lunch will follow. Cost $30; $25 for Foundation Members.
Sunday, February 10: Enjoy a Classical Piano Recital, “Celebration of the Arts,” featuring Jose Lopez. The performance begins at 6 pm. Cost: $25; $20 for Foundation Members. Limited Seating. Advance tickets recommended.
Tuesday, February 12: The South Florida Writer’s Association presents an evening of Poetry & Opera. Enjoy a wine and cheese reception at 6:30 pm. The program will begin at 7 pm. Free with general admission to the Estate - $7 Adults and $5 Children (ages 4-14). Free for Foundation Members.
Thursday, February 14: The festival will end on a romantic note with the 9th Annual “Moonlight and Music” Valentine’s Day Concert. The concert will feature guitarist Eric Hansen, and the Hansenhaus Sextet, who will delight audiences with the romantic sounds of Flamenco, Jazz & Classical Guitar. Concert begins at 8 pm; Gate opens at 7 pm. $15 General admission.