Three distinguished members of the Oolite Arts family were honored at the inaugural Miami-Dade Arts Hall of Fame ceremony on Monday, April 21, 2025. The event recognized individuals who have made transformative contributions to Miami-Dade County’s arts and cultural landscape.
The Miami-Dade Arts Hall of Fame was established to celebrate those who have shaped the region’s vibrant cultural community. While many of Miami’s oldest arts organizations were founded less than 100 years ago, the area has blossomed into a vibrant arts hub with institutions dating back decades. The Hall of Fame, unveiled during the Serving the Arts Awards, is produced through a partnership between the Arts and Business Council of Miami, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Oolite Arts Honorees
Eleanor “Ellie” Schneiderman, founder of Oolite Arts (formerly Art Center/South Florida), was recognized for her visionary leadership in creating a permanent home for artists on Lincoln Road in 1984. Her foresight transformed a desolate street into a thriving cultural corridor while ensuring artists would “always have a home.” Oolite’s annual visual arts awards, The Ellies, are named in her honor.
Lilia Garcia, a founding board member of Oolite Arts and Chair of its Programming Committee, was honored for her 35-year career advancing arts education. Garcia started Miami-Dade County Public School’s first talent-magnet program and helped develop pathways for more than 30 nationally recognized arts programs, including New World School of the Arts and DASH.
Dinizulu Gene Tinnie, Ellies 2023 Social Justice Award Winner, was recognized for his work as a visual artist, designer, writer, and community activist. His career as a force for historic change began when he joined the Miami Black Arts Workshop in Coconut Grove in 1974. His Middle Passage Ship Replica Project continues to tell important stories of our shared heritage.
The inaugural class honors those who helped create Miami-Dade’s cultural foundation, with plans to induct new members annually in subsequent years.
