Betsy Kaplan
Betsy Kaplan was a dedicated Miami arts advocate whose contributions to the region's cultural landscape were vast and impactful. A lifelong lover of the arts, of education, and of Miami-Dade County, Betsy has been described as “a tireless advocate for the arts” and “the mother of Miami’s public arts education.” Betsy moved to Miami in 1934 and spent seven decades in Miami-Dade County pursuing interests in fostering the arts, education, and community engagement. Her 16-year career on the Miami-Dade County School Board began in 1988. As School Board Member, she supported arts education, a broad
cross-disciplinary curriculum, as well as equality and LGBTQ causes in the schools. She fought fiercely to maintain arts programs and establish new ones. Betsy was instrumental in the development of the New World School of the Arts and the Design and Architecture High School (DASH), among other arts programs including Cultural Passport. Betsy served on numerous boards including Arts for Learning Miami; Design and Architecture Senior High; New World School of the Arts; Actors’ Playhouse; GableStage; Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network/Safe Schools; WLRN; and Miami Children’s Foundation. Miami-Dade evolved tremendously over Betsy’s lifetime, and she dedicated her career to ensuring that the arts were always represented in Miami and its school programs. Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Director Emeritus Michael Spring said “She’s one of my heroes. She was an arts advocate before it was fashionable in the tough years when people were not talking about the arts being an important part of children’s education. She’s one of those really true visionaries who understood that kids do better in school, are better at creative problem-solving, they excel at teamwork, whether they play in a band or are … painting or making a sculpture. Betsy got that from the earliest day.” Betsy Kaplan’s legacy as a fierce advocate for the arts continues to resonate within Miami-Dade County.