Our home town, Ocala, offers lifestyles to please everyone. Of course, the arts are integral to life in our community. Therefore, we support them with all our souls. Our flirtation with the nurturing of the arts began with the Hub, a clothing store founded in 1953 by Robert Leibowitz in the center of our historic district. Many years passed, the store came and went, and soon a new mission took hold in its old store front.
In the last quarter of the twentieth century, the City of Ocala and the College of Central Florida united to establish an art gallery in Bob Liebowitz’s old store front. Its opening was to foster a revitalization of historic Ocala’s downtown. Then in 1990, a group of volunteers joined forces to launch the MCA, the Marion Cultural Alliance. Today the MCA is at the center of our town’s efforts to subsidize the arts. It raises funds to support facilities where talented artists work towards mastering their crafts. Additionally, the MCA provides grants to assist the cultural endeavors of many nonprofit organizations. Among them are the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, the Reilly Arts Center, the Appleton Museum of Art and the Ocala Civic Theater.
The Mother’s Day tradition offers many and varied opportunities to celebrate the amazing women in our lives. Each lady is special in her own way, and each deserves to be celebrated and shown how much she is valued. The Origins of the “Mother’s Day in Ocala” Tradition1 A story is told of a woman who … Read more
Our home town Ocala feeling is about enjoying. To that end, Ocala offers lifestyles to please everyone. Of course, the arts are integral to life in our community. Therefore, we support them with all our souls. Our flirtation with the nurturing of the arts began with the Hub, a clothing store founded in 1953 by … Read more
The Ocala art scene is burgeoning with creativity. To be sure, Susan and I are art lovers. Therefore, we are excited that the works of amazing artists are an integral element of the Ocala lifestyle. A few years ago we set out to explore the Cote d’Azur, the Mediterranean coast of France. Of course, this … Read more
As an Ocala Realtor, I am proud to live in and serve a community that features many outstanding people, some famous, most not. Among the many talented and immensely successful people who call Ocala home, Mark Emery stands out. Emery and his family migrated to Ocala when the young lad was just four years old. … Read more
Ocala artists add to the aesthetic charm of this part of Florida. Fortunately, our town features a thriving community of talented artists who are instrumental in making Ocala a great place to call home. So we indulge our passion for art by introducing you to several of the most talented among them. Our Passion For … Read more
Ocala museums and galleries educate, provide opportunities for quiet thought and inspire new ideas. To be sure, the most famous of these is the Appleton Museum of Art. This amazing facility features world class collections of paintings, sculptures and pre columbian artifacts. However, since we have already introduced this museum in a prior post, today … Read more
At the forefront of our “Ocala Theater 2021” season are three outstanding venues. To be sure, the performing arts are essential to Ocala life. However, each venue has been significantly impacted by the pandemic that continues to play havoc with our lives. Ocala Theater 2021- The Ocala Civic Theater Unfortunately, only The Ocala Civic Theater … Read more
As we near the spring in Ocala, we present a fine arts update. The fine arts season is once again something to contemplate. Ocala has become home to some very talented artists and musicians over the years. Of course, our city is home to a wonderful symphony orchestra and some amazing museums as well. Among … Read more
The Ocala art scene is growing and becoming a major factor in the evolution and growth our city, a great reason for calling Ocala home. But the story began many decades ago. In 1939, the Coca Cola Company built a bottling plant(photo above) in what was to become downtown Ocala. It featured a magnificent architectural … Read more
Support for the arts has become an important contributor to the rapid growth of this community. Ocala’s Appleton Museum of Art, with its outstanding permanent collections, stands as a special monument to that support. It was built on forty four forested acres off East Silver Springs Boulevard, with construction commencing in 1984. Two years later … Read more