Coral Gables art sanctuary celebrates grand opening with free classical concert

At first glance, the large building emblazoned with “First Church of Christ Scientist” in Coral Gables may seem like, well, an old Christian Science church. But inside, the building houses a local nonprofit’s theater and dance studio that attracts artists from South Florida to Portugal.

This weekend, that nonprofit, Sanctuary of the Arts, celebrates its official grand opening with a three-day program of concerts, dance performances and family-friendly activities.

Friday evening, the nonprofit’s celebrations kick off with “A Classic Celebration of the Arts,” which features mezzo-soprano opera singer Solange Merdinian, Miami Chamber Music Society artistic director and pianist Marina Radiushina and a ballet performance by Hernan Montenegro and prima ballerina Mary Carmen Catoya.

The weekend continues with a performance by Miami-based dance company Dance NOW! on Saturday night and a Sunday afternoon “Family Fun Day” of face painting, open dance classes and cotton candy.

Mike Eidson, who founded Sanctuary of the Arts, said he was especially looking forward to Friday evening’s show.

“That’s a microcosm of what we’re trying to do here,” Eidson said.

Sanctuary of the Arts is a multi-disciplinary arts venue that offers small organizations an affordable space to teach, create and perform. For Eidson, a lawyer and longtime arts patron with a penchant for preserving historic architecture, the nonprofit fulfills a longtime dream to bring more arts to Coral Gables. He has poured his own money into the project to make his vision a reality.

In 2019, Eidson secured a long-term lease with the church to operate Sanctuary of the Arts out of the two buildings on its one-acre campus on Andalusia Avenue. Since then, the nonprofit converted the larger building from a house of worship to a modern 326-seat theater and a professional dance studio.

“It’s right in the middle of Coral Gables,” Eidson said. “You couldn’t have a finer place anywhere in the country.”

In 2020, he purchased St. Mary First Mission Baptist Church, a historic Black church on Frow Avenue, for $600,000 after it was deemed unsafe. The church, which is about two miles from Sanctuary’s main campus, is still under renovation. When completed, it will be a community arts center for local youth to learn dance, music and theater.

Though the pandemic delayed the group’s ability to invite audiences into its refurbished facilities, it has quietly soft launched some of its programming in recent months. Since last summer, the nonprofit has hosted performances, book readings and dance classes.

This year, the nonprofit plans to launch an international dance pedagogy seminar, workshop a new Broadway musical and introduce a Classical Youth Summer Arts Festival.

Eidson brought Rafi Maldonado-Lopez, an experienced performer, arts educator and administrator, on board as Sanctuary’s principal managing director. The two met at Miami City Ballet, where Maldonado-Lopez was an instructor for 15 years.

As an educator, Maldonado-Lopez said he was often frustrated by the lack of jobs available for young talent. Now, he said he looks forward to the opportunities Sanctuary of the Arts will bring to artists and community members.

“There are so many people that are ready for this,” he said. “We’re overjoyed.”

If you go

All grand opening events are free to the public.

Where: 410 Andalusia Ave., Coral Gables

7 p.m. April 22: “A Classic Celebration of the Arts” concert and performance. Seating is first come, first served.

7:30 p.m. April 23: Dance NOW! performance.

Noon-4 p.m. April 24: Family Fun Day with popcorn, cotton candy, children’s activities and performances by Les Ailes du Desir Contemporary Circus School, Armour Dance Theatre, and Miami Movement Company.

Info: sanctuaryofthearts.org

This story was produced with financial support from The Pérez Family Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.

This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 3:55 PM.