ArtCenter Manatee Receives Two One-Million Dollar Gifts 

June 29, 2022 – Bradenton

June 29, 2022 – Charlotte “Flo” Singer Johnson loved art. She and her real estate investor husband, Floyd C Johnson, were both artists. Flo was a writer and painter known for her bold colors and flowing shapes. She was a member of the ArtCenter in the 1970s and 1980s, taking classes and exhibiting her work. Though Flo died in 2012, she returned to ArtCenter Manatee in 2022 in the form of a million dollar gift to the Center’s new building campaign through the Floyd C. and Flo Singer Johnson Foundation, a private foundation focused on enriching the human experience through targeted funding of the arts and the environment.

According to Diane Barth, Board President of the Foundation, the Johnson’s were committed to enhancing the arts in this region, as well as wildlife and the environment. Flo’s landscapes speak to her love of both art and the earth.

Also donating a million dollars to ArtCenter Manatee’s building campaign is the Manatee Tourist Development Council (TDC). Led by Executive Director Elliott Falcione, the TDC is dedicated to promoting this area, and all the many assets in Manatee County, to both domestic and international visitors. “Arts and culture for our community is the fabric of our community. When businesses are looking at the Bradenton area, one of the first questions they ask is what’s your arts and culture community like? From a tourism perspective it allows us to create a niche market that really helps to drive a diverse group of people to the urban core. Overall, arts and culture is powerful for our community and we are blessed to be a part of it.”

“These gifts put us closer to our goal and the reality of breaking ground this year. We are extremely grateful for these two gifts and for the commitment our community has shown in supporting the Center’s building campaign,” said Carla Nierman, Executive Director of the Center. 

For more information about the building campaign, to make a donation, or to take a tour of the current Center, please contact Carla Nierman, Executive Director.