Oolite Arts is celebrating 40 years of supporting the city’s creative community by awarding a record-breaking $600,000 through The Ellies, Miami’s Visual Arts Awards, according to organizers.

More than 45 artists and art educators will be honored during the ceremony that will include live performances, DJ sets, and tributes to local cultural legends.

Honorees include major philanthropists Jorge M. Pérez and Darlene Pérez from the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), with awards presented by arts luminaries Mireille Chancy Gonzalez and Edouard Duval-Carrié.

Since launching in 2018, The Ellies, named after Oolite Arts’ late founder Ellie Schneiderman, have awarded $3.6 million to help bring Miami artists’ “boldest ideas to life, making it one of the city’s largest funding sources for visual artists,” say organizers.

“Turning 40 is a big deal, and we wanted to do something meaningful,” said John Abodeely, Oolite Arts’ new President & CEO., in a statement. “The Ellies are about helping artists bring their boldest ideas to life, and this year’s recipients are doing just that.”