Key West’s Artsy Side
key west arts and culture for travelers
Although Key West and the surrounding islands that make up the Florida
Keys are renowned for funky festivals and alternative life-styles, these
Caribbean islands at the end of Florida also offer a varied literary
tradition. Sometimes, you just want to relax and enjoy some culture. And
there’s a great deal arts and culture to enjoy during your Key West
vacation.
The Florida Keys, stretching 125 miles in length, has a variety of
cultural treasures and events, from plays and musi-cals to world-class
films, art galleries and literary venues.
This southernmost point in the U.S. is home to the visual arts,
performing arts and film, but it’s probably best known for its ties to
literary giants. Noted playwright Tennessee Williams--author of the
classics The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot
Tin Roof--kept a home in Key West from 1949 until his death in 1983.
Robert Frost, the American poet, visited the island often.
Perhaps the most famous author associated with Key West is Pulitzer
Prize winner Earnest Hemingway. He maintained his winter residence in
Key West throughout the 1930s, becom-ing a fixture of island life. He
wrote and worked in a writing studio on the second floor of a converted
carriage house. It is said that it was an ideal location, right across
from the lighthouse, because it was easy for Hemingway to find again
after a night of hard drinking at Sloppy Joe’s bar.
Hemingway’s stature in Key West was so profound that every summer the
island puts on a festival celebrating the writ-er’s life and work. In
fact, there’s even a Papa Hemingway look-alike contest. During the
winter, the annual Key West Literary Seminar helps to promote literary
excellence.
Many of the island’s most noted historical sites are best seen from an
Old Town Trolley or the popular Conch Tour Train. However, walking
tours, scooters and even electric cars are a fun way to travel between
the historical and cultural attractions.
The 480-seat Tennessee Williams Theatre is the largest theater south of
Miami. Locat-ed on the campus of Florida Keys Community College, the
theatre has in recent years featured the Florida-themed Broadway hit "La
Cage Aux Folles," as well as classics like Porgy and Bess and even the
recent hit Spamalot.
Key West is also the home of the Tropic Cinema, the only non-profit
inde-pendent film multiplex located in South Florida. Founded by the Key
West Film Socie-ty, the Tropic Cinema was launched in 2004. Since it
opened, the theatre has exhibited a unique blend of docu-mentaries and
art films to an enthusiastic fan base.
key west arts and culture for travelers
The Florida Keys offers a variety of cultural at-tractions and events,
from performing arts and musical shows to quality films, art galleries
and literary venues. Many of the best are found in Key West, making it
an ideal getaway destination for the culturally inclined.