The Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale Studio School Renamed AutoNation Academy of Art and Design

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), America's largest automotive retailer, today announced that it has entered into a long-term marketing agreement with the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale, a division of Nova Southeastern University, to name the Museum's Studio School and its educational and community programming, the "AutoNation Academy of Art and Design".  The contribution will enable the Museum to reach and serve a far larger audience. 

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20001017/AUTONATIONLOGO )

The agreement with AutoNation comes on the heels of the announcement of the Museum's Studio School moving into the historic South Side School, located south of the Museum on Andrews Avenue at 7th Street.  The 1922 structure will continue to be known as the South Side School, retaining its signature role in the surrounding neighborhood.  The move into the South Side School is anticipated to be complete in August.

"The expansion of our programs in the South Side School will result in much greater community involvement.  It is a handsome building that, after many years of neglect, now returns to its educational purpose thanks to the diligent work of the Friends of the South Side School and our Mayor and City Commissioners.  The Museum and Nova Southeastern University will be great stewards of this historic structure, and we are glad to be a part of the renewal of this great neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale," said Dr. George Hanbury, President, Nova Southeastern University.

"The Museum now has the opportunity and the responsibility to offer the most inclusive environment to people regardless of age, educational level or background.  We are very pleased and thankful to have AutoNation help us promote the positive role creativity can play in our personal lives and within the social fabric of our community," said Irvin Lippman, Executive Director, Museum of Art.

AutoNation is excited to support the development of art education in our community.  The marketing agreement that we have entered into will be a long-term commitment to furthering art education, through the Museum of Art and Nova Southeastern University.  "Our ongoing support of art and culture in our community comes back to us tenfold knowing that every exhibition and educational program sparks creativity and brings enlightenment and joy to young and old alike.  We can think of no better investment in Fort Lauderdale than to make sure that art and culture of the highest caliber will always be a part of this community," said Mike Jackson, Chairman and CEO of AutoNation, Inc.

The Museum inaugurated its Studio School in 2004, teaching painting and drawing to students of all ages.  The program, which has served more than 700 students (grades 1-12) and adults annually over the last seven years, has been taught in 3,000 square feet of retail space at One River Plaza.  The move to the South Side School will provide over 12,000 square feet and the added opportunity to teach sculpture, ceramics, computer graphics, photography, printmaking, as well as culinary arts.  In addition, the South Side School will provide a resource for community-based organizations to hold meetings and events.

By 2015, the AutoNation Academy of Art and Design is projected to annually impact over 2,500 children and adults with high caliber art education year-round, including the popular Creative Summer Art Academy.  The Studio School has a long history of offering scholarships on a merit and need basis.

"The Studio School Program is dedicated to meeting the needs of the creative spirit, providing a learning culture that supports individual development in the visual arts and design.  The variety of age appropriate courses offered is for all levels of interest and skills.  Courses provide broad fundamentals, instill creative concepts and foster a greater appreciation of the visual arts as well as the basic artistic skills on which to build," said Anthony Lauro, Deputy Director, Museum of Art and Director of the Studio School.

About the South Side School

South Side School opened in 1922 as part of an expansion of school facilities intended to serve the growing population of Fort Lauderdale that was driven by the early stirrings of the 1920's Florida Real Estate Boom.  The two-story, 11,000 square foot School was built at a cost of $16,360, excluding land costs.

The architect of the South Side School was John Peterman. Peterman subsequently designed the West Side School at 1300 SW 4th Street and the Old Dillard School at 1001 NW 4th Street. All three of these Schools have local historic designation status; Old Dillard School has National Register Status, and South Side School recently received a unanimous recommendation for National Register status from the Florida National Register Review Board.  Peterson also designed the second County Courthouse, which was built in 1927.

The School was expanded twice (in 1949 and again in 1954) to accommodate the growing population of Fort Lauderdale. It closed as an elementary school in 1967 and was immediately put to use as a school for special needs and physically challenged children.  The School was closed permanently in the 1990's. In 1996 the City designated South Side School as a historic landmark.  In 2001, the School and the adjacent Hardy Park were under consideration by the Federal government as the site for a new U.S. Courthouse, but the City of Fort Lauderdale ultimately succeeded in purchasing the property.

To keep abreast of the public's vision for this old school, Friends of South Side Inc., a non-profit organization was formed in 2004.  The initial Board consisted of local business people and community activists familiar with the history of the project, knowledge of construction and the problems of restoring old structures or, possessing the ability to attract and implement new or unique programs that would make this "Old School Rock Again".

About The Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale

Since its founding in 1958, The Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale has served our growing community as a gathering place for friends and neighbors, a lifelong learning center for children and adults, and as a dynamic hub for the cultural life of Broward County.  Housed since 1986 in a distinguished modernist building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes, the Museum is South Florida's premier destination for quality exhibitions and programs that encompass every facet of civilization's visual history.  During the past five years, more than 1 1/2 million visitors have enjoyed remarkable exhibitions like Cradle of Christianity, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell and Vatican Splendors.

In 2008, the Museum became part of Nova Southeastern University, the seventh-largest not-for-profit independent institution in the nation, to form an expanded arts campus that joins the school's Davie location with the Museum's downtown Fort Lauderdale address.

The Museum of Art is located at One East Las Olas Boulevard at Andrews Avenue and is always open at www.moafl.org.

About AutoNation, Inc.

AutoNation, Inc., headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is America's largest automotive retailer.  A component of the Standard and Poor's 500 Index, AutoNation owns and operates 243 new vehicle franchises in 15 states.  For additional information, please visit corp.AutoNation.com or www.AutoNation.com.

SOURCE AutoNation, Inc.