Secretary of State Announces Recipients of the 2018 Florida Folk Heritage Awards

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced today the recipients of the 2018 Florida Folk Heritage Awards which are given to outstanding folk artists and folk culture advocates who have made longstanding contributions to the folk cultural resources of the state. In the category of Folk Culture Advocate, the award recipients are Marshall Davis, Director of the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Miami, and Jeff Klinkenberg, author and former Tampa Bay Times columnist in St. Petersburg. In the category of Folk Artist, the award recipient is Pedro Bullaudy, salsa musician and band leader in Clearwater. Awards will be presented to the recipients in a ceremony at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee on January 24, 2018.

“We are honored to recognize these individuals for their commitment to fostering Florida’s folk arts and cultural heritage,” said Secretary Detzner. “Their contributions have led to a greater appreciation and recognition of the importance of traditional arts and artists in our state.”

The 2018 Florida Folk Heritage Award recipients (l-r) Pedro Bullaudy, Jeff Klinkenberg and Marshall Davis.

Photos courtesy of Bullaudy, Klinkenberg, and Davis.

Pedro Bullaudy

As the founder of salsa band Orquesta Infinidad, Cuban-born musician and arranger Pedro Bullaudy has served for more than 20 years as the driving force behind the Tampa Bay area’s salsa scene delivering original arrangements, fresh energy and the best in the Latin music repertoire.  

Marshall Davis

Since 1983, Marshall Davis has served as the Director of the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Miami where he has developed curricula that enables students to actualize themselves in the arts, and fostered increased recognition and cultural understanding of the arts in Florida.

Jeff Klinkenberg

Author and former “Real Florida” columnist for the Tampa Bay Times, Jeff Klinkenberg has written about Florida’s traditional culture for nearly four decades, interviewing cattlemen, African American citrus pickers, Gibsonton carnival workers, sponge divers in Tarpon Springs, Cuban lectors in Ybor City, while shedding light on subjects from fish camps to The Highwaymen and bringing public attention to our state’s treasured tradition bearers.

For additional information, including photos and full bios of each award recipient, visit the Florida Folklife Program’s Facebook page.

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About the Florida Folk Heritage Awards

Based on public nominations and recommendations from the Florida Folklife Council, the Secretary of State confers Florida Folk Heritage Awards annually. Awards are given to outstanding Folk Artists and Folk Culture Advocates who have made long-standing contributions to the folk cultural resources of the state. Established in 1985, the program parallels the National Heritage Fellowships and honors the state’s most influential tradition bearers and folk advocates for excellence, significance and authenticity in terms of traditional arts. To make a nomination, contact State Folklorist Amanda Hardeman at 850.245.6427 or visit dos.myflorida.com/historical/preservation/florida-folklife-program/folk-heritage-awards/award-policies.

About the Florida Folklife Program

The Florida Folklife Program, a component of the Florida Department of State's Division of Historical Resources, documents and presents Florida’s folklife, folklore and folk arts. Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the program coordinates a wide range of activities and projects designed to increase the awareness of Floridians and visitors alike about Florida’s traditional culture. Established in 1979 by the legislature to document and present Florida folklife, the program is one of the oldest state folk arts programs in the nation. For more information, visit flheritage.com/preservation/folklife.