Kevin Assam

One of the Florida Keys’ longest-serving elected officials, Andy Griffiths, a Monroe County school board member for over 30 years, will officially retire later this year. However, the boat captain, businessman, and public servant is not finished advancing his cause of improved education and access across the Florida Keys. Griffiths is inviting everyone to the Key West Beachside Resort on […]

After three summers of making ceramics in a Big Pine yard, there was a real need for a new functional space for Gayle Antonides. The potter’s makeshift setup—involving a tent, a pottery wheel balanced on a storage tub, and a lawn chair—had become too susceptible to mosquitos, storms, and soaring temperatures. More than the elements, Antonides, who uses they/them pronouns, […]

After last year’s play on unicorns and uniforms, Fantasy Fest 2024 is returning to a broader theme, which provides more options for the all-important costume crafting process. This year’s “90s Neon Cosmic Carnival” is oozing with decades worth of cultural and musical references, with some easy neon and cosmic carnival thrown in for good measure. Across the island, participants, event […]

Since the early 90s, Nashville native Pashur House has been making art. He started in high school, working at a theme park. Then, in college, he got his first commercial job. Much of his early artwork centered around events and publications, but Pashur wanted more. The artist wanted to create art that differed from what others were doing at the […]

Delaney Buffett and Katie Corwin are bringing some real life experiences to the big screen with their premiere of “Adult Best Friends.” The semi-autobiographical comedy screened at the Key West Film Festival, where Delaney received the 4th annual Golden Key for Emerging Talent. “Adult Best Friends” follows the two childhood friends as their lives intersect through their 30s. When Katie […]

Elena Hart, aka Elle Taylor, is gearing up for a season of pageants, starting with the Miss International Queen U.S.A. in Las Vegas. The 35-year-old drag performer at AquaPlex Key West is fresh off her fundraising campaign for the Florida Keys SPCA as part of the Fantasy Fest Royal Campaign. The animal lover, who owns several snakes and lizards, spoke […]

He often said “I know my modest art isn’t good, but it pleases.” Now two decades since his passing, the celebrated Cuban-American artist Mario Sanchez is still one of the most recognized artists to emerge from Key West. His acclaimed works are part of a major new exhibit, “Collecting Key West: The Works of Mario Sanchez” at the Key West […]

Cuban artist Mabel Poblet still finds The Studios of Key West a place of inspiration. Her experiences go back almost a decade, to 2016, when she was an artist in-residence. It was a fruitful time for the artist. Poblet was able to explore different bodies of work while interacting with other members of Key West’s arts scene, like musicians, writers, […]

“Family.” And not just the immediate kind. This singular word and catch-all for all sorts of relationships will dominate the 42nd Annual Key West Literary Seminar. The seminar, which explores a different theme each year, will explore ways writers use the concept of family to narrate and propel the stories of our lives. The Key West Literary Seminar, a literary […]

Novelist, television producer, and playwright Hy Conrad has credits that span murder mysteries, interactive games, and notably, the critically acclaimed tv-series “Monk,” which he joined as a story consultant before becoming one of its executive producers. Conrad adopted the name Hy many years ago while acting as a tribute to a childhood friend. It has since stuck, with everyone, including […]