City-of-Miami-Beach-Appoints-New-Tourism-Culture-Director
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
OFFICE OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS, Tel: 305.673.7575 PRESS RELEASE
Tonya Daniels, E-mail: tonyadaniels@miamibeachfl.gov
Melissa Berthier, E-mail: melissaberthier@miamibeachfl.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2019
City of Miami Beach Appoints New Tourism & Culture Director
—To Oversee Art in Public Places, Cultural Grant Programs, Film Permitting and More —
Miami Beach, FL – Today, the Mayor & Commission unanimously appointed Matt Kenny as the
City’s new Tourism and Culture Director. With over a decade of professional and management
experience in various positions related to tourism, special events and culture, Kenny has
worked in a variety of capacities — managing budgets for over 15 years and negotiating
contracts with various parties, including AEG and Live Nation.
“The City’s identity is intrinsically linked to the arts, and I am confident that Matt has the
leadership qualities and know-how to lead the department and enhance our cultural and artistic
offerings for residents and visitors alike,” said City Manager Jimmy L. Morales.
Kenny’s past work experience closely aligns with the responsibilities of the Tourism and Culture
Department, including public art, cultural grant programs, film and special event permitting, and
event production. Prior to joining the City, Kenny was with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment
where he produced and managed productions with attendances ranging from 50 to 20,000
people at the Air Canada Center and other venues.
While with the City of Toronto for over six years as a Supervisor in the Tourism and Culture
department, Kenny cultivated various programs for the department, and successfully produced
various music, art and live performance cultural projects, programs and events for the fourth
largest city in North America. These programs included international art, music, and cultural
presentations. With Tourism and Culture, Matt worked with large corporations to oversee the
funding and execution for City-produced events.
“I’m excited to be appointed to this position and honored to work with this incredible department
within this thriving, internationally recognized city,” added Kenny. “It is my intention to merge my
past experiences in various facets of culture, both in the public and private realms, to position
Miami Beach as a true cultural leader on the world stage.”
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