The mission and/or main activities that contribute to being culturally significant:
Art has spent the past 6 years delving deep into the history of gay bars and LGBTQ+ safe spaces through his GayBarchives Project. In October of 2023 he launched a joint initiative with the Stonewall National Museum Archives & Library called 'Raising the Bars'[RTB] to elevate cultural awareness of the bars in the archival records. RTB will be announcing a new program at SNMAL soon.
Art has also created dozens of video segments highlighting the history of gay bars and LGBTQ+ spaces in Wilton Manors for his YouTube channel. 'Wilton Manors: The Gayest Place on the Planet' has garnered more than 28,000 views. He has also contributed to several books documenting Wilton Manors gay scene [including 'Last Call South Florida' and 'Dining OUT'. He is currently working with SFAAA on a presentation for an upcoming event.
Art has also been internationally recognized by Pride365 [an InterPride affiliate] as a Champion for his work in the LGBTQ+ community. Info at https://pride.org/champions/art-smith/
