2026 Impact Awards Presented by Seacoast Bank Set for April 17, 2026
April 17, 2026 | artserve.org
In a region as diverse as Broward County, ArtServe, the premier arts incubator that advances artists and the community through education and the visual and performing arts, sees art as a powerful force for connection. Across cultures and communities, art fosters dialogue, builds understanding and helps people truly see and hear one another.
In that spirit, ArtServe will host its 2026 Impact Awards honoring individuals whose leadership, creativity and commitment continue to shape South Florida’s cultural landscape. Presented by Seacoast Bank and supported by FPL and OutClique, the fourth annual gala will take place April 17, 2026 at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale, recognizing four changemakers whose work reflects how essential the arts are to our communities.
“Behind every strong arts community are people who give their time, talent and passion to make it possible,” said Jason Hughes, CEO of ArtServe. “These four leaders continue to strengthen Broward County through creativity and commitment.”
William “Willie” Riddle
For William “Willie” Riddle, founder and artistic director of Generation Venetian Arts Society (GENVAS), art is a universal language that brings people together. Through original productions exploring history and human stories, Riddle creates thoughtful programming that encourages dialogue and understanding.
“Art is not a luxury,” Riddle said. “Art is a necessity.”
A Fort Lauderdale-based arts leader, Riddle founded GENVAS in 2010 to advance inclusive fine arts programming throughout Broward County. His productions often draw inspiration from current events and social issues, using live performance as a platform for engagement.
“A concert, an exhibition or a shared theatrical moment allows audiences to feel before they debate,” he says. “Here, art isn’t escape, it is engagement.”
GENVAS has collaborated with numerous Broward cultural institutions, and Riddle has been recognized with the Impresario Award from The Opera Society of Florida Grand Opera for his contributions to the region’s cultural life.
Joy Strempack
If Riddle’s work reflects art as purpose, Joy Strempack represents art as connection. A multidisciplinary artist, educator and two-time Fort Lauderdale Magazine DJ of the Year, Strempack moves between the classroom, environmental design and music. Whether teaching Mandarin and design at Pine Crest School, serving as creative director for GoGreen EcoBin or performing as DJ Joy Joy, her work centers on inclusion and shared experience.
“The common thread through everything I do is care,” she says. “I’m always trying to create moments where people feel connected and included.”
For Strempack, creativity and art are less about performance and more about participation. Her goal is to create spaces where people feel welcome. As an educator, Strempack also feels that the arts give young people a way to participate in their community before they fully understand where they fit in it.
“A student who might be quiet in a classroom can suddenly lead in a creative environment,” Strempack said. “When young people experience collaboration, expression and shared responsibility, they carry those lessons into adulthood.”
Sara Rogers
Sara Rogers, a respected performing arts educator, has mentored South Florida actors for more than four decades. A longtime ArtServe instructor, Rogers teaches audition technique, on camera performance, improvisation and public speaking.
Beyond the classroom, Rogers’ career has included extensive work in commercial and media productions for major brands such as Publix, Bacardi Rum, Crest, Nextel and Hertz, as well as voiceover and performance work with NBC South Florida and other regional outlets. She has appeared on television series including “Miami Vice” and “21 Jump Street” and has contributed as a writer to industry publications.
As a teacher, the most important transformation she sees in her students happens internally.
“Students often begin believing acting is about becoming someone else,” Rogers said. “Then comes the ‘ah ha’ moment when they realize they are the instrument, their voice, their truth, their individuality, and they discover they are enough exactly as they are.”
Rogers believes South Florida’s creative talent rivals that of major arts centers.
“The talent is here,” she says. “What we need now is continued investment in the spaces and infrastructure that allow it to thrive.”
Jody Leshinsky
Jody Leshinsky has spent decades strengthening Broward’s arts infrastructure. A lifelong arts advocate, she spent more than 30 years with the Broward Cultural Division supporting local artists and public engagement and has also held leadership roles at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater and Pompano Beach Cultural Center.
Today, as life enrichment manager at John Knox Village of Florida, she oversees a department producing more than 900 events each year, including concerts featuring national touring artists and collaborations with organizations such as Gold Coast Jazz Society and Florida Grand Opera.
Having witnessed Broward’s cultural evolution firsthand, Leshinsky says the region’s growth has been extraordinary.
“When I first arrived in Broward County, the only cultural options were Parker Playhouse events programmed to the retirement community or driving to Miami,” she says. “Today we have seen major investments in cultural institutions, an international film festival and arts programming happening almost every day of the week.”
Even with that progress, she says continued support for the arts remains essential. She believes the arts play a defining role in shaping a community’s identity and everyday life.
“Without the arts there is no creativity, no choices and no places for expression,” Leshinsky says. “Not a day goes by that people are not touched by the arts in some way, whether it is on a stage, at a festival, in a museum, on the radio, in a book or on a screen.”
For 36 years, ArtServe has served as Broward County’s premier arts incubator, supporting artists and community members through artistic development and education. The Impact Awards celebrate individuals whose work strengthens the community through creativity.
Tickets for the 2026 Impact Awards Gala are available at artserve.org.
