Today we’re featuring our part-time team member, Mary Kay!

Name: Dr. Mary Kay Keller

Position: Grants Specialist

How long have you been with the Division? 14 months

So what exactly do you DO? Review and process cultural sponsoring organization applications; annual endowment and cultural facilities reports. Monitor grant reporting compliance. Support program staff in grant application fatal criteria reviews and reports as requested.

What’s your favorite part of your job? Solving issues: Working with our grantees to provide technical and educational support of issues involving compliance and reporting requirement technicalities. I love being of service and they are always so grateful for the assistance I provide over the telephone. I also like seeing all the interesting things going on in Florida. I am especially impressed that there are art programs there are for children and especially, children who are marginalized by economic or racial status.

Are you an artist yourself? If so, what do you do? Yes, a contemplative artist, i.e., writing, photography, Sumi-E (Japanese) painting, poetry – Haiku, I crochet and knit, no patterns, some acting (for social justice issues).

What do you like to do for fun? Road and mountain biking, kayaking, read etc. One of my favorites is to go somewhere I haven’t been and tour the city talking to strangers to see life through their eyes, I am a closet ethnographic researcher. I may write books about those stories. I also like collecting stories about how people met.

If you could go anywhere in the world to see art, where would you go and what would you see? Anywhere? Everywhere! Museums in Paris, Venice, New York, Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, etc., I especially love street art!

I am passionate about artists’ expression. The arts were shut down when Hitler took over; see the movie, “The Rape of Europa.” The arts are critical to democracy and free expression!

Tell us something surprising about yourself. I would love to consult with the Children’s division of the United Nations. When I retire, I dream of living on a houseboat and traveling the world while I take pictures interview people and write.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

I am have a desire to instigate the next civil right movement on behalf of children. They are growing developmentally and are equal, not inferior to adults. They are vulnerable and require a higher protection of their constitutional rights, not less.