Palm Beach Symphony Wins Arts & Culture Impact Award

South Florida's premier orchestra is brimming with pride as the recipient of the 2026 Arts & Culture Impact Award at Nonprofits First's 10th Annual Hats Off Nonprofit Awards. Presented by the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, the Symphony was selected for helping arts and culture become part of everyday life for everyone, thus playing a vital role in making The Palm Beaches, Florida's Cultural Capital.

'Through outstanding performances, innovative community engagement and expansive education initiatives, Palm Beach Symphony has introduced more than 100,000 students to the power of music while building a loyal and diverse audience,' said Dave Lawrence, President and CEO of the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. 'Its commitment to artistic excellence includes premiering new works, nurturing emerging musicians and creating meaningful opportunities for community participation. By removing barriers to access and fostering a lifelong appreciation for the arts, it has enriched the cultural fabric of Palm Beach County and beyond.'

Transforming people into classical music lovers is the 'why' behind every decision Symphony staff and the Board of Directors make. They make classical music approachable, inclusive, welcoming, affordable and not intimidating to people of all ages from all walks of life and income levels. The Kravis Center seats are filled with a diverse audience of all ages including students, teachers, multi-generational families, local business executives, philanthropists and everyone in between. The Symphony's Meet Me in the Mezzanine initiative attracts groups from alumni associations, chambers of commerce, businesses and other non-profits to experience the Symphony at a special group rate, meet the musicians and enjoy a glass of champagne. This has proven to be a novel way to introduce people to orchestral music and entice them to return.

Palm Beach Symphony consistently sells more than 10,500 tickets to the Masterworks Concert Series at Kravis Center each season. Through ticket sales, special events, investments, contributions and grants, the Symphony has demonstrated impressive year-over-year financial growth and stability, finishing the 2025-2026 season with more than $4.6 million in total assets, a significant leap from $3.9 million in 2025, $3.7 million in 2024 and $2.7 million in 2023.

Each season, Palm Beach Symphony attracts world-class soloists as featured guest artists during its six or seven concert Masterworks Series. At one concert annually, the Symphony hosts a community side-by-side, providing an opportunity for students, educators, amateur musicians and community members to play alongside the Symphony's professional musicians in front of a live audience at Kravis Center's Dreyfoos Hall. This season, the community side-by-side will take place on May 23 for a special performance of Richard Wagner's Prelude from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

'Palm Beach Symphony is a great orchestra. It has a great conductor, [Gerard Schwarz]. I'm lucky enough to have followed this happy band for the last 34 years,' wrote concert reviewer Rex Hearn in a March 2026 review. 'It is remarkable that management fills Dreyfoos Hall to hear their magnificent performances. With all this growth, the best soloists are hired, the programming is inspiring and the quality of each player blends into a special orchestral sound we love.'

Palm Beach Symphony is routinely given the privilege of world premiering new compositions. In March 2026, the Symphony debuted Pulitzer Prize-winner Paul Moravec's Lullaby, generously commissioned for Palm Beach Symphony by Ambassador Bonnie McElveen-Hunter. Next April, the audience will enjoy a world premiere that Don and Mary Thompson commissioned Maestro Schwarz to write, called Symphony. Additionally, the 2026-2027 Masterworks Season opens with the world premiere of Daron Aric Hagen's Consolation on November 17.

'I sincerely appreciate everything our staff, Board of Directors, musicians, donors, members, sponsors and community partners does to fulfill the three pillars of our mission to engage, educate and entertain,' said Palm Beach Symphony CEO David McClymont. 'This award highlights our artistic excellence, consistent growth, financial strength, engagement of diverse audiences, commitment to presenting world-class soloists, premiering new works and our role in elevating the county's cultural profile on a national stage. Together, these accomplishments demonstrate the significant impact our work has had on the region's cultural landscape and the broader community.'

In July 2026, Palm Beach Symphony elevated Palm Beach County's arts and cultural scene nationally when Symphony musicians performed Entertainment Tonight's iconic theme song when the show filmed on location at The Colony Hotel, made possible by Discover the Palm Beaches, the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission, and The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. Palm Beach Symphony was previously recognized by The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County with a 2020 Muse Award for Outstanding Community Engagement.

Subscription packages for the 2026-2027 Masterworks Concert Series, as well as mini packages and individual concert tickets, are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased online at PalmBeachSymphony.org, by phone at 561-281-0145 and at the Palm Beach Symphony Box Office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 700 South Dixie Highway, Suite 100, West Palm Beach. Subscription packages begin at $175. Individual tickets range in price from $30 to $135.

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