About Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center
Located at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Moonlight Way in Liberty City, the Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center (DAHCAC) is a premier arts training institution nationally recognized for cultivating outstanding artists across all disciplines.
For nearly 50 years, the Center has served as a vital part of Miami-Dade County’s cultural landscape, offering high-quality arts instruction for children ages 5–16 in areas such as dance, drama, instrumental and vocal music, media arts, visual arts, stage management, costume design, cinematography, and more.
For nearly 50 years, the Center has served as a vital part of Miami-Dade County’s cultural landscape, offering high-quality arts instruction for children ages 5–16 in areas such as dance, drama, instrumental and vocal music, media arts, visual arts, stage management, costume design, cinematography, and more.
Our Mission
- Provide quality training in dance, drama, instrumental music, vocal music, media and visual arts.
- Develop in-house performing arts companies.
- Support and assist emerging artists through the resident artist program.
- Host quality performances and exhibitions.
- Promote and foster the rich and diverse cultural arts perspective of people of African heritage.
History and Legacy
Originally founded in 1975 as the Model City Cultural Arts Center with funding from President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Model City Program, the Center has grown into a cornerstone of arts education and cultural empowerment.
DAHCAC receives funding from the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, the Florida Division of Arts & Culture, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Knight Foundation, the Jorge Perez Family CreArte Foundation, the Miami Foundation, the Banyan Fund, the Carricarte Family Fund, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Art of Black Miami, and the Keith and Renata Ward Family Fund.
Over the decades, the Center has become a vibrant hub for African American arts, hosting cultural events like the BET Teen Summit and collaborations with the New World Symphony and The Cleveland Orchestra. Prestigious institutions such as the Dance Theater of Harlem, the National Black Theatre Company, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater have performed at the Center, solidifying its national reputation.
Its alumni include nationally acclaimed artists such as:
DAHCAC receives funding from the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, the Florida Division of Arts & Culture, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Knight Foundation, the Jorge Perez Family CreArte Foundation, the Miami Foundation, the Banyan Fund, the Carricarte Family Fund, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Art of Black Miami, and the Keith and Renata Ward Family Fund.
Over the decades, the Center has become a vibrant hub for African American arts, hosting cultural events like the BET Teen Summit and collaborations with the New World Symphony and The Cleveland Orchestra. Prestigious institutions such as the Dance Theater of Harlem, the National Black Theatre Company, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater have performed at the Center, solidifying its national reputation.
Its alumni include nationally acclaimed artists such as:
- Tarell Alvin McCraney – Oscar winner for Moonlight
- Willerm Delisfort – Pianist and composer
- Shareef Clayton – Trumpeter with the Duke Ellington Orchestra
- Robert Battle – Former Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Cultural Impact and Notable Guests
For more than five decades, DAHCAC has been an epicenter of African American culture in South Florida—hosting artists, celebrities, dignitaries, and high-profile events such as the BET Teen Summit.
Renowned cultural institutions that have visited include:
- Dance Theater of Harlem
- National Black Theater Company
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Programs and Events
In addition to its year-round educational programming, the Center produces several signature annual events that celebrate art, music, and culture:
The Center also presents film series and visual arts exhibitions in its Amadlozi Gallery, showcasing the diverse cultural perspectives of people of African heritage.
DAHCAC nurtures in-house performing arts companies and hosts a residency program for emerging artists seeking professional development and creative growth.
Facilities
The DAHCAC campus features state-of-the-art facilities, including:
The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council develop cultural excellence, diversity, access and participation throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating and promoting equitable opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and our residents and visitors who are their audiences. Through staff, board and programmatic resources, the Department, the Council and the Trust promote, coordinate and support Miami-Dade County’s more than 1,000 not-for-profit cultural organizations as well as thousands of resident artists through grants, technical assistance, public information and interactive community planning.
The Department directs the Art in Public Places program and serves its board, the Art in Public Places Trust, commissioning, curating, maintaining and promoting the County’s art collection. The Department also manages, programs and operates the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center, Joseph Caleb Auditorium, Marshall L. Davis Sr., African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, and Miami-Dade County Auditorium, all dedicated to presenting and supporting excellence in the arts for the entire community.
The Department receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, and the Taft Foundation. Other support and services are provided by TicketWeb for the Culture Shock Miami program, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the South Florida Cultural Consortium and the Tourist Development Council.
For information visit Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council serves as Board to the Department of Cultural Affairs and is comprised of volunteer members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners.
It is the policy of Miami-Dade County to comply with all of the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The facility is accessible and assistive listening devices are available. To request materials in accessible format, sign language interpreters, CART, and/or any accommodation to participate in Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center sponsored programs or meetings, please contact Gloria Diaz at 305-638-6771 or ahcac@miamidade.gov, at least (5) five days in advance to initiate your request. TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service.)