Polk County offers art lovers everything from Broadway shows to sculpture gardens and more
by Laura Spinale

In Central Florida, the bass fishing's great, the orange groves smell fresh and Florida's famed theme parks sit only a short drive away. But, what you may not know is that the region also has much to offer art lovers. Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, Broadway shows and fine art exhibitions can all be found here, adding a little artistic flair to any Central Florida vacation.

The art of architecture

In 1938, Florida Southern College president Ludd Spivey contacted famed United States architect Frank Lloyd Wright about the academic's dream to build an "educational temple in Florida." The idea of designing a cluster of buildings appealed to Wright, and work began on what would eventually become a group of nine structures on FSC's Lakeland campus. Together the structures, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, are known as Child of the Sun and represent the largest single collection of Frank Lloyd Wright designs.

Guided, 90-minute tours of these buildings are available twice each day on Mondays and Fridays, departing from the college's Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center. Housed in the Thad Buckner Building (originally home of the college library), the Visitor Center is a semicircular multi-terraced building that shows off Wright's geometric flair and trademark clerestory windows.

Must-See: Make sure to check out the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel, perhaps the most notable of the Wright buildings on site. Its tower, use of natural light, colored glass and wrought iron-and-concrete work are considered hallmarks of Wright's architectural style.

On stage

After walking around the sunny campus of Florida Southern College, you may enjoy the chance to take in a play or musical – an event that gives you the chance to sit in air-conditioned comfort. Polk County is home to several performing arts venues.

The Lakeland Center is home to jazz, opera and symphony performances, as well as to touring Broadway productions. (Oliver, anyone?) Nearby, the Lakeland Community Theatre calls upon more than 800 volunteers to produce plays geared toward both adults and kids. Patrons of the 140-seat Lake Wales Little Theatre enjoy similar fare, including shows for children, teens and adults.

Must-See: A trip to Theatre Winter Haven is a must for stage buffs. Arguably one of the best regional theaters in the area, each year it serves up five Main Stage plays, as well as a young person's series and summer musical, among other offerings.

Art on the wall

Treat your eyes with a visit to the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, the region's premier fine arts institution. Its collections focus on African, Pre-Columbian and Asian art and decorative arts from Europe and the United States. The exhibits showcase an emphasis on modern and contemporary art.

The museum also hosts a series of rotating exhibits. Fans of art depicting the American West should visit from September 13 through November 9 for the Frederic Remington Makes Tracks...Adventures and Artistic Impressions exhibit. An array of Remington prints will be on display along with recasts of his sculptures.

Must-see: Make sure to visit the Lake Wales Art Center. Built in 1927 as a Catholic church, the Center is a great example of Spanish Mission architecture. Today, it hosts a series of rotating exhibits and offers arts classes for children and adults.

Art outdoors

The conquistadors named Florida for its flowers, and you can spot some art of the floral variety with a visit to Cypress Gardens' Topiary Trail. Check out shrubs and other flora cut to look like rabbits, swans and ladybugs, among other creatures.

Wandering through Lakeland, you may also come across some outdoor statuary. Hollis Garden, a 1.2-acre botanical garden on Lake Mirror, houses thousands of flowering plants and ornamental shrubs. Statuary and architectural elements lend the plot a European feel. The Polk Museum of Art also houses a sculpture garden featuring contemporary works in the museum's permanent outdoor exhibition space, including the "waterwall."

Must-see: Visit the Central Park area of downtown Winter Haven to find 10 sculptures from the eighth annual Florida Outdoor Sculpture Competition, on display through February 2009. Created of everything from painted steel to recycled aluminum and bronze, the sculptures represent a variety of artistic viewpoints – almost as varied as the arts opportunities in Central Florida itself.

For more information on planning a Central Florida culture getaway and the Central Florida Play Pass, call 800-828-7655 or visit www.visitcentralflorida.org.

Laura Spinale is an award-winning Florida writer. She crafts travel articles as well as non-fiction, and her work has appeared in publications as diverse as The Philadelphia Inquirer and America Online's CityGuide site.