Miami’s arts community is reeling after the death of Rosa de la Cruz, an influential arts patron and globally lauded art collector. Her family is celebrating her life this weekend.
De la Cruz died at age 81 Sunday after battling an autoimmune disease. Throughout her life, she collected art and advocated for artists alongside her husband, businessman Carlos de la Cruz. The couple collected over 1,000 pieces of art and opened the de la Cruz Collection, a free museum displaying their works publicly, in 2009 in the Design District.
A mass in honor of her life will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Agnes Church, located at 100 Harbor Drive, Key Biscayne. On Saturday, the family is hosting a celebration of life at 12:30 p.m. at the de la Cruz Collection, at 23 NE 41st Street.
READ MORE: Rosa de la Cruz, a global art collecting giant and Miami arts patron, dies at 81
In lieu of flowers, the family requested for guests to donate to the Miami Foundation New World School of the Arts Travel Fund and/or the Design and Architecture Senior High young designers scholarship fund.
Rosa was especially passionate about supporting young artists’ educations. Every year, the de la Cruzes work with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to send students from New World School of the Arts and DASH to New York City and abroad to further their studies. Carlos said he credits Rosa’s efforts with making the travel program a success.
Alberto Ibargüen, a longtime friend and former Knight Foundation president and CEO, said the travel program is part of Rosa’s legacy.
“I know from talking with [students,] even eight and 10 years later, that those trips that she organized for them meant the world,” he said. “The trips were turning points in their lives. That’s when they began to see themselves as artists.”
The de la Cruz art collection is considered to be one of the most important in the world. Holdings include works by Christopher Wool, Mark Bradford, Félix González-Torres and the late Ana Mendieta. The private museum is free and open to the public.
Rosa is survived by Carlos, her husband of over 60 years, five children, 17 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
This story was produced with financial support from The Pérez Family Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
