PHOTO VIA BLUE BAMBOO CENTER FOR THE ARTS FACEBOOK PAGE
Chris Cortez, founder and long‐time leader of the Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts (Website), has stepped down from his leadership role, according to a recent story by Matthew Palm for Orlando Sentinel. The move marks a turning point for the Winter Park‐based venue, which Cortez grew from a small pop-up jazz club into a performing‐arts institution.
Cortez created Blue Bamboo with his wife, Melody, and over the past decade, it became well‐known in Central Florida for live music, arts education efforts, and the recently moved into the former Winter Park Public Library building, and is in the process of transforming into a multi‐level arts hub.
Cortez’s departure comes at a complex moment: the organization is mid‐stream in renovating and repurposing a large abandoned library building in downtown Winter Park for the Center’s new home, a project that involves phased construction, partnerships with other arts groups, and fundraising challenges.
This Thursday, October 30, Blue Bamboo will host a special celebration and farewell concert, as Cortez not only retires from his position with the organization but also from live performance. The public is invited to attend “Cortez and Friends in Concert – One Last Time,” which kicks off at 8 p.m. There is no charge for admission.
