Meet Constance Ruppender | Founding Member & President of Art Gallery 21, Inc., A 501(c)3 Organization

We had the good fortune of connecting with Constance Ruppender and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Constance, how does your business help the community?
It was an empty, unused building, in need of a little paint and a lot of TLC, that we discovered early one Saturday morning in November 2011 that lead us to see what it could be … Art Gallery 21 at the Island City Cultural Center. A small group of local artists had been hanging art in City Hall for a couple of years when we made the discovery of the Woman’s Club of Wilton Manors, and with permission from the Wilton Manors City Commission, we began presenting art exhibits in July 2012.

Now in its 14th season, the gallery has expanded its audience and continues to change with the times. Coming in 2026 is an homage to public art in celebration of Broward Cultural Division’s 50 years of public art installations from the airport to the seaport and everywhere in between and beyond! We’ve issued a Call For Artists and it’s anybody’s guess what will happen, but like so many of our projects, the artists always surprise us.

Art Gallery 21 is devoted to showcasing the local artists that live and work in south Florida. We’ve brought a wide variety of cultural experiences to the community over these years and have been part of a movement to bring more art and culture to the island city. When we started, there were four galleries on Wilton Drive. Now there are galleries, art studios and theatres on Wilton Drive, Dixie Highway and NE 26rh Street as well. The newly formed Wilton Manors Art District, of which we are a founding member, continues to expand the boundaries for artists in a meaningful way and we’re very excited about what the future will bring to our friends and patrons.

Art Gallery 21 has used its resources to assist with an assortment of public art projects, including the Thunderbunny at Justin Flippen Park, the rainbow colored parking meters along Wilton Drive, Nature wraps on utility boxes, inspirational signage throughout the residential neighborhoods, and the “BE PROUD” mural on the front of the Wilton Manors Liquor Store adjacent to Justin Flippen Park. Our basic philosophy is “You can never have too much art!”

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I met Robert Gross and his merry band of artists when I was serving as executive director for Old Davie School Historical Museum in 2002. Working with them forged special friendships that became the seed that would sprout and flourish as it became Art Gallery 21.

I began my foray into nonprofit business management in the 1990s, working first for Easter Seals of Broward County, then ArtServe, Fort Lauderdale Historical Society and, finally, Old Davie School. My primary purpose on the job was fundraising, marketing and community outreach. It was those skills that landed me a job with a State water management agency where I visited classrooms and talked to students about living in the Everglades and showed them ways to conserve our water resources.

Throughout my nearly 30 years on the job, the common thread that ran through each position was the incorporation of art into the agenda. I began an art contest for the kids in daycare and kindergarten that continued long after I left Easter Seals. I helped to introduce theatre experiences during my tenure at ArtServe, and got into good trouble for a popup art exhibit at the 1908 New River Inn while working for Fort Lauderdale Historical Society.

My years with Old Davie School (2002-2005) taught me about writing and administering grants, planning and curating museum exhibits, moving historic houses, establishing an educational program for 3rd and 4th grade students, creating an art gallery in the museum and bringing live theatre performances to the school.

Combined with my 16 years as Special Projects & Outreach Coordinator for Central Broward Water Control District, I acquired the knowledge needed to run a nonprofit and the skills to navigate the political arena to achieve our goal: to bring art and cultural experiences to the community.

Since 2012, Art Gallery 21 has hosted a Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit: The Way We Worked, thanks to support from the Florida Humanities Council. We have been a recipient of funding from Broward County Cultural Division through their Program Support, which has allowed us to exhibit the Quilts of Gee’s Bend, (2018) The Art of Barbie (2019), Mermaids & Manatees (our pandemic project), and so much more over the years. We make a real effort to keep it fresh, always on the lookout for new faces, new talent and new ideas. The majority of our exhibition ideas come from the artists and it’s that cosmic Velcro of energy and fun that make it a joy to be at Art Gallery 21.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Breakfast at Egg ;n You Visit Flamingo Gardens in Davie

Lunch at Spencer’s Corner Bar on Wilton Drive
See a performance at Island City Stage

Just a day at Fort Lauderdale beach

An airboat ride into the Everglades

Dinner at Union Kitchen on Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors
followed by Art Walk Wilton Manors

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We couldn’t do what we do without the support of these folks: Matthew Dreger, secretary for the organization, curator of exhibits, and guiding light for the president since 2016
Karl Lentzer, treasurer and volunteer since 2015
Claire Crawford, board member, fundraising expert and volunteer since 2017
Janet Gold, board member, award winning artist and leader of the art selection committee since 2020
Brana Nemeth, board member and volunteer since 2024

Michelle Parks, Director of Wilton Manors Leisure Services and her amazing staff

Leigh Ann Henderson, City Manager for the City of Wilton Manors and her amazing staff

The current Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton and Commissioners Mike Bracchi, Chris Caputo, Don D’Arminio and Paul Rolli, along with retired commissioners since 2011; they have all been supportive and had a wonderful influence on the efforts to bring more art to the island city.

Website: https://artgallery21.org/

Instagram: artgallery21_

Facebook: Art Gallery 21 page id 162589607103590

Other: Google Art Gallery 21

Image Credits
Don Parchment