[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 93 (Tuesday, June 4, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING THE ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION

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                        HON. JOHN H. RUTHERFORD

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 4, 2019

  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, l rise today to recognize the St. 
Augustine Art Association (STAAA) on the 95th anniversary of its 
founding in 1924.
  Founded by Spanish explorers in 1565, St. Augustine, Florida, is the 
oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the 
continental United States, making it our nation's first city. The STAAA 
plays an integral role in preserving and promoting the artistic 
heritage of St. Augustine, and has been described as the epicenter of 
the local art community. The STAAA Art Center is open year-round and is 
free to the public, welcoming roughly 10,000 visitors annually. Its 
gallery hosts exhibitions, concerts, workshops, classes, lectures, and 
other art-related events. More than 1,000 artists of all backgrounds 
display their artwork during the gallery's season of juried 
exhibitions. These contemporary artists make up St. Augustine's 
present-day art colony.
  The STAAA outreach programs serve many, including the blind, local 
public school students, and patients and caregivers at Flagler 
Hospital. Additionally, elder groups, community businesses, and others 
all benefit from STAAA's user-friendly gallery in the heart of St. 
Augustine. I am pleased to recognize STAAA for its contributions to our 
unique local culture, history, and community.

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