The Carnival Center for the Performing Arts was given a $250,000 donation to support two weekends of dance performances by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in its first appearances in Miami. Two highlights of the Cunningham company residency will be the world premiere of eyeSpace, a collaboration between Cunningham, Miami artist Daniel Arsham and composer David Behrman commissioned by the Carnival Center, and Ocean, a large-scale work performed with 100 musicians surrounding the dancers and audience.

In addition, the Knight Foundation has given North Miami's Museum of Contemporary Art $115,000 to support a two-part exhibition (January 26-April 29 and April 22-June 25) titled "Merce Cunningham: Dancing on the Cutting Edge," examining the choreographer's work with visual artists.

Other organizations collaborating on "Merce in Miami" include the New World School of the Arts, Florida Dance Association, Miami Dade College, South Florida Composers Alliance, the interdisciplinary Sounds Arts Workshop (iSAW) and the Subtropics Experimental Music and Sound Arts Festival.

Further information can be found at www.carnivalcenter.org and the museum's website, www.mocanomi.org.