Exclusive Unveiling on Wednesday August 5th, 2009 Kicks Off Exhibit of Ten-Foot Tall Guitar
Sculptures and Showcase Guitars

Miami, Florida…July 29, 2009….Gibson Guitar, the world’s premier musical instrument manufacturer and presenter of Miami GuitarTown, along with the city of Miami, announced the official unveiling of the citywide exhibit and arts project to commence Wednesday, August, 5, 2009. All 70 guitar sculptures and showcase guitars, which have been painted or designed visually by local artists in an array of palettes, will be exhibited  throughout the city at key landmarks, buildings, parks and popular locations. Visual artists from Miami and surrounding areas joined celebrities in creating one-of-a-kind pieces of guitar art with extraordinary motifs, colors and themes.

“Miami GuitarTown is an extraordinary arts project that will bring the dynamic personality of Miami and the creativity of its many artists to life,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “We are proud to foster this artist creativity, while at the same time raising money for vital local charities and promoting the importance of music as a universal language.”

On Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 at 6pm, Miami GuitarTown officials will unveil a selection of the ten-foot tall Gibson guitar sculptures, which will make their way onto the streets and landmarks of the city, at Jungle Island located at 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail in Miami. A host of visual artists will be on site to put final brush strokes on a group guitar as the official christening of the Miami based project.

All 35 ten-foot sculptures will then be placed in exterior or interior positions throughout Miami. In addition, all 35 showcase guitars which are regular sized Epiphone guitars will be placed in various interior locations around the city. An official map provided via the websites of the Miami GuitarTown beneficiaries and partners will highlight the locations of the guitar collection.  Interested press can contact the media contacts listed below for press placement and information at the event.

Click map for larger version

The Miami GuitarTown project is a public arts project that has united the Miami arts, music and business communities in an effort to benefit local charities. The culmination of this project will come on Sat., Sept. 26, 2009 when the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fl., an official sponsor of the project, will host a star-studded gala auction event with world renowned auction house, Julien’s Auctions (www.juliensauctions.com). The auction event will be held live in Hard Rock Live and live online. Miami GuitarTown is administered by the Gibson Foundation.

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will also display the entire collection of Gibson guitar sculptures, plus three not-seen before ten-foot tall guitars, throughout Seminole Paradise for two weeks prior to the auction event. This will include the display of the showcase guitars, which will be signed by celebrities prior to the auction event. Interested parties should check back regularly at the official Miami GuitarTown website for details and the official map at www.miamiguitartown.com

Celebrities who have lent their name and support to the project include Celebrity Council Gloria Estefan, Katy Perry, Andy Garcia, The Allman Brothers, Paulina Rubio and many more. Charities which will benefit equally from the proceeds raised include the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation, The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood and the Miami Music & Art Fund.

About Gibson Foundation:
Founded in 2002, the Gibson Foundation is committed to making the world a better place for children by creating, developing and supporting programs and other non-profit organizations in their efforts to advance education, music and the arts, the environment and health & welfare causes. As the philanthropic arm of the Gibson Guitar Corp, the Gibson Foundation continues to develop programs and aid for organizations throughout the world. For more information go to www.gibsonfoundation.org.

About Miami GuitarTown
The Miami GuitarTown project is presented by Gibson Guitar and is a community wide arts project designed to benefit local charities and create an exuberant display of art that gathers worldwide attention for the city host. Miami is the 5th city to partake in the project. Gibson GuitarTown’s have been hosted in Nashville, Austin, Orlando and London. In addition to Miami, the city of Cleveland, Ohio is hosting a similar project later in the year.  The Gibson Foundation administers the project and charities which are named as beneficiaries share equally in all proceeds raised through sponsorship and an auction gala which culminates the project and is hosted by Julien’s Auctions.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino provides quality guest experiences where South Floridians can play, stay, dine, and shop. Eighty-nine tables offer Blackjack, Baccarat, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker and Let it Ride on a nearly three-acre casino floor. Play one of the more than 2,300 Vegas-style slots including the Native-American casino linked Multi-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Separate high-limit rooms for table games and slots, in addition to a non-smoking room are available for guests to enjoy. Loyal Player’s Club members experience an exclusive VIP Plum Lounge and celebrity show kitchen. Convene in The Poker Room at Seminole Paradise for Texas Hold ‘em, limit Texas Hold ’em, Seven Card Stud and two dollar and four dollar limit Omaha Hi Lo games. Located inside the casino is Hard Rock Café-Hollywood, part of Hard Rock’s 123 globally recognized rock ‘n roll themed restaurants. The Green Lodging Certified by the State of Florida, AAA, Four Diamond rated resort showcases 500 luxurious guest rooms, 16 restaurants and lounges, 40,000-square-feet of meeting room space, a European-style spa, auto salon, 22 retail shops, 14 nightclubs, Paradise Live, and Hard Rock Live. Located on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) in Hollywood, Florida. Take I-95, exit Stirling Rd. and travel west to 1 Seminole Way. For more information, call (954) 327-ROCK, 1 800-937-0010 or visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com.