BC App-25-16 - Ballis, Kosmas - ARCC, ESC - District 1308 - 9-22-25
BC App-25-16
City of Atlantic Beach
BOARD/COMMISSION APPLICATION
Date Submitted: September 21, 2025
First Choice: Arts, Recreation, and Culture
Committee (ARCC)
Second Choice: Environmental Stewardship
Committee (ESC)
Name: Kosmas Ballis
Address: 990 Seminole Rd, Atlantic Beach, FL, 32233
Home Phone: 9042464289
District: District 1308
Please describe any employment experience relative to the board/committee you are applying for.
I am a professional ceramic sculptor with over 25 years of experience. I earned my BFA from the Kansas City Art
Institute and my MFA in Ceramics from Florida State University. My work has been exhibited internationally, including
receiving the Gold Prize at the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale and being featured in the Premio Faenza in Italy. I also ran
my own gallery in Naples, Florida, and have been involved in curating and promoting art exhibitions. Through this
work I have developed skills in arts administration, exhibition planning, and community engagement that would
directly benefit the Arts, Recreation, and Culture Committee.
Please describe any board/committee experience relative to the board/committee you are applying for.
I have served in advisory and leadership capacities within arts organizations and academic settings, including visiting
artist positions and artist residencies. These experiences required me to collaborate with faculty, administrators, and
community stakeholders to design programming, lead workshops, and mentor emerging artists. I have also worked
closely with local arts and cultural groups in Florida and Tennessee, building partnerships and supporting public-facing
cultural initiatives.
Please describe any community involvement or volunteer experience relative to the board/committee you are
applying for.
I have been active in my community by organizing and promoting local arts meetups and cultural events in Atlantic
Beach. I am currently building a network of local artists through community gatherings, exhibitions, and collaborative
projects. In addition, I have volunteered my time to mentor students and younger artists, lead discussions about
contemporary ceramics, and contribute to cultural programming that highlights environmental and community
themes in art.
Please provide a brief explanation of your interest and your reasons for wishing to be appointed to this
board/committee.
I believe the arts play a vital role in strengthening community identity, creating dialogue, and fostering pride in
Atlantic Beach. I want to contribute my experience as a practicing artist, gallery director, and arts advocate to support
public art, cultural programming, and recreation opportunities that reflect the diverse voices of our community.
Serving on this committee would allow me to help bring meaningful arts and cultural experiences to residents and
visitors, while supporting the city’s long-term vision for recreation and cultural growth.
Additional Information: Kosmas Ballis Resume
APPLICATION AGREEMENT
By signing (entering my name) below, I hereby certify that all statements made on this application and other
supplementary information are true and correct. Florida has a very broad public records law. I acknowledge that the
information on this application is subject to public disclosure.
Signature of Applicant: Kosmas G Ballis
Date of Signature: September 22, 2025
Contact
kballis@msn.com
www.linkedin.com/in/kosmas-
ballis-09223828 (LinkedIn)
kosmasballis.com (Portfolio)
Top Skills
Contemporary Art
Fine Art
Art
Honors-Awards
Gold Prize 2016 Taiwan Ceramics
Biennale
McKnight Artist Fellowship -
Minneapolis, MN
Special Prize
NCECA Emerging Artist Award
iTheo.com Inaugural Artist Grant
Publications
Everything in Between: The Complex
Vision of Kosmas Ballis
Living in the Post-Anthropocene
10th Biennial International de
Ceramica Manises
Artist says Clark Rockefeller tiles a
splash
Allen Stanfords face can be yours for
$29.99 only
Kosmas Ballis
Sculptor
Atlantic Beach, Florida, United States
Summary
2023 58th Premio Faenza, Italy
2022 Milieu Earth, Dallas, TX
2020 The Old Anthropocene
2020 Founder and CEO TelevisiAPP
2019 Naples Art Fair, Florida (Juror)
2019 Korean Ceramics Biennale, South Korea
2018 Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, Taipei, Taiwan (invitation, Ting Ju
Shao curator)
2018- 2021 KAJ Gallery Contemporary Art, Naples, Florida (Director)
2018 New Taipei Yingge Ceramics Museum, Solo Exhibition, Taiwan
2017 Kogei World Competition, Kanazawa, Japan
2017 McKnight Artist Fellowship, Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis,
MN
2017 Taoxicuan Jingdezhen, International Studio Artist-in-Residence
2016/ 2017 Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, New Taipei City, Gold Prize /
Lecture / Residency
2016/ 17 Shangyu Int’l Ceramic Center, Artist-in-Residence
2016 Zanesville Prize for Contemporary Ceramics, OH
2015 8th GICB, South Korea - Special Prize
2014 Lifeboat Foundation Advisory Board- New Money Systems
Board / Media & Arts Board
2013 National Art Encounter 2012/13, Von Lebig Art Center, Naples,
FL
2013 62nd Florida Exhibition, Boca Raton Museum of Art, FL
2012 Life Death & Everything Between, TAGA Gallery, Chico's
Headquarters, Ft Myers, FL
2012 ArtFest Fort Myers, FL (juror)
2011 Craft Triennial Silvermine Arts, New Canaan, CT
2011 X Biennal Internacional de Ceramics, Manises, Spain (catalog)
2011 6th GICB, South Korea (catalog, film)
2011 Cheongju Int'l Craft Biennale, Cheongju, South Korea (catalog)
2011 Intellectual Complexities, Longstreth Goldberg Art, Naples, FL
(solo)
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2011 Naples Inaugural Contemporary Crafts Exhibition- (I was the
exhibition coordinator
and organizer. Mark Richard Leach was the juror. I also produced a
full color catalog)
2010 Selections from the Vault, Ohr-O'keefe Museum of Art, Biloxi,
MS
2004 & 2009 Giants of Sculpture, Naples, FL
2008 Kosmas Ballis- New Ceramic Sculpture, Fort Myers, FL (solo)
2006 Perchance to Dream, Society for Contemporary Craft,
Pittsburgh, PA (catalog)
2005 GICBiennale South Korea (catalog)
2005 Museo Internazionale Ceramiche, Faenza, Italy (catalog)
2005 Ceramics Technical 18 (cover - Australian ceramics
publication)
2005 NCECA Baltimore (solo) & 2001 NCECA Clay National,
Charlotte, NC
2004 Jane Hartsook Gallery, NYC (Betty Woodman curator)
2000 The Evolutionary Bouquet- Chicago, IL (solo)
Experience
TelevisiAPP
Founder and CEO
April 2020 - Present (5 years 6 months)
United States
TelevisiAPP is a patent pending 10 second video platform where the most
popular videos go to television in the form of television commercials. The goal
is to put millions of art commercials on TV.
MrArtShow101
Studio Artist
April 2020 - Present (5 years 6 months)
Atlantic Beach, Florida, United States
Full-time studio artist practicing professionally since 1999.
Ballis, Inc.
Owner
July 2003 - Present (22 years 3 months)
I have been running my fine art studio in Fort Myers since 2004.
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KAJ Gallery Contemporary Art
Director of Animation Film & Video
February 2018 - April 2022 (4 years 3 months)
Naples, Florida Area
Self-employed
Owner, Echo Vintage Books & Vinyl
October 2006 - August 2018 (11 years 11 months)
Fort Myers, Florida, United States
With over 200,000 rare books and Vinyl Records, the store had the best
selection in all of Florida, and was voted the number one independent
bookstore.
Longstreth Goldberg Art
Exhibition Coordinator/ Gallery Associate
July 2010 - August 2013 (3 years 2 months)
Organized art exhibitions in Southwest Florida's largest contemporary art
gallery. I produced the Inaugural Naples International Contemporary Crafts
Exhibition. A juried arts exhibition curated by Mark Richard Leach.
Education
Florida State University
MFA, Ceramics · (1996 - 1999)
Kansas City Art Institute
BFA, Ceramics · (1990 - 1995)
Jacksonville University
Art/Art Studies, General · (June 1991 - August 1993)
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