Frances F. Bourque Scholarship Fund Endowment established by Old School Square Center for the Arts

Visionary. Preservationist. Community Builder. These words only begin to capture the profound impact of Frances Bourque, whose lifelong dedication to preserving history, arts, education, and community continues to transform lives
across South Florida.

Born in Belle Glade, Florida, Frances found her calling in Delray Beach, where she orchestrated one of the region’s most remarkable civic revivals. When three historic school buildings dating back to 1913 fell into derelict shape in the mid1980s, Frances saw not abandoned structures but unlimited potential. With unwavering determination, she formed a task force that evolved into Old School Square, Inc., creating a cultural haven that became the beating heart of downtown Delray Beach.

Frances envisioned more than preservation—she imagined a vibrant community gathering place where the arts could flourish and inspire. Through her visionary leadership, this cultural complex has garnered prestigious local, state, and national recognition for exceptional arts programming while catalyzing the revitalization of an entire downtown district.

Her extraordinary achievements extend far beyond this signature accomplishment. Frances has shaped Florida’s cultural landscape through her service on numerous prestigious boards and committees, including:

• Florida Department of State Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
• Historic Palm Beach County Preservation Board (Trustee)
• Florida Trust for Historic Preservation (Trustee and Membership Chairman)
• Preservation Action, Washington D.C. (Executive Committee and Acting Chairman)
•Bethesda Memorial Hospital (Executive Board Member)
•Beach Property Owner’s Association, Delray Beach (Board Member)

Frances’s transformative contributions have earned her remarkable recognition, including:

• Delray Chamber Lifetime Achievement Award (2017)
• Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of Florida
• Citizen Emeritus honor from the City of Delray Beach
•Woman of Grace distinction by Bethesda Memorial Hospital Foundation
• Carl Reinhardt Award from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation

This scholarship honors Frances Bourque’s extraordinary legacy by nurturing the next generation of arts visionaries. It exists to ignite in young people the same passion for creative expression and cultural preservation that has defined Frances’s remarkable life of service.