The Marco Island Center for the Arts dates back to April 15, 1970. That’s when a group of seven artists and art patrons decided that the community needed its own art hub. Executive Director Hyla Crane provides this overview of the art center’s ongoing mission, which now includes a community theater.

“The Marco Island Center for the Arts and the Arts Center Theatre bring a wide variety of arts to its community, including visual arts, music, live theater and literature,” said Crane.

Crane says that the center achieves its goal of engendering an appreciation of all the arts by offering a wide range of arts programming.

“Through dynamic monthly art exhibitions, engaging adult education programs and free education programs for children, and a diverse assortment of events, the art center engages stakeholders ages 5 to 95,” Crane noted.

This synergistic approach provides numerous benefits to Marco residents and visitors alike.

“The art center serves as a professional and financial driver for visual and performing artists and educators … while being a catalyst that fuels economic development, an understanding of cultural diversity and community cohesion,” Crane touted.

The Center for the Arts’ campus is located at 1010 Winterberry Drive, and the Arts Center Theatre performs at Marco Town Center.

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Marco pioneer Helen Tateo provided the first space in her art studio and gallery so artists would have a place to paint and exhibit their work.

In April 1970 the first annual fine art show was held at the Marco Island Shopping Center.

The Deltona Corporation and Frank Mackle donated the first of five lots that would become the home of what is now Marco Island Center for the Arts on 1010 Winterberry Drive.

Today the art center is a 14,000-square-foot facility that houses educational and instructional facilities, three art galleries, a gift shop, and administrative offices.

The art center offers individual, dual and family memberships.

Visit https://www.marcoislandart.org/support-the-center/become-a-member/ for a list of the benefits that membership entails.

Marco Island Center for the Arts has joined the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, making it possible for Art Center Members with a Dual/Family, Friend, Benefactor or Angel Membership to receive free admission, gift shop discounts, and other benefits at more than 1,000 museums in North America. All you have to do is present your art center membership card with a gold North American reciprocal mark to receive benefits. For a list of participating institutions and more details, https://narmassociation.org/.