Alliance for the Arts

On Nov. 12, the Alliance for the Arts will host a town hall at the Collaboratory in Fort Myers. It will delve into five areas shaping the future of arts and culture in Southwest Florida: Access to the Arts, Community Collaboration, Art Education, Artist Empowerment, and Special Projects.

In November, there are 31 shows at art centers throughout Southwest Florida, underscoring the importance of the arts in our part of the country.

The Alliance for the Arts’ upcoming theater season will feature a dynamic mix of heartfelt comedies, thought-provoking dramas, and original works that spotlight the depth and diversity of Southwest Florida’s theatre community.

On Saturday, October 18, the Alliance for the Arts will celebrate its own 50th anniversary as well as the Rocky Horror Picture Show’s 50th with a science fiction double feature.

Carolyn Gora is now president of the Alliance for the Arts Board of Directors. The Alliance has also welcomed to its board Justin Thibaut, president and CEO of LSI Companies, and Brian Williams, a partner at the law firm Cole, Scott & Kissane.

From Sarasota to Marco Island and Venice and Sanibel to Arcadia and LaBelle, Southwest Florida is home to more than a dozen art centers. Most host visual art exhibitions showcasing member, regional and nationally renowned artists that change every month. In October, there are 32 shows at these venues, underscoring the importance of the arts in our part of the country.

Curiosity is building. Members are anxious to see the new flooring, renovated classrooms and fresh paint added during the Alliance’s September refresh project. Get a first glimpse of the renovations on Oct. 3 with the opening of the Alliance’s “I Ink, Therefore I Am” exhibition. Then on Saturday, Oct. 11, everyone is invited to the Alliance’s "Re-Imagined & Revealed" open house from 10 a.m. to noon.

Ink. It’s not just for tattooing. Its use in art dates back to cave drawings and ancient Egypt around 2500 BCE. On Oct. 3, the Alliance for the Arts will celebrate its re-opening with “I Ink, Therefore I Am,” a show that celebrates the long history of ink as a medium.

From Sarasota to Marco Island and Venice and Sanibel to Arcadia and LaBelle, Southwest Florida is home to more than a dozen art centers. Most host visual art exhibitions showcasing member, regional and nationally renowned artists that change every month. In September, there are 32 shows at these venues, underscoring the importance of the arts in our part of the country.

Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $32 million in arts and culture grants that had been approved by the Florida Legislature. This year, the state’s $115.5 billion budget includes $18.3 million in arts and culture grants, but only a handful of Southwest Florida arts organizations qualified for a share of that money. For the second year in a row, 14 Lee county arts organizations were denied state funding, including the Alliance for the Arts and Florida Repertory Theatre. Each of Lee’s arts organizations is employing a medley of measures to make up for the loss of state grants.