Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency
Dear colleagues and community partners,
 
We are excited to share this monthly communication dedicated to Arts & Culture activities within our redevelopment areas. The Fort Myers CRA with its numerous community partners have supported arts and cultural developments in the City of Palms since 1984. We invite you to share and participate in these events. Your support is invaluable to our community.
 
For questions related these activities, or to share a community art or cultural event occurring within our redevelopment areas call (239) 321-7100 or email us at cra@cityftmyers.com .
Downtown 4th of July
Look Up for the 4th! A Citywide Air Show

For Independence Day 2020, the River District Alliance (RDA) has decided to celebrate with an air show due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team will be flying over the entire City of Fort Myers in their World War II aircrafts. Your best seat can be in your own backyard or in one of many locally-owned downtown restaurants.

The flyover is set for 12 NOON, but the actual time will depend on the weather. Be sure check the website on July 4 for updates.

Throughout the weekend, restaurants, shops and galleries will be open and offering special deals. A complete list is at the RDA's website.
Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center
Top: Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center Building Photography: Austin Trenholm Photography
Center: Introspection, Wicked Floromancy
Bottom: Sounds of Summer/The F.E.M. Collective: Sheena Brook, Claire Liparulo, Katie Lyon
Two Exhibits Open July 3, Sounds of Summer Returns!

The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center (SBDAC) has plenty of art and entertainment to offer this July! Two exhibits are opening on July 3, and the Sounds of Summer concert series will be back on July 24.

The main gallery will host Introspection, featuring mixed-media artist David Acevedo. Exploring new and past mediums, Introspection contains paintings created in the last year that use human interactions, experiences and perceptions as inspiration. He has incorporated silkscreen printing, spray acrylic paint and stencils with traditional acrylic painting on large scale canvases. His art is noted for his impeccably bold colors, textures and clever compositions.

The upstairs Capital Gallery will open Wicked Floromancy, featuring a trio of super talented artists, Pam Trent, Katie Vance, and Catie Sibbald. Wicked Floromancy is the culmination of Floromancy Designs, Ath-Lion, and Wicked Apple art, blending fashion and design with Nature. This exhibition is a unique collaboration between a body painter, hairstylist and horticulturist.

The Sounds of Summer concert series is back! On July 24, join host Sheena Brook and enjoy original music from The F.E.M. Collective, a media and event driven group designed to create a movement to amplify women's voices in the music scene and ultimately improve the world we live in. Sheena Brook , Claire Liparulo and Katie Lyon perform live.

Main Gallery Art Show - Introspection
Friday, July 3, 6 p.m. - Thursday, July 30, 3 p.m.
Opening night reception Friday, July 3, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
General Admission: $1 entry donation

Capital Gallery Art Show - Wicked Floromancy
Friday, July 3, 6 p.m. - Thursday, July 30, 3 p.m.
Opening night reception Friday, July 3, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Sounds of Summer Concert - The F.E.M. Collective
Friday, July 24, 7:30 p.m. (Doors open 7:00 p.m.)
Tickets $10 at the door/students are buy one, get one free
Arts for ACT Gallery
Left: Art Poems Exhibit/Susan Mills, Right Make IT - Take It Classes
Art Poems opens July 3, July Make It - Take It Classes

Join Arts for ACT Gallery on Friday, July 3rd for the opening receptions for two new exhibits: Art Poems in the Main Gallery, and a Group Exhibit of Arts for ACT Gallery’s Co-op Artists and Volunteers in the White Gallery. 

Art Poems is a creative collaboration of artists and poets. As a platform for the creation of new art and poetry, it has added a unique vision and voice to the Southwest Florida cultural landscape each season for the past fourteen years. Art Poems artists and poets are paired and exchange art and poetry. The artists create new art works inspired by poetry, while the poets write new poems inspired by artwork.

A Group Exhibit of Arts for ACT Gallery Co-op Artists and Volunteers will include new pieces by our working artists. The exhibit will be an eclectic group show with mixed media, fine crafts, art journaling, jewelry, art clothing, oil and acrylic paintings and more. 

To explore your own inner artist, join one of the Make It – Take It classes this month. All materials are included in the class price.

Live painting in the gallery is held every Thursday, as well as on July 4 & 5 for the 4th of July weekend.

Main Gallery - Art Poems
White Gallery - G roup Exhibit: Arts for ACT Co-op Artists and Volunteers
Friday, July 3, 4 p.m. - Monday, August 3
Opening night reception Friday, July 3, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Make It - Take It Classes
07/13/20 from 12 to 4 pm – Make a Paris Flea Market Pendant - $10.00
07/28/20 from 11 to 3 – Paint Monet’s Bridge on Canvas - $30.00

4th of July Weekend 07/03-07/05
25% off of all purchases that are non-artists items.
07/04/20 – Live painting in the gallery.
07/05/20 – Live painting in the gallery.
Every Thursday in July – Live painting in the gallery
Ollie Mack Gentry Photography
The expanded gallery space and three paintings by Veronica Benning
Expanded Gallery Space features art by Veronica Benning

The Ollie Mack Gentry Photography Gallery has expanded its space. A back wall was removed to allow for the photography studio to be placed in the very back of the unit. New floors were installed, and the gallery was repainted.

Exhibiting throughout July in the expanded gallery will be paintings by Veronica Benning (1947-2013). Local artist and native Veronica Benning worked using oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, ink, and graphite. She often worked from still life or landscape to produce her overall color condition.

In addition to the Benning exhibit, photography by Ollie Mack Gentry and iconic home furnishings are also available for purchase.
Laboratory Theater of Florida
Virtual Summer Camps through Lab Theater

With a continued focus on keeping campers and team members safe this summer, the Laboratory Theater of Florida's education department is offering virtual camps and classes this year.

Two camps are offered to teenagers starting on July 6:

A Simple Task by Alan Haehnal
A script study of Alan Haehnel's "A Simple Task." Students would meet via Zoom from 8 am - 10 am each day from July 6th - July 10th to work on the scenes from this play. This camp will focus on strengthening cold reading, dramaturgy, and scene work. Campers will work with experienced actors to record a performance for online viewing.

A Midsummer Night's Dream - July 20-24
An introduction to Shakespeare using "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Students will meet via Zoom for 2 hours each day and work on scenes from Shakespeare's comedy as well as getting a crash course in performing Shakespeare. Young actors will be joining with seasoned Shakespearean actors at the end of the week for a virtual performance of the play.

Sign up on the Laboratory Theater of Florida's Facebook page.
DAAS Co-Op Gallery at the Butterfly Estates
April Showers, Frida's Flowers Opens July 3

On July 3, join DAAS Co-Op Gallery for a new exhibit, April Showers, Frida's Flowers for a very safe, social distance-conscious event celebrating the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Local artists produced magnificent pieces for this invitational exhibition. Come with your masks on for a very well deserved good time!

The exhibition, originally scheduled for April, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The show features works in multiple mediums by a number of Southwest Florida artists challenged to create pieces inspired by the iconic surrealist painter Frida Kahlo,

A social distancing-conscious after-party event will follow the opening at the Atala Wine & Beer Bar within the Butterfly Estates, in the outdoor area between DAAS Co-Op and Thrifty Garden.

April Showers, Frida's Flowers
Friday, July 3, 6 p.m. - Saturday, August 1
Opening night reception Friday, July 3, 6 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
#RE DEVELOPMENT WORKS
Stay connected and learn more about your CRA!

See our 2019 Annual Report or Click the Video Link Below