As we reflect on a memorable year and look toward the future, we are thankful for people like you who believe that the arts have the power to transform lives and improve our community. You are a huge part of what makes our little world thrive. The greatest gift we receive, year after year, is you!

If you are in a position to make a gift to the Alliance, there's never been a better time. When you make a donation of any amount before December 31st, every dollar toward the future of our community will be matched - dollar for dollar, up to $30,000. We are grateful for your support. 

Performances December 3 - 12 • Our GreenMarket stage is an intimate, open-air venue where our neighbors can safely enjoy live entertainment. And what better backdrop for a performance than the gorgeous Florida sky? Reserve your square for Kathy and Mo, a production that has all of the right ingredients to make you laugh the night away.

Sunday, December • Our Arts and Ends Holiday Sale is headed outdoors to our ArtsPark and GreenMarket grounds! Located on the walkways surrounding the Alliance building, artist’s tables will be set up in the beautiful open air and sunshine and you can buy directly from them – doesn’t get much more local than that! Avoid the malls and retail stores and cross off that gift list with unique items made by artists and artisans in your community. Plus, shop your local crop from framers, bakers, chefs and makers as this event overlaps with our weekly GreenMarket.

Exhibits December 4 - January 2 • Get in the holiday spirit with our December exhibition! Coinciding with the onset of the holiday shopping season, this gallery show features artworks of all mediums priced at $200 or less. All sales are “cash and carry,” meaning purchasers will get to take the piece with them when they buy it, instead of waiting until the end of the exhibit.

Be sure to join us for a fun evening at our virtual opening reception on Friday, December 4 at 6 p.m! While this exciting event is free to attend, an RSVP is required.

Stay connected and inspired from your living room, kitchen table or studio with our online art classes or connect outdoors or in our classroom! Upcoming classes include:

Sunday, December 13 • Reserve your square now for an outdoor, responsibly distanced concert on our GreenMarket lawn! Hwy 41 South has played about every major bluegrass festival in Florida and has had a great time doing it! This band met their heroes of bluegrass, and even played music with them! Hwy 41 has backed up James King, and shared the stage with some of the best in the business like Claire Lynch, and Jim Lauderdale to name a few.

December 17 - 19 • More than 5,000 drawings, poems and prose pieces were produced by the children in the concentration camp during its three- year existence, thus providing a legacy that continues to be honored and celebrated today. Join our youth theatre on our GreenMarket lawn for a powerful performance.

Sunday, December 27 • Reserve your square now for an outdoor, responsibly distanced concert on our GreenMarket lawn! Songwriting musicians Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield are the core duo of the Reckless Saints, an original Americana musical act based in the American south.

Saturday, January 23 • Head to the Big Apple and (virtually) experience the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art with your friends from the Alliance. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity lets you spend intimate time with The Costume Institute’s 2020 exhibition, About Time: Fashion and Duration. Exploring the symbiotic relationship between fashion and time, this exhibition—a celebration of The Met’s 150th anniversary—presents 150 years of fashion, culled almost exclusively from The Costume Institute’s collection, along two parallel timelines.

Deadline: January 25 • This annual show is the most anticipated of the year. As the name suggests, this exhibition features pieces created by artists working in a wide variety of media from all over the 65,000 square miles that make up Florida. The juried entries come together for an award-winning and exciting exhibition representing today’s contemporary Florida artists. Prizes will be awarded including $1,000 cash for Best In Show.

Each and every Saturday • Fresh air and fresh produce make Saturday mornings worth rising for! Discover it all and more: authentic tamales, vibrant produce, scrumptious salsa and jams, fresh flowers, landscape plants and herbs and exciting artwork installations around our 10-acre campus. We’re here and waiting for you each and every Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

As an organization aimed at unifying the arts in Lee County and beyond, we are dedicated to connecting area artists to patrons and opportunities. We frequently receive inquiries for artists for specific projects, commissions, and special events. Please join our Member Artist Directory service and help us better connect you to area patrons with a window into your work and practice.

While the Alliance for the Arts continues to make ends meet with cost reductions and creative programming, we experienced $500,000 in revenue losses due directly to the pandemic. Put simply, ticket sales and class fees are not enough to sustain the organization.

We’re relying on you to help close the financial gap. To answer the call, two very amazing Alliance members have banded together to offer an end of year match challenge of $30,000. It’s an ambitious task, to say the least, but the Alliance is made up of people like you - people who believe, as we believe, that the arts have the power to transform lives and improve our community and that arts and culture are vital.

Any gift - from $1 to $30,000 - made between now and December 31st will be matched - dollar for dollar by the Bireley Family Foundation and Bruce & Janet Bunch. This is a big deal for the Alliance and we know we can do it with your help.

If you have any questions regarding the status of our open hours, programs and events, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@artinlee.org or 239-939-2787.