Sharon McAllister founded ArtFest Fort Myers 25 years ago and has played an instrumental role in the festival’s evolution. She is most proud of how much seasoned festivalgoers love the annual two-and-a-half-day River District extravaganza.
“It’s the best show they’ve been to, we frequently get that,” said McAllister. “I know some really fine art festivals around the country, so it’s really great for them to say that we have the best artists, and the best atmosphere, and great parking, and other things to do besides just the artists, right? The food, the high school activities and the chalk and watch the stage.”
That stage is part of the amphitheater across from the Luminary Hotel. That’s where the festivities kick off beginning at 7:15 on Friday night.
“When we open on Friday night, we are really proud of the fact that the Gulf Coast Symphony performs a free pops concert,” McAllister said.
This is the third year that Gulf Coast Symphony has opened ArtFest Fort Myers.
“The Gulf Coast Symphony is doing a Broadway concert as part of the opening night festivities of the 25th anniversary of ArtFest, which also coincides with our 30th anniversary,” noted symphony founder and music director Andrew Kurtz.
Theater interns Adriana Farrugia and Keith Williams will be the vocalists.
“We’re doing ‘Anything You Can Do’ from ‘Annie Get Your Gun,’” said Farrugia. “We’re doing ‘What Do the Simple Folk Do’ from ‘Camelot,’ and a couple of other fun ones, some Broadway classics, some new age. You’re gonna love it. It’s a good time. And the full orchestra is with us, so you really can’t go wrong. So come see us on January 31st.”
The main attraction is the art - 15 categories created by 210 artists from 39 states. But local art students will also leave a lasting impression.
“We’re really quite dedicated to opportunities for our high school students to show off their talent, and get professional input, and one of those things is Chalk Block, which is chalk street painting,” said McAllister. “The students are teams from the local high schools, three students to a team. There are 45 teams this year, a record number. It takes up all of Jackson Street, plus its sidewalks. And we’re really excited about it. It’s amazing how talented those students are.”
ArtFest Fort Myers is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
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With business degrees from the University of Hawaii and the University of Chicago, ArtFest Executive Director Sharon McAllister became a part of the Lee County community upon her early retirement at the age of 39. Her experience as a Divisional Vice President with H&R Block quickly transitioned into active local community service. In 2000, Sharon took over the existing “Lee Sidewalk Arts & Crafts Show” at the request of City of Fort Myers Downtown Redevelopment Director Don Paight, who asked her to form a not-for-profit organization and transform this annual event into ArtFest Fort Myers, a juried fine art festival. Under her tutelage, this event has quickly gained national recognition, while bringing an unparalleled art experience to the community. Among her credits are past chair of the city of Fort Myers Public Art Committee; past president of the Fort Myers Conference & Convention Council; and three years as the vice chair of the Florida Festival and Events Association (FFEA).
Gulf Coast Symphony founder Dr. Andrew M. Kurtz enters his 30th anniversary season as the symphony’s music director, and its president & CEO. Kurtz’s repertoire encompasses a wide range of music styles from baroque to contemporary, and multiple genres including symphonic, opera, ballet, musical theater, jazz, cantorial, and symphonic pops. Notable productions that received international praise and recognition include the world premiere of Lowell Liebermann’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (chamber version), the east coast premiere of Daniel Catan’s “Il Postino,” the world premiere of Paul Morovec’s “Danse Russe,” and the world premiere of Michael Ching’s “Slaying the Dragon.” Kurtz is a past president of the board of the Lee County Alliance for the Arts. Kurtz completed his doctoral studies in conducting at the Peabody Conservatory and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Virginia where he received his master’s degree in music history and a bachelor of arts in music and drama. A native of Philadelphia, Kurtz has called Southwest Florida home for 33 years.
Vocalist Adriana Farrugia has appeared in numerous stage productions in Southwest Florida, including the roles of Emma Carew in “Jekyll & Hyde” at Melody Lane Theatre, Cady Heron in “Mean Girls” for Melody Lane Theatre, and Gretchen Wieners in “Mean Girls Jr.” for Gulf Coast Symphony/Southwest Florida Theatre. Adriana has also appeared in several films. Adriana is a competitive roller skater, competing nationally in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019, and winning a national bronze medal. Go here to see all of Adriana’s stage and film credits.
ArtFest Fort Myers takes place along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River along Edwards Drive between Jackson and Heitman streets. This is part of downtown Fort Myers’ historic River District has a number of outdoor public artworks, including "Uncommon Friends" (which depicts Fort Myers’ famous winter residents Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvie Firestone), the USCT 2nd Regiment Civil War monument, the Buckingham & Paige Army Air Field Monument, the Florida Panthers in the median on Monroe Street, Columbian artist Edgardo Carmona’s Cor-Ten steel sculpture “Nostalgic Tune on the Radio” and more than 40 murals on the concrete stanchions that surround the river basin which tell the story of Fort Myers historic relationship to the Caloosahatchee River. Festivalgoers can learn about the artists who created each artwork as well as the stories they tell by downloading a free phone app called Otocast, which contains text, historic photos and an audio about the artwork.
More than 90,000 people attend ArtFest over the course of its three-day run.
Both the serious art lover and novice collector will find ArtFest Fort Myers the perfect place to learn about the world of art and add to or begin a unique collection. They can choose from paintings in oil and acrylic, watercolors, drawings in pastels, charcoal, pen and ink and graphite, 2D and 3D mixed media works and collages, photography and digital artworks, bronze and metal sculpture, wood working, ceramics, pottery, glass fusion and glass art, hand-crafted art jewelry, leather works and more.
The organizers have laid out the artists’ booths in such a way as to create a circular flow of foot traffic down a wide central mall that engenders a beautiful, stress-free, open-air art gallery overflowing with exceptional artwork. Continuous music and the aromatic smells of succulent foods add to the festival experience.
ArtFest Fort Myers strives to create a balanced show that fairly represents diverse styles, methodologies and techniques in the various categories just mentioned. In order to achieve this result, artists are selected based upon quality of workmanship, originality and artistic conception, and all work is required to be created solely by the displaying artists.
ArtFest uses a “blind jury.” This means the jurors do not know the names or any other information about the artists. There are five jury members. Each is an experienced art professional who is selected for his/her art background and appreciation of festival artists.
ArtFest Fort Myers maintains an online gallery, which it updates in October, of the artists accepted for the upcoming festival. There are links to the artists’ websites, which you visit to find more information or view additional artwork.
ArtFest also sponsors “Art Under 20,” an art competition and exhibition open to Lee County high school students. The program not only provides them a huge platform in which to showcase their talents, but $6,000 in cash prizes for the very best student artists.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.