The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is now in its 10th year bringing a broad range of arts events to Southwest Florida. Run by the non-profit Florida Arts, Inc., the Center’s state-of-the-art facility in downtown Fort Myers hosts exhibitions, galas, lectures, poetry readings, and concerts featuring world-renounced artists and up-and-coming local talent as well.
The iconic building that the art center operates from in downtown Fort Myers is rich in local history as well. The site had been a Calusa settlement hundreds of years ago. Then in the mid-1800s, it became the location of the original fort of Fort Myers used in the civil war. The Neoclassical Revival-style building that now houses the art center was built in 1933 as a U.S. Post Office and was later converted into a federal courthouse. Then in 2003, Florida Arts, Inc. acquired a 99-year lease on the building and the work began to restore the facility to its original glory. Now the center is known for bringing world-class talent to Southwest Florida and providing educational offerings for children and adults alike.
We’ll sit down with Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center CEO and Executive Director Jim Griffith and the Center’s Development Director Melissa DeHaven for detailed preview of what’s coming this season including concerts from a broad range of musical genres, themed and juried art exhibitions, workshops ranging from writing to cooking, comedy and even a burlesque show. We’ll also take a look back at the building’s rich history including historical features you won’t want to miss when you visit.