Alliance for the Arts

This week, three shows open, one closes, eight others continue their runs and four more enjoy limited engagements at equity and community theaters from Sarasota to Marco Island.

This summer, the Alliance for the Arts is inviting young minds ages 3–16 to ignite their creativity, explore their passions, and dive into immersive arts experiences with a vibrant lineup of camps designed for every kind of young creator.From theatrical storytelling and hands-on art exploration to high-tech movie production and behind-the-scenes theatre design, the Alliance’s Summer Camp Series promises a season of discovery, innovation, and unforgettable fun.

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 May, there are 28 shows at these venues. Each will stimulate your imagination and underscore the importance of the arts in our part of the country.

Fringe returns to Fort Myers next month. As in the past, this year’s Fringe Fort Myers will feature nine shows. But this year, shows will only be performed in the Foulds Theatre at the Alliance for the Arts and the Off Broadway Palm at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre.

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 April, there are 27 shows at these venues. Each will stimulate your imagination and underscore the importance of the arts in our part of the country.

When Ted Neeley was cast in the lead of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in 1973, he had no idea that it was the role of a lifetime. Twenty years after the film’s release, he reprised the role of Jesus in a national tour that became the longest running revival in North American theater history. A second tour ran from 2006 through 2010. To celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary, Neeley criss-crossed the U.S. screening a digitally remastered print of the film, which he did again in 2023 to commemorate “Jesus Christ Superstar’s” 50th. And now he’s conducting a “farewell tour” that has no discernible end.

In addition to being one of Southwest Florida’s pre-eminent art centers, the Alliance for the Arts plays an advocacy role within Lee County, and beyond. With more than 20 years as a community advocate and organizer, Neil Volz is uniquely suited to empower the Alliance to discharge this aspect of its overarching mission as its new Executive Director. Volz’s views on the art of advocacy are people-centric.

On Tuesday, the director of grants, Jessica McElwee, told the Fort Myers Public Art Committee that the city is preparing to open the application window for this year’s arts & culture grants. If all goes well, that window will open April 1 and close on May 16, 2025.

This is the 39th year that the Alliance for the Arts has organized its 'All Florida Exhibition.' As the name implies, it features work by artists from across the state of Florida. Overall, the exhibition reflects the wide array of subjects and themes that weigh on the minds and hearts of Florida-based artists.

The Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers is hosting a four-day family-friendly storytelling festival March 13 – 16. The event includes storytelling performances covering a wide variety of subjects and genres along with storytelling workshops. Ahead of the March 13th opening reception, we’ll get a preview from the event’s featured storytellers Paul Strickland and Erika MacDonald.