Arts & Culture

In the heart of Mississippi, a fractured family gathers to mourn the passing of beloved patriarch Dewey Frye. Funerals have a way of reuniting estranged relatives. This is especially true of Dewey’s daughters, Sammy Jo and Harlene, played by Nikki Krokosz and Katie Freeman, who provide this taste of their Southern fried comedy.

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.

When West Side Story premiered in September of 1957, theater critic Walter Kerr wrote, “The radioactive fallout from ‘West Side Story’ must still be descending on Broadway this morning.” Against a backdrop of midnight arrests and deportation flights, the musical’s portrayal of the immigrant experience promises to be just as explosive. But Gulf Coast Symphony’s production of “West Side Story” this weekend will also remind audiences of the role great theater plays in telling and retelling timeless stories filled with iconic characters and music.

The sculpture is by artist Cecilia Lueza and sits at the intersection of Veronica Shoemaker Boulevard and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Fort Myers.

People in Naples are feeling a lot of civic pride about Opera Naples Festival Under the Stars. This major cultural event in the heart of Naples during the peak of tourist season is also a boon to local restaurants and shops.

Cynthia Mason is one of three artists being featured by The Baker Museum of Art in its 12th Annual Florida Contemporary exhibition. Mason’s three-dimensional wall constructions evolved organically from her early training as an architect.

There were 64 photos entered in the Youth category — age 17 and younger — by 42 photographers in the 2025 Six Mile Cypress Slough’s photo contest honoring Carolyn Babb. A total of 270 photos were submitted in all categories combined by 113 different people. Twenty-nine photos received honors. The contest is limited to amateur photographers.

Marielle Plaisir is one of three artists being featured by The Baker Museum of Art in its 12th Annual Florida Contemporary exhibition. In "Rhapsody for a Beloved World," she explores legacies of colonialism, of power and power imbalances, and questioning and exploring the effects of these forces on society today,”

This weekend's art festivals are in Punta Gorda, Sanibel Island and Estero.

“Purely Pastel” is an exhibition of 72 abstract, impressionist and realist paintings created with pastels. It’s on view at the Alliance for the Arts through February 27. Most people associate pastels with pale blues and pinks, but the paintings on display in “Purely Pastel” burst with color.