Arts & Culture

Fort Myers-based artist Ananda War holds her first solo exhibition at DAAS CO-OP Art Gallery & Gifts titled “IS.” War is also a tattoo artist and owner of the Light Hand Tattoo & Healing Arts studio. Ahead of the exhibition’s opening reception, Feb. 2, War joins us in studio to talk about her creative process, her art and its connection to the metaphysical.

The arts in Lee County provide more than food for the soul. It puts food on the table for thousands of people who live and work here. A study just released by the Americans for the Arts quantifies this economic impact and makes the case for stronger support of the arts by Lee County and City of Fort Myers government.

Gulf Coast Symphony’s theater department delivers an encore production of the Southwest Florida-centric musical revue “Snowbird Follies.”

On view in the main gallery of the Alliance for the Arts is the latest large-scale exhibition by textile designer, filmmaker and visual artist Mariapia Malerba. Titled "Moving Roots," this gallery wrap takes viewers on a journey inward, immersing them in the artist’s spiritual quest for purpose.

What a good friend “Friends” has been for the actors who starred in the popular show, which began its 10-year run on September 22, 1994. Each actor gets 2 percent of that syndication, or $20 million a year. The Song of the Day, 'I'll be there for you" was written by The Rembrandts. But the first band choice was R.E.M.

In lieu of our weekly airing of Gulf Coast Life Arts Edition, we listen back to one of the very first episodes of the WGCU podcast Three Song Stories featuring co-owner of Winged Foot Title and former Executive Director of the Alliance for the Arts Lydia Black.

Less than a month after the Naples City Council voted to approve the permit for the 2023 Naples Pride Festival in Cambier Park, Naples Pride announced they will host the drag show portion of the festival indoors due to safety concerns.

The 37th Annual All Florida Juried Exhibit is on view this month in the main gallery of the Alliance for the Arts. The show continues to grow in stature and statewide recognition, as evidenced by the fact that the Alliance received 120 more submissions this year than it did in 2022. That presented this year’s juror, Grace Gdaniec, with quite the challenge when it came to deciding which 60 or so works to include in this year’s exhibition.

November is Native American Heritage Month, and the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is marking the occasion with its annual American Indian Arts Celebration on November 4-5.

Southwest Florida artists and founders of Artsemble Underground Cesar Aguilera and Brian Weaver are using their artistic talents to encourage dialogue and provide community representation through large-scale murals.