FWC to meet May 10 and 11 in Miami
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 Stop in this May to meet the newest faces of our team. Then, join us for an upcoming event, art class or gallery exhibition. Mark your calendars for SWFL’s first Fringe Fort Myers! This performing arts festival will be a flocking good time, happening June 1-4. Registration is now open for Musical Theatre Intensive Camp taking place at Broadway Palm this summer! May’s Featured Gallery Exhibit  Bits and Pieces: The Realm of Creation In the Gallery May 5 – June 9 • Florida abstract painter, Margaret Schnebly Hodge is widely known as a serious large format painter with a mastery of brushstroke and color. Raised in Florida from an early age, Hodge grew up during the pop culture movement of the 1950’s and the counter-culture movement of the 1960’s. Her mother’s work in outdoor recreation and her father’s work in the space industry introduced her to a wide range of experiences from running barefoot in sunshine, rain, and storms, to watching rockets reach space and the moon for the first time. The complex and dynamic flux of societal norms and the ever-dynamic physical activity and environmental conditions of those years remain influential in her work today. Opening reception: May 5, 5-7 p.m. • See it first! This free event is open to the public. Come meet your neighbors and enjoy light refreshments! The artist, Margaret Schnebly Hodge, will be in attendance and hosting a discussion beginning at 6:00 p.m. Member Gallery Artist: The Lee County Art Educators (LAEA) is an organization of art teachers from both public and private institutions throughout Lee County. These talented artists and educators are excited to share some of their personal and professional artwork with the community. Theatre Gallery Artist: Barbara Yeomans is a Florida-based painter and printmaker. For the past 30 years, her work has been shown in galleries, museums and various arts organizations in the US and abroad. Find Out More → View All Events → Introducing the New Faces at the Alliance  Chris Ann Szep Director of Development Chris Ann Szep brings to the Alliance an extensive background of fundraising, donor and volunteer engagement, and community development. For the past 16 years, she served as the vice president of community and government relations and college advancement at Cecil College in Northeast, Maryland.  Therese McDevitt Strategic Communications Advisor Therese (Terry) McDevitt is a communications and marketing strategist specializing in arts organizations. She brings broad experience in corporate and nonprofit communications and marketing over a career spanning more than three decades. Most recently she served three years as Communications Director at Artis–-Naples.  Ana Ocampo Administrative Specialist Passionate about helping people and serving the community, Ana’s last role as a customer service representative has helped her to grow, especially among the Spanish-speaking community. After graduating in Colombia, she started university to become a middle school teacher. Ana is very grateful to work for the Alliance.  Instructed Life Drawing with Francesco Gillia Wednesdays, May 3-24 • Francesco will start each class with a drawing demonstration students will then apply the notions learned in drawing a live model for 2 hours. One-on-one assistance and feedback will be provided upon request from the student. This class is designed for beginner to advanced students. You will see and draw by understanding and personally translating the subject instead of just copying. Francesco’s one-on-one assistance and feedback ensure beginner students understand while keeping advanced and returning students engaged and challenged. Find Out More → View All Classes →  Check Out Our Gift Shop Normal Business Hours • Did you know we have a gift shop FULL of unique, one-of-a-kind items crafted by our Alliance Members? Everything from jewelry, greeting cards, artwork and books! Mother’s Day is coming up on May 14th. We have something for all the special women in your lives! Find Out More → Become a Vendor →  Bring Your Own Bonsai Wednesday, May 24 • Join Bonsai expert Michael Lane for this three hour “bring your own tree” class. We will focus on revisiting trees made in the beginner class, as well as any other projects, students may be working on. Students will have the opportunity to learn basic wiring, revisit shaping, and to ask questions. Find Out More → View All Classes →  Storm Stories: Stories of Ian Through August • Alliance for the Arts continues an Oral History Project titled Storm Stories in response to the emotional impact of Hurricane Ian . “Storm Stories” will have a dedicated, unmanned voicemail, 239-744-3047, as well as a way to submit written and recorded responses. This allows you to share your unique experience and express your emotions. Anyone who experienced Hurricane Ian is invited to participate. “Just tell your story about your experience through and after Hurricane Ian in whatever capacity you feel fit—uncensored and unbridled,” explains Molly. “It could be stories of resilience or trauma or pain or loss. It could be a wide range of feelings. It is meant to be cathartic and therapeutic and shareable—something that we can all relate to in some form or fashion.” Find Out More → View All Events →  Wednesday Night Market Wednesday • Join us under the stars, every 2nd Wednesday of the month from 5 pm to 8 pm for our monthly pop-up Market. We feature a selection of fresh produce, art, live music, food trucks and beer and wine. This month’s live music provided by Gene Martin & Friends Interested in becoming a vendor? Contact Emily at [email protected] Find Out More → View All Events →  Art Classes for All Ages and Abilities Your creative journey starts with you, so pick your level and don’t stop until you get to your destination. Stay connected and inspired from your living room, kitchen table or studio with our online art classes or connect outdoors or in our classroom. Upcoming classes include: ADULT & TEEN –Instructed Life Drawing with Francesco Gillia –Beyond Basic: Intermediate Acrylic Painting –Fluid Art Series: Pouring with Gadgets –Neurographica (13+) May 10 –Neurographica (13+) May 18 –Zentangle for the Seasons (13+) –Step-by-Step Batik – School’s In –Paint Like Bob Ross “Majestic Pines” (13+) –Playing with Pastels Class for Beginners and Intermediate (16+) –Workshop Series: Getting Your Art into Retail –Beginner Bonsai Workshop –Paint Like Bob Ross “Wooded Stream” (13+) –Bring Your Own Bonsai –Mind, Body & Soul Mini Retreat –Painting with Terry Lynn (16+) Morning, Evening, Drop In and Painting Studio YOUTH –ArtPlay: Visual Arts (Ages 8-18) –Painting with Eunique (ages 5-10) –Free Famly ArtLab-Mother’s Day Gift –Manga and Pizza (Ages 12-18) –Free Family ArtLab Register → View All Classes →  ArtPlay: Visual Arts (Ages 8-18) Thursdays, May 4-25 • Our ArtPlay classes are designed to engage students ages 8 – 25 with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the arts while focusing on identity development, self-awareness, self-esteem, social communication, and building positive coping skills. Experienced teacher, Sherry Diaz will lead ArtPlay: Visual Arts. Focusing on a different medium each week will give your student the opportunity to explore a variety of ways to express themselves! Learn More → View All Events →  Musical Theatre Camp Musical Theatre Camp at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre for Grades 1 – 12 • The Broadway Palm & Alliance for the Arts teamed up to bring the Musical Theatre Camp back this year! Focusing on high quality training for students of all ages – campers will get a peek into the life and training of professional musical theatre actors right on the Broadway Palm Stage. Geared towards students looking to expand their training in singing, dancing and acting – this year we have weeks designated for various age ranges so everyone gets a chance to join in the fun! Campers will have the unique opportunity to work with professional actors from Broadway Palm’s current production of The Little Mermaid. Each week will culminate in performance on a Broadway Palm stage where every student gets a chance to shine. Spots are limited to 15 campers, so enroll early! You may choose to become a member or renew your membership during the registration process. It will be an optional item chosen at the end of the online registration process. Find Out More → Register →  Free Family Art Labs Saturday, May 20 • Make creativity part of your family routine the 3rd Saturday of each month during Family Art Lab! Drop in for free, hands-on family fun from 10 a.m. to noon. Explore something new every month like art making, gallery activities, games and more – all inspired by artworks on view in the gallery, famous artists, national holidays and artistic traditions around the world. Find Out More → View All Events →  Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Through May 31st • AEP6 is the sixth economic impact study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry in the U.S. This study is conducted approximately every five years to gauge the economic impact (on employment, government revenue, and household income) of spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and the event-related spending by their audiences. Previous studies were published in 1994, 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017. (Due to the unique nature of the realities of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the AEP6 study was postponed for 16 months.) In 2017, AEP5, documented that the nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $166.3 billion in economic activity (spending by organizations plus the event-related spending by their audiences) which supported 4.6 million jobs and generated $27.5 billion in government revenue. The AEP series demonstrates that an investment in the arts provides both cultural and economic benefits. Find Out More → AEP5 Results →  Fringe Fort Myers June 1-4• Fringe Fort Myers, presented by the Alliance for the Arts June 1-4, is the newest Fringe theatre festival in Southwest Florida and maintains long-standing Fringe traditions of being 100% uncensored, 100% unjuried and 100% inclusive. Even better, 100% of ticket sales go directly to the artists. All of this means you’re 100% guaranteed to have the single greatest experience of your life! Fringe Fort Myers kicks off on June 1 with the fun and frenetic Teaser Show, with each performance group having three minutes to sell you on their show. How they do that is up to them! Over the next four days we will play host to 48 performances on three different stages at the Alliance for the Arts and Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. After the final curtain, Fringe Fort Myers will host the first Fringe awards ceremony celebrating the artists who make Fringe an incredible experience. Fringe includes an outdoor music venue and also the Kids Fringe Festival, featuring a Free Family ArtLab, a family friendly Alice in Wonderland interactive show and outdoor performances of aerialists and acrobats. Find Out More → View All Events → Alliance for the Arts • ArtInLee.org 239-939-2787 • 10091 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers Membership • Donate • Classes • Exhibits • Theatre • Digital Arts Lab  |