The City of Fort Myers is giving local arts a big boost this summer. City Council voted to award $150,000 in Arts and Culture Grants to more than 19 local groups and a number of individual artists.
Interest in the program is growing fast. This year 47 applicants asked for a total of $286,500, which is more than 50 percent higher than last year.
“The scoring committee was pleased to see applications increase by more than 50% from last year,” said Jessica McElwee, Grants and Special Projects Director for the City of Fort Myers.
The money will support well-known local names such as the Alliance for the Arts, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Florida Repertory Theatre, ArtFest Fort Myers, the Fort Myers Mural Society, LARC, the Quality Life Center, Theater Conspiracy, and The Laboratory Theater of Florida.
For some groups, the grant does more than pay for a show. “This investment allows our clients to build valuable life and workforce skills, express their creativity,” said Angela Katz, Executive Director of LARC, a nonprofit that serves people with developmental disabilities.
The grants help keep classes, plays, murals, and festivals going all year long, and they make it easier for families to enjoy the arts close to home.
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