Art Walk premieres in historic Fort Myers River District

Eleven historic River District art galleries and venues have united to form Art Walk, a free downtown art celebration, on the first Friday of each month from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. beginning on Oct 3.

Participating groups in the year-round event will include Art of the Olympians, Art League of Fort Myers, Arts for ACT Gallery and Boutique, Community Art Showcase in the Harborside Event Center, daas Gallery, Southwest Florida Museum of History, Howl Gallery, La Casa Del Arte Gallery, Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Space 39 Gallery, and Union Street Artist Company. Along with the art galleries, restaurants and other businesses will support the monthly trek. Opening receptions will be held at many of the galleries, along with refreshments and music. Friday Night Live, the popular weekly concert series in the Patio de Leon, will provide a musical interlude between 5 and 8 p.m. as art patrons wander from one art stop to the next.

"Art Walk was formed by the downtown galleries to further generate public interest and solidify downtown Fort Myers as a destination for the arts," said Greg Knezevich, La Casa Del Arte gallery owner and organizer of Art Walk. "Raising greater awareness of the arts — both locally and outside the city — this event is of interest to all age groups and is family friendly."

 

Although some of the stops such as Art of the Olympians (open late 2009), Community Art Showcase in the Harborside Event Center (future venue), and the Howl Gallery (coming fall 2008) will be part of subsequent Art Walks, the inaugural event on Oct. 3 will feature several show openings, including the following:

. Art League of Fort Myers' show CeleBRA-tion, a judged exhibit to raise breast cancer awareness;

. Arts for ACT Gallery and Boutique's opening reception for the Ken Hoffman, Peter Gaztambide, and Caroline Krieger Comings exhibit;

. the daas Gallery Grand Opening Party;

. Southwest Florida Museum of History's Clyde Butcher Exhibit, with discounted museum/ exhibit tickets offered at $5 per person during Art Walk;

 

. La Casa Del Arte, holding the Premier Party for Art Walk;

. Space 39,

with the Pre- Opening Dark Art Show # 2, a precursor to the Dark Art Show's Opening Reception on Oct. 4; and

. Union Street Artist Company will exhibit, "From our Roots to the Future" show.

A free trolley service, with stops planned near the art venues, and free parking at the Southwest Florida Museum of History and Harborside Event Center will be available for Art Walk patrons. A map of Art Walk, transportation, and parking will be distributed by participating galleries. For more information on Art Walk, participating galleries and links to gallery Web sites, visit www.fortmyersartwalk. com.