ArtFest Fort Myers, Southwest Florida’s premier fine art festival, is pleased to announce the Poster/T-shirt Competition for the 2015 festival.  “This competition is open to all professional artists,” explains Sharon McAllister, Executive Director.  “Our Commemorative Poster and T-Shirt always feature inspiring original artwork and we encourage any artist, not just those applying to participate in ArtFest Fort Myers 2015, to submit their artwork for Poster/T-shirt consideration.

The artist whose work is selected for the Poster/T-shirt will be featured in a broad range of print, on line and VIP promotions preceding festival weekend, and continuing throughout the year, as well as a free booth space at ArtFest Fort Myers 2015, a complimentary three night stay at our host hotel, plus an invitation to join us at ArtFest Fort Myers 2016 and much more!

“It was an honor to be chosen as the ArtFest Fort Myers Poster Artist,” said Tara Grim about her 2014 experience. “This is a fabulous show with amazing crowds, who just loved and supported my artwork.  The poster was heavily promoted before and during the festival and is still being advertised today.  Many months later, it is exciting that my work is still being recognized as that of the ArtFest Fort Myers Poster Artist!

2014 Poster

Submissions for this contest must represent original artwork, in a theme that reflects Southwest Florida and is appealing to a broad audience. Entries are being accepted from May 15, 2014 through August 20, 2014 and images can be submitted by email.  For more information, visit our web site ArtFestFortMyers.com and click on Poster Contest or call 239-768-3602

Proceeds from the sales of the Commemorative Poster and T-Shirt help to support the ArtFest Fort Myers’ art education outreach programs – The After School Art Clubs, the Boys and Girls Art Club at Shady Oaks, The Visiting Artist Program and Art Supply Grants.

ArtFest Fort Myers, the annual juried fine art festival, takes place February 6, 7 & 8, 2015 in the Fort Myers River District. Join the experience with 200 professional artists from across the county and around the world; the largest high school art exhibit and competition in south Florida and free interactive art experiences for children of all ages.  For more information, visit   ArtFestFortMyers.com

ArtFest Fort Myers, Southwest Florida’s premier fine art festival, is now accepting applications from professional artists for participation in our 2015 juried show.  Featuring the work of 215 artists and celebrating our 15^th anniversary, ArtFest Fort Myers will bring 85,000 art lovers and collectors to the largest outdoor gallery in Southwest Florida on the first weekend in February!

Why apply to participate at ArtFest Fort Myers? Our year-round professional staff is dedicated to creating an artwork-selling festival for all artists. We provide great artist amenities to ensure that our artists are stress free and ready to share their work with our dedicated attendees. We promote our event throughout Southwest Florida and beyond, reaching patrons from Marco Island to Sarasota and east to West Palm Beach.

All artwork exhibited must be created solely by the displaying artists.  Artist entries are accepted in 16 categories: Ceramics, Digital, Drawing, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Metal, Mixed Media 2-D, Mixed Media 3-D, Painting-Watercolor, Painting-Oil/Acrylic, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Wearable and Wood.  Artists are selected to participate by an independent jury panel of art professionals, who score submitted images on artistic conception, originality and workmanship.  Cash prizes totaling $5,000 will be awarded to participating artists at the fine art festival. For more details on the application process, visit ArtFestFortMyers.com

ArtFest Fort Myers works year-round to produce a creative community celebration that also includes:

• Publix Kids@Art Yard, an interactive arts/crafts area for children, including a “children only” shopping gallery
• Art Under 20, an exhibition and competition for Lee County high school students, offering cash awards (sponsored by Florida SouthWestern State College)
• Chalk Block, a weekend high school sidewalk chalk competition mentored by professional chalk artists (sponsored by Truly Nolen Pest Control.)

For Artist Application information, contact ArtFest Fort Myers at 239-768-3602, email info@ArtFestFortMyers.com or visit our website at ArtFestFortMyers.com

The exclusive VIP Experience is the ultimate way to experience ArtFest Fort Myers.  Ron Bucher, Vice President, Investments at Raymond James, will be welcoming ArtFest Fort Myers’ guests to the VIP Experience for his 11th year at the art festival. . And it’s guaranteed that your VIP Experience at ArtFest Fort Myers includes all things artfully pampered.

Begin Friday evening, January 31, 2014, with special reserved parking, as you make your way to our VIP Tent on Opening Night.  Delectable food from some of our area’s finest restaurants and great wine are just the beginning, as the evening also includes an extraordinary sampling of 70 festival artists and surprise performances.

Over festival weekend, your VIP Experience includes a reserved parking space just for you adjacent to the festival site, exclusive access to our VIP Terrace with complimentary mid-day lunch, all-day beverages and the special gift of a commemorative festival poster. “I am so proud to be a sponsor of this wonderful event,” explains Ron Bucher.  “The arts have helped to define our community and add to our quality of life.”

The VIP Experience is $75 per person and your support contributes to the year-round ArtFest Fort Myers’ art education outreach programs. To enjoy the ArtFest Fort Myers VIP Experience and the 200 artists as a Very Important Patron visit Upgrade To VIP at ArtFestFortMyers.com or call 239-768-3602.

ArtFest Fort Myers, the annual juried fine art festival, takes place January 31, February 1 & 2, 2014 in the Fort Myers River District. Join the experience with 200 professional artists from across the county and around the world; the largest high school art exhibit and competition in south Florida and free interactive art experiences for children of all ages.

For more information visit ArtFestFortMyers.com – Like Us on Facebook  –  #artfestfm

ArtFest Fort Myers, Southwest Florida’s premier art festival welcomes Lauren Gomes as their Event Operations Intern for the 2014 program year. Lauren comes to ArtFest Fort Myers as a senior from Florida Gulf Coast University, majoring in the Resort and Hospitality Management program. Lauren found her passion for event planning after volunteering for ArtFest 2013 “It was amazing to see such a large event successfully come together from behind the scenes”. As the Event Operations Intern, Lauren will be essential in the creation and implementation of key festival elements, working toward a successful ArtFest Fort Myers 2014.

ArtFest Fort Myers, the annual juried fine art festival, takes place January 31, February 1 & 2, 2014 in the Fort Myers River District. Join the experience with 200 professional artists from across the county and around the world; the largest high school art exhibit and competition in south Florida and free interactive art experiences for children of all ages.

For more information visit ArtFestFortMyers.com or contact us as 239-768-3602.

ArtFest Fort Myers, southwest Florida’s premier fine art festival, is looking for volunteers to help make our 14^th year the very best ever. “We could not put on a world class fine art festival without the help of every one of our three hundred volunteers,” explains Ethel Willis, Volunteer Coordinator. “Each volunteer works a four hour shift and can choose to help with the professional artists, sell commemorative shirts and posters, assist in the children’s Art Yard, check in our VIP’s or select one of dozens of other volunteer assignments.  We encourage our volunteers to pick an area that they are interested in and there is no experience required.  We provide the training and the beautiful festival t-shirt!”

The core of the ArtFest Fort Myers volunteer spirit is centered around the teamwork of 40 fabulous volunteer Steering Committee Members, who have been with the art festival for many years and oversee every aspect of this nationally recognized art experience. “Our dedicated Committee Members come from all walks of life and work together all weekend to make sure that the professional artists, our sponsors and VIP’s, our volunteers and our visitors have a great time at ArtFest Fort Myers,” explains Willis. “Many of these great people began as four-hour volunteers years ago and embraced additional responsibilities to make ArtFest Fort Myers on of the finest art festivals in the country!”

Your volunteer perks include reserved parking, a complimentary artistic ArtFest Fort Myers Volunteer T-shirt in your size, water, snacks and a chance to meet wonderful artists from across the country and other great volunteers from our community!

Signing up to volunteer with ArtFest Fort Myers on January 31^st, February 1^st and 2^nd is as simple as visiting ArtFestFortMyers.com. Just go to the Volunteer Page and choose the available volunteer job that interests you! Your 4-hour volunteer shift truly makes a difference to the community and there is no experience required! The deadline for Volunteer Registration is coming soon, so sign up today!

Plan now to join ArtFest Fort Myers in the downtown Fort Myers River District as we make art come to life on January 31, February 1 & 2, 2014. Enjoy the experience with 200 artists from across the county and around the world; the largest high school art exhibit and competition in south Florida and free interactive art experiences for children of all ages.

Artfest Fort Myers Welcomes Chelsea Bell

Chelsea Bell has recently joined ArtFest Fort Myers as their Festival Support Intern for art festival. Chelsea is completing her last semester at Florida Gulf Coast University, a Resort and Hospitality major who is certified as a Guest Service Professional. She plans to focus on resort management.

With over seven years of experience in the hotel industry, Chelsea looks forward to expanding her experience on the event side through her internship at ArtFest Fort Myers.  As a native to Lee County, Chelsea appreciates ArtFest’s passion for focusing on art in the community. She is excited to be the Festival Support Intern for an organization that honors her hometown and can proudly call them Southwest Florida’s premier art festival.

ArtFest Fort Myers, the annual juried fine art festival, takes place January 31, February 1 & 2, 2014 in the Fort Myers River District. Join the experience with 200 professional artists from across the county and around the world; the largest high school art exhibit and competition in south Florida and free interactive art experiences for children of all ages.

For more information visit ArtFestFortMyers.com or contact us as 239-768-3602.

*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***
October 16, 2013 -COLDWATER, MI:
ArtFest Fort Myers is a winner in the national “America’s Best Art Fair Awards” competition. Named as one of the “Best OVERALL vs. REGIONAL Art Fairs”, the survey recognized ArtFest Fort Myers as one of the best juried fine art fairs in the country.

Sponsored by ArtFairCalendar.com, the #1 website for art fair event listings, the new survey was the first of its kind to open voting beyond traditional “art fair insiders” like artists and show staff to include/focus on voting by art fair patrons, fine art collectors, and the public that attends art shows and festivals nationwide.

“ArtFest Fort Myers has always been popular among art fair lovers in Southwest Florida, but our new national Best Art Fairs Awards survey proves that both art collectors and artists nationwide love it, too,” said Connie Mettler, Publisher of ArtFairCalendar.com. “We’re happy to give a “Best OVERALL/REGIONAL Art Fair Award” to ArtFest Fort Myers today.”

“We’re very pleased at this recognition of ArtFest Fort Myers by ArtFairCalendar.com’s “Best Art Fair Awards,” said Sharon McAllister, Executive Director. “We have a great team of staff and volunteers who work hard every year to produce this important cultural event that brings so much art, business, and fun to the Fort Myers community.”

About the 2013 America’s Best Art Fairs Awards
The America’s Best Art Fairs Awards are based on online voting by art fair patrons, collectors, organizers, and artists both regionally and nationally. It is the first national online survey of the nation’s art fairs designed to reward those festivals that excel at creating opportunities that bring together artists and communities to celebrate the arts.

The survey process began with open nominations in August 2013 offered to over 50,000 subscribers of the ArtFairCalendar.com email lists and spread by social media. It focused on questions relating to art fairs specifically seeking the favorite shows of patrons and art collectors regionally and nationally. Nearly 2000 unique responses were tabulated to calculate the winners.

Please visit http://www.BestArtFairs.com or http://www.artfaircalendar.com/art_fair/americas-best-art-fairs-the-top-50.html for the complete list of Best Art Fair Award winners for 2013.