A new season of creative energy is sweeping across Southwest Florida this winter and spring, as juried outdoor art festivals bring hundreds of artists — many from across the state and country — and tens of thousands of visitors to communities throughout the region.
For artists, the festival circuit often represents both livelihood and opportunity. For host cities, the events serve as signature attractions that drive foot traffic and support local businesses, from restaurants to retailers.
The nonprofit Naples Art Institute kicks off the season with the Naples New Year’s Art Fair, Jan. 3–4 at Cambier Park in downtown Naples.
“High-quality outdoor art fairs are thriving, with collectors eager to engage directly with artists and purchase work in a relaxed, accessible setting,” Art Fair Director Sue Brown Gordon said. “Downtown Naples sees steady foot traffic throughout the weekend, supporting a wide range of local businesses.”
Visitors stroll past photography and fine art booths during the Coconut Point New Year’s Art Festival on Dec. 28. Howard Alan Events produces several juried art festivals in Southwest Florida each year.
Evan Williams
The institute also will host Naples National Art Fair on Feb. 20–22 and Naples Downtown Art Fair on March 21–22.
In downtown Bonita Springs, Arts Bonita’s National Art Festivals are scheduled for Jan. 10–11, Feb. 7–8 and March 14–15 at Riverside Park. Festival operators say nearby development could further boost attendance and sales.
Director Richard Sullivan pointed to Midtown at Bonita, a mixed-use project planned to include about 400 apartments and 200,000 square feet of commercial space, as a potential driver.
“They’re going to need beautiful art in their new place,” Sullivan said. “And they have the ability to go and see 200 different artists, and they can all find something that they like.”
Crowds fill the streets at ArtFest Fort Myers in 2023 as hundreds of artists and tens of thousands of visitors attend juried outdoor art festivals throughout Southwest Florida.
ArtFest Fort Myers
In downtown Fort Myers, ArtFest Fort Myers is set for Feb. 6–8 in the River District. Executive Director Juan Santiago said economic uncertainty and state funding cuts for arts programs have weighed on the community, but population growth could offset those challenges.
“It’s exciting to think we’re not only going to get the same crowd we’ve gotten over the past 25 years — but because we’re growing so fast, and there is so much freshness around us, that will have a positive effect on us,” Santiago said.
Jupiter-based Howard Alan Events, which produces more than 80 juried festivals nationwide each year, runs several Southwest Florida shows, including one of the season’s first events at Coconut Point in Estero in late December.
Steve Cebula stands in his booth at the Coconut Point New Year’s Art Festival on Dec. 28. The Palmdale, California-based artist and his wife, Lynn, have worked the national art festival circuit for decades, producing mixed-media pieces during the week and selling them on weekends.
Evan Williams
For Palmdale, California, artists Lynn and Steve Cebula, who exhibited in Estero, the festival circuit has long been their livelihood. The husband-and-wife team has shown abstract, mixed-media work since the late 1990s, producing art during the week and selling it on weekends. Social Security now allows them to slow their pace and spend more time with family.
Rising costs for fuel, travel, materials and festival fees have cut into profits, Steve Cebula said. While high-end collectors remain active, he said a softer housing market may be dampening demand.
“I sense a hesitancy in people to buy like they used to,” he said. “The housing market and the art market are somewhat tied together.”
Bonnie Ruffin poses with her paintings at the Coconut Point New Year’s Art Festival on Dec. 28. The Port St. Lucie artist said economic uncertainty has made some buyers more cautious, even as interest in local art remains steady.
Evan Williams
Port St. Lucie painter Bonnie Ruffin reported similar trends.
“I will notice the economy has been slightly a factor,” she said. “I’d say people are a little tighter with the nickel.”
Ruffin, a former nurse, said her work draws from personal memory and emotion.
“They’re usually from a memory, a feeling or an emotion I want to express,” she said. “I use art as healing.
Andrew Muckler sits inside his booth at the Coconut Point New Year’s Art Festival on Dec. 28. The Tampa painter said buyer preferences in Southwest Florida tend to lean toward more traditional and Florida-themed artwork.
Evan Williams
Tampa painter Andrew Muckler said buyer preferences can vary widely by location.
“This area is more traditional, so they’ll like more of the Florida-themed things or traditional art,” he said, noting differences between Southwest Florida and younger, urban markets.
Howard Alan Events splits its shows roughly evenly between fine art and craft-focused festivals. In addition to Southwest Florida, the company hosts events in Fort Lauderdale, Dunedin, Wildwood, Delray Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. It also plans the Punta Gorda Sullivan Street Craft Festival Jan. 17–18.
Other upcoming regional events include the Rotary Club of Cape Coral Art Festival Jan. 10–11 and Naples Picasso Events’ Mercato Art Celebration on Jan. 24.