2026 has been an amazing year

It’s been a really active year for us, and a big part of our focus continues to be telling our community’s story through public art. One of the highlights has been the addition of new historic murals in the downtown River Basin. These murals honor important figures from our community, including Tootie McGregor Terry, Dr. Ella Mae Piper, Manuel A. Gonzalez, and Harvie Heitman. It’s been exciting to see these stories brought to life in such a visible and creative way.

Another major event this year was Next Level Street Art, which took place in May. We brought together 12 talented artists from around the country for live mural painting. It was a great opportunity to showcase different styles of street art while bringing artists, residents, and visitors together.

We’ve also continued building relationships with the City of Fort Myers and other community organizations. Those partnerships are important because they allow us to explore new locations and new opportunities for public art throughout the city.

We were also grateful to receive an $8,000 Arts & Culture Grant from the City of Fort Myers this year. That support helps us continue our work and expand the impact of the Society.

So, when we look at 2026 so far, I think the big story is really about growth, collaboration, and community. We’re not just painting walls. We’re preserving local history, creating places people want to visit, supporting artists, and helping make Fort Myers a more vibrant and connected community.

And there’s still more to come as we continue working on new mural projects and opportunities to bring public art to even more parts of Fort Myers.