Two years ago, at a standing-room only reception at the Alliance for the Arts, Lydia Black unveiled the plan for a reimagining of the 10-acre campus, fueled by a $50,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant.
Now, that vision is coming to fruition, as the team works to install the final phases of the project, which has added greenspace for people to gather, a pond, native plants and pedestrian-friendly features on the McGregor Boulevard side. The anchoring Caloosahatchee Water Wall, an eco-friendly sculpture that doubles as a stormwater filter, is planned to be installed this summer. Once in place, the Michael Singer-designed sculpture will be the largest public art piece in Lee County.
The infrastructure changes dovetail with the organization's mission to promote inclusivity and creativity throughout the region. The group has also upped its programming beyond campus, with initiatives like Art Lives Here, which turns billboards into canvases showing off the works of local artists. “A moment in traffic can now be a window into the creative culture of Lee County,” Black says. We can’t think of a better way to weather a busy road.
