Naples is alive with its bustling shops, its tourists along the beaches, its rich heritage and many other beautiful things that are sure to captivate both locals and visitors alike. An especially important and vibrant aspect within the city is its preservation and appreciation of the fine arts. Whether it is through magnificent theatre performances or the abundance of its visual arts, Naples truly is a city that exudes life and color and thus is a true of culture.
The Naples Art Association is probably the leading organization when it comes to the exhibition of local and international art forms in Naples. Their permanent home is the Naples Von Liebig Art Center which has been in operation for almost 20 years now. Located at 585 Park Street in downtown Naples, it serves as headquarters for many art exhibits, both changing and permanent. The place also hosts a variety of art classes, workshops and lectures all year round. It is truly a hub for art aficionados in southwest Florida.
Although the association enjoys an upscale status, rubbing elbows with the high society of Naples and people from all over the world, the Naples Art Association had some humble beginnings. The group was first established in 1954 by a small number of like-minded people who are deeply passionate about art. They first started out by displaying their works outdoors, attracting the tourists, locals and the occasional passerby. Over the years they gained much respect and attention throughout the art community and from the people of Naples in general that, by 1998, they were able to purchase a two-story, 16,000 square foot property along a prominent part of the city and made it their own.
Today, the building, now named the Naples Von Liebig Art Center, is now one of the leading presenters of art and sophisticated culture in all of Naples if not in all of the country. The museum also puts on lively events on a regular basis such as mini jazz concerts and art workshops for budding artists and both are typically held outdoors. Recognized artists from regional, national and international levels all flock into the museum with the hopes of getting their works of art displayed in one of their galleries. Critically acclaimed and world class galleries such as the New River Fine Art, Gallery O, Sheldon Fine Art, Call of Africa’s Native Visions and Shaw Gallery of Fine Art and much more can be found and are enjoyed by the approximately 100,000 guests that visit the museum annually.
So, if you are looking for a top-notch, world class exhibition center that gives back to both the local and international art scene, then you should go and visit the Von Liebig Art Center in Naples. It’s open six days a week, Monday to Saturday, from 10:00am to 4:00pm and admission is for free since the association is a non-profit organization. You cannot pass up this opportunity to experience the collection of this well respected and award winning association that has helped bolster education and interest for art in all of southwest Florida.
