The Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center announces the official reopening in June with two art exhibitions, dueling pianos and returning yoga classes.
Art shows will be featured in the Grand Atrium and the Capital Gallery from June 5 through June 25. The opening reception takes place on Friday, June 5 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, located at 2301 First St. in downtown Fort Myers.
“Your health and safety is of utmost importance to us. After great deliberation and extensive considerations, the decision has been made to open our annual June juried art exhibition Rumors or Reality to the public at a reduced capacity, on June 5. We will be following CDC reopening guidelines and taking a gradual approach in reopening which allows us to prioritize health and safety while taking progressive steps to restore regular operations. Our people (patrons, volunteers, supporters, artists, and staff) are our biggest assets, and we want to make sure that you’re safe,” said Jim Griffith, president & CEO at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center.

They are encouraging everyone to bring in and don their own PPE gear. They will have sanitizers for use while inside the building. They will be disinfecting all restrooms, all door handles, stair banisters, elevator panels, cash registers and pin pads, computers, telephones, and all other frequently used surfaces, every hour or more.
They are also opening at a reduced capacity with limited hours to individuals and to groups up to 10 in number, establishing a new one way foot traffic pattern, and placing signage with friendly reminders to maintain appropriate social distancing throughout the building.
The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is requiring all staff members to wash their hands immediately upon arriving to work and to stop working at regular intervals throughout the day to wash hands. All bartenders will be wearing disposable gloves, and there will be a single handler of cash encouraging customers to use credit cards or mobile payment methods.
The June art exhibition “Rumors Or Reality?” is one of the biggest juried art exhibitions in Southwest Florida.
Artwork in this exhibition will be judged according to presentation, artistic merit, creativity, excellence and correlation to the theme. Entries will be pre-judged and then finalists will be chosen by their panel.
Prizes will include $500 Best in Show (winner will be announced at 7:30 pm), $250 SBDAC staff pick and $250 people’s choice.
Call in votes are encouraged by calling in at 239-333-1933
Also be sure to enter for a chance to win the Hidden Smile Award for the most creative face mask! Take a pic wearing your most creative mask, at the selfie station on reopening night. Go to their FB page fb.com/SBDavisArtCenter. Post your pic and use the hashtag #smilesbdac and the pic with the most likes wins the award!
International artist Monika Bokelmann’s exhibition will feature her works, titled “ArteMoka Mar y Tierra by Monika Bokelmann” in the Capital Gallery. Mar y Tierra is a culmination of 25 years of creating and painting across the world. Having spent most of her life traveling and living by the ocean, Monika’s appreciation for the natural world and mother earth (Tierra Madre) is encompassed in this, vibrant and uplifting collection of art. Some pieces speak to her Colombian roots and are grounded and earthy in form, color, and texture, while others reflect her varied life experiences and influences from nature and it’s creatures. Combined this collection gives you a feeling of warmth and comfort but also an unassuming connection to the earth and the ocean.
Visit online at www.sbdac.com for more details.
