Our
History
More Than 75 Years of Art and Community
The Fort Myers Beach Art Association was incorporated in 1951, beginning a long tradition of bringing artists together to create, learn, teach and share their work.
In those early years, meetings, art shows and fundraising events were held in a chickee hut built by members. After two additional temporary homes, the Association purchased land on Donora Street in 1965 and began building a permanent home on Fort Myers Beach.
Our Gallery Until Sept 28, 2022
A Gallery of Our Own
Groundbreaking for the new gallery took place on February 22, 1968, when President Mira Sackrison used a “golden spade” to mark the beginning of construction of the first cultural center on Fort Myers Beach.
The gallery grew along with the Association. Skylights and a storage room were added in 1978.
In 1984, a ramp and accessible restroom were added to make the gallery more welcoming to visitors with mobility needs, and the project also created a second gallery.
For more than five decades, the Donora Street gallery was much more than a place to display art.
It was a working art center where members gathered to paint, teach, learn and share—while exhibitions and judged shows filled the walls with work by local artists.
Hurricane Ian
On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian devastated Fort Myers Beach and destroyed the Association’s beloved Donora Street gallery.
In the days immediately following the storm, the first priority was checking on the welfare of more than 150 members, many of whom had experienced serious property damage or were without electricity, water or cell service.
A message sent to members at the time captured the spirit that would guide the Association forward:
“We are here for each other. We are more than a building.”
Although the future was uncertain, the commitment to one another—and to making art together—remained.
Rebuilding and Moving Forward
Following the loss of the gallery, Fort Myers Congregational Church on College Boulevard provided a temporary home for meetings, classes and gatherings. With the support of community partners and host venues throughout the greater Fort Myers area, FMBAA continued its major shows throughout the 2022–2025 seasons.
That resilience carried the Association into its next chapter.
Today, FMBAA once again has a gallery to call home at Cypress Square in Fort Myers. Here, our all-volunteer, member-operated nonprofit continues the tradition that began in 1951: bringing people together through art, education, friendship and community.
More than 75 years later, we are still creating, learning, exhibiting and growing—together.