Looking Ahead: A New Season of Exhibitions with United Arts Collier

Three upcoming exhibitions. New opportunities for artists. A celebration of the many ways art connects us to place, community, memory, and one another.

United Arts Collier is looking ahead to an exciting new season of visual arts programming, with exhibitions planned throughout 2027 that will showcase the remarkable creativity of artists in our community while creating meaningful opportunities for audiences to experience new work.

From a call-to-artists highlighting the newest work of UAC Member Artists, to a spring exhibition exploring the places and experiences we carry within us, and a new take on the Naples International Dance Festival annual exhibition, the coming year will offer many different ways to engage with the arts.

Whether you are an artist looking for opportunities to exhibit your work, a longtime arts supporter, a new member of the UAC community, or simply someone who loves discovering something new, there is much to look forward to.

NEW: NOW V — JANUARY 2027

United Arts Collier will kick off the new year at the Norris Community Center in downtown Naples with the fifth installment of New: Now, our ongoing exhibition series celebrating the creativity, recent work, and fresh perspectives of UAC Member Artists.

New: Now V will be on view January 2–29, 2027, with an opening reception on Thursday, January 7, from 5:30–7:00 PM. The exhibition will feature approximately 10–15 recent two-dimensional works selected through a juried call to artists. Emma Sullivan, Assistant Curator at Artis—Naples (The Baker Museum), will serve as guest juror.

The call is open to current UAC Member Artists, and submissions are due by 5:00 PM on November 20, 2026. Details and the application are available at unitedartscollier.org.

We are particularly excited about the opportunity to introduce audiences to work they may not have encountered before. One of the most important roles an arts organization can play is creating a bridge between artists and the community — providing artists with opportunities to be seen while giving audiences opportunities to discover the talent that exists right here in Southwest Florida. New: Now V will continue that tradition.

For artists, the exhibition represents an opportunity to put forward recent work and participate in a curated group exhibition. For audiences, it offers a chance to encounter a range of artistic voices and perspectives in one setting.

NAPLES INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL 2027 EXHIBITION— FEBRUARY 2027

The Naples International Dance Festival (NIDF) returns February 26–28, 2027, for its third year. The festival brings exceptional performers and experiences to audiences in our community while celebrating the artistry, athleticism, creativity, and cultural richness of dance.

The festival is an important part of UAC’s commitment to presenting diverse artistic experiences and expanding opportunities for audiences to encounter the performing arts. Dance has a unique ability to communicate across languages and cultures, telling stories and expressing emotion through movement, music, physicality, and visual design. The festival’s annual exhibition carries that conversation into the gallery, inviting artists and audiences to consider how different art forms intersect and to contribute to an artistic experience that reaches beyond the boundaries of a single discipline. Visual artists interested in taking part should watch for more information on our website, social media, and weekly Bets Bets newsletter to learn how to participate.

¡ARTE VIVA! INNER WORLDS: PLACES WE CARRY — MAY 2027

This spring, United Arts Collier will present ¡ARTE VIVA! Inner Worlds: Places We Carry, an exhibition centered on memory, belonging, identity, and the powerful relationships we have with the places that shape our lives.

The exhibition will run May 3 through July 30, 2027, with a reception tentatively planned for Thursday, May 6, from 5:30–7:00 PM.

At the heart of Places We Carry is a simple but expansive question: What places do we carry with us?

We often think of place as something physical — a hometown, a house, a landscape, a street, a country, or a particular room. But places can also exist within our memories and imaginations. A place can be carried through a photograph, a story, a smell, a sound, a family tradition, or a feeling.

Some places remain vivid long after we have left them. Some we inherit through family stories and cultural traditions, while others are places we imagine, dream about, or construct for ourselves. Inner Worlds: Places We Carry invites artists to explore these connections.

The resulting exhibition will offer artists an opportunity to interpret these ideas through their own experiences and perspectives. For audiences, it will be an invitation to slow down and consider the places that have shaped their own lives.

Together, these works will create a portrait not simply of geography, but of memory and human experience.

A SEASON BUILT AROUND ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY

While each of these exhibitions has its own identity, they share a common thread: creating meaningful opportunities for artists and audiences to connect.

At United Arts Collier, we believe a vibrant arts community is built not only through large performances and major events, but also through opportunities for artists to share their work, for audiences to discover new perspectives, and for community members to come together around creative experiences.

MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED

The 2027 calendar is still taking shape, and these three exhibitions are only a part of what’s ahead.

United Arts Collier is continuing to develop additional exhibitions, artist opportunities, performances, community programs, and special events. There will be opportunities to see new work, meet artists, attend performances, participate in events, support local creativity, and become part of the arts community in new ways.

Artists should watch for upcoming calls-to-artists and submission opportunities, while members and arts supporters can look forward to announcements about exhibitions, receptions, performances, and other community experiences.

A NEW SEASON BEGINS

From the gallery to the stage, United Arts Collier’s upcoming programming reflects the extraordinary range of creative expression that makes our community vibrant.

The year ahead will be an opportunity to discover new artists, revisit familiar stories from new perspectives, experience the power of live performance, and explore the ways art can help us understand ourselves and the world around us.

We look forward to sharing this next chapter with you.

ABOUT UNITED ARTS COLLIER

United Arts Collier (UAC) is a voice for all the arts in Collier, doing what no other single arts organization can do alone. As Collier County’s official Local Arts Agency, recognized by the State of Florida, UAC has championed the arts in our community since 1980 by connecting and amplifying the entire arts sector. Its mission is to enrich lives and strengthen the community through the power of the arts.

UAC works to bring the benefits of the arts to our community’s health, education, economy, and quality of life. UAC connects individuals, organizations, businesses, and civic partners in support of a thriving arts community for residents and visitors throughout Collier County.

UAC builds awareness of Collier’s cultural events through a comprehensive arts calendar and the weekly Best Bets e-newsletter, and presents collaborative performances and exhibitions. It provides free arts education and therapeutic art programs for families, students, seniors, veterans, and community groups. It also quantifies the positive impact of the arts on Collier County’s economy and quality of life, and advocates for arts funding and governmental policies at the local and state levels. Many offerings and online resources are free to the public, made possible by the generosity of sponsors, grantors, and individual donors. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, UAC depends on philanthropic support to continue its work on behalf of the entire community.

To stay connected to the arts in Collier, sign up for UAC’s free weekly Best Bets newsletter at unitedartscollier.org.