What Is CAPA

What is CAPA?

Bayshore Cultural and Performing Arts Center, Inc. (CAPA) is a presenting organization for the local visual and performing artists of Collier County, Florida.  Collier County is home to dozens of excellent performing artists, ensembles and visual artists.  However, as confirmed by three professional needs assessments, there is not enough space that is adequate, accessible and/or affordable in which these artists can work.  By creating the Bayshore CAPA Center, we will meet the very real needs of many organizations:  the visual and performing artists, educational institutions and the community.

The Bayshore Cultural and Performing Arts Center will be an exciting and unique cultural, educational and economic collaboration.  New programs and partnerships have already been created.  Bayshore CAPA is working with:  the CRA in the presentation of the Bayshore Festival of the Arts, Edison State College in the creation of the Erich Kunzel Community Concert Series, and Naples Botanical Garden to present Jazz in the Garden.  All events feature local visual and performing artists.

Community Engagement and Cultural Equity

The Bayshore/Gateway Triangle Community is being redeveloped by the Collier County Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), and was designated a “Cultural District” by Collier County Commissioners in 2008. Bayshore CAPA has worked extensively with the CRA, contributing time and input towards the AMS Needs Assessments that have been completed: 2002, for United Arts Council; 2007, Collier Redevelopment Agency; and 2009 Pizzuti Developers.

Bayshore CAPA has taken the leadership role in bringing performing and visual artists to the Bayshore area, engaging them at the Bayshore Arts Festivals, Naples Botanical Garden and other venues. Bayshore CAPA hopes to create a permanent venue that will not only be a home for these artists, but also be an economic driver for, and attract related businesses to, the Cultural District. Events presented by CAPA are free to the community or for nominal admission.  In addition, several Bayshore CAPA organizations including Naples Music Club, Naples Concert Band, Naples Orchestra and Chorus, Paradise Coastmen, Bach Ensemble and Naples Ballet contribute scholarships to students each year.

Facility Vision and Need

As part of AMS Needs Assessments that were completed in 2002, 2008 and 2009, surveys and interviews with local artists, arts organizations, and community residents and community leaders revealed diverse and legitimate needs for a new venue in Collier County that would provide adequate performance, rehearsal, studio, gallery and teaching space. Bayshore CAPA’s vision is to address those needs by creating a multi-use flex-space Cultural and Performing Arts Center. Bayshore CAPA has formed liaisons with Edison State College, Collier County Public Schools, CRA and Naples Botanical Garden that will offer sustainability to the project and broaden the constituency for whom the new facility would have value. In addition, artist residencies and workshops by recognized visual and performing artists and lecturers have already been identified by our educational partners as an important new opportunity that would be made possible by the addition of a new venue, and by the collaborative relationships that have evolved in the process.