From an excerpt of "Arts Foundation - A Labor of Love - Sand Paper Issue: #381

 

Though many have contributed, IAF President and founder Carl Conley has guided this project since forming the IAF in 2001. "In the first few years of the paper, I was working 15 hours a day, 7 days a week, and I lost track of playing music and the arts," Carl told us, sitting in his newly appointed office at the front of 2915 Estero. "When I finally got a full staff and a little free time, they were a priority to get back into my life."

 

By this time, Fort Myers Beach was a Town, and Carl noticed something in the Town's comprehensive plan that gave him an idea - "Often noted as missing in the cultural life of the town is a live theater or local playhouse. Although in the past there was a little theater group, one does not exist now. Live theater is often a well-loved community amenity and popular with visitors as well." - Section 10 - Recreation Element, Town Comprehensive Plan. "This section showed me the need and I felt it would be a great for me to work on - especially with a newspaper to promote it," said Carl. He started with a plan for an Island Arts Night, which he took to his friends Bruce Cermak and Tom Myers.

 

"Jack Lemmon had just died, and one of Carl's all-time favorite songs is Days of Wine and Roses", Bruce told us. "I knew he could play the saxophone parts, and he called his friend Jo List to collaborate with him on the singing. I couldn't believe the overwhelming response we got."

 

List is now a councilwoman, but way before politics she was a first-call studio musician with a gold record on the wall. "She shared my love of Broadway and film scores," Carl explained. "So, with Bruce a master caterer and Tom owner of the recreation hall at the Red Coconut, we decided to have a go at it. We figured we'd get maybe 60 people to come out." This proved to be a massive underestimation, when 140 folks packed the hall at $10 a head, some of them nearly fainting as the overwhelmed air conditioning unit threatened a mutiny in a hall designed for 80. Still, they all had one question when it was over - "When are you going to do it again?" From that success, a light bulb went off in Conley's head and the Island Arts Foundation was born.

 

Board Of Directors	Charter Members
Carl Conley - President Karen Mills - Treasurer Bruce Cermak - Director Jessica Titus- Director Tom Myers- Director Chip Durpo- Director	Surf Club Claude Bowyer II Town of Ft. Myers Beach Fish Tale Marina Santini Marina Plaza Beverly Wilson Dorothy Quisenberry Keller Williams Realty Bob Powers Island Girl	Island Sand Paper Larry Pearce - Realco Elizabeth D'Onofrio Jorge Weibe - Seafarers Dr. Sherwood Cooper Gulfshore Grill/Cottage Tim Gilbert Lucille Spuhler Bill & Carolyn Van Duzer