¡ARTE VIVA! Turns 5 — Turn Your Vacation into a Celebration
Every fall since 2022, Florida's Paradise Coast has spent an entire season putting Hispanic arts and culture center stage. This year, ¡ARTE VIVA! celebrates its 5th anniversary season — and if you've never been part of this one-of-a-kind artistic celebration, here's the story behind this colorful event and an itinerary to help you experience it for yourself.
The History Behind ¡ARTE VIVA!
¡ARTE VIVA! launched in September 2022 as a collaborative, yearlong celebration of Hispanic arts and culture, presented by the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). The idea was straightforward but ambitious: bring together the region's arts and cultural organizations — from Artis—Naples to the Naples Botanical Garden to the Marco Island Center for the Arts — to collectively honor the Hispanic community, which makes up nearly 30% of Collier County's population. It's just one thread in the region's broader history, but one that's grown quickly: what began with a dozen partner organizations has grown each year, now spanning more than 20 organizations and dozens of exhibitions, performances and events across Naples, Marco Island and Immokalee.
A Success From the Start
¡ARTE VIVA!'s inaugural season alone drew more than 293,000 attendees across programming from 20 organizations, and the numbers continue to grow year after year as more organizations join the celebration. It's since become one of the anchors of our guide to unmissable events across the destination. The list of arts and cultural organizations that have joined ¡ARTE VIVA! reads like a who's who of Collier County's cultural scene — Artis—Naples, Naples Botanical Garden, Opera Naples, Gulfshore Playhouse, Naples Art Institute, The Naples Players, and the Marco Island Center for the Arts among them. That kind of buy-in from the region's most established institutions helped establish the event's credibility and ensure its success right from the start. You can meet the artists behind each season's programming directly on the ¡ARTE VIVA! site. The festival has also picked up industry recognition along the way, including 2025 honors from the International Festivals & Events Association and the Florida Festivals and Events Association.
Build Your Own ¡ARTE VIVA! Getaway: A 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Naples' Arts Core. Start at Artis—Naples and The Baker Museum, a longtime ¡ARTE VIVA! partner that hosts Hispanic-artist exhibitions and performances throughout each season. From there, head to the Norris Center on 8th Avenue South, currently home to Latin Modernism: Memory, Myth and Material and an accompanying exhibition exploring Hispanic surrealism, produced by United Arts Collier. Close the day with dinner in downtown Naples before strolling 5th Avenue South.
Day 2: Gardens, Galleries and a Farmers Market. Spend the morning at Naples Botanical Garden, which hosts an annual Día de los Muertos celebration each November with towering Catrina sculptures, live music and dance — one of ¡ARTE VIVA!'s most photographed traditions. If your visit lines up with a Saturday, follow it with a stop at the Third Street South Farmers Market, which opens its season on Día de los Muertos weekend and features Hispanic vendors among its roughly 60 weekly stalls. Round out the afternoon at Naples Art Institute, which participates in ¡ARTE VIVA! with Hispanic-artist exhibitions and outdoor art fairs throughout the season.
Day 3: Cross the Bridge to Marco Island. Head to the Marco Island Center for the Arts, which showcases Hispanic artists as part of ¡ARTE VIVA! each season, including its Musical Interludes concert series featuring Latin and Latin-influenced performers. Pair it with a stop at the Marco Island Historical Museum for a deeper look at the island's Calusa roots, then round out the afternoon with time on one of the top beaches in Naples & Marco Island before closing your ¡ARTE VIVA! getaway with dinner on the water, Gulf breeze included.
Since the full 2026–2027 event calendar is still being finalized as this fifth season kicks off, it's worth checking the current ¡ARTE VIVA! events calendar before you go to confirm exact dates and any reservation requirements.
Make ¡ARTE VIVA! Part of Your Next Visit
Five years in, ¡ARTE VIVA! has grown from a hopeful collaboration into one of Florida's Paradise Coast's signature cultural traditions — and there's no better time to experience it than during its anniversary season. Start planning your visit and explore the full ¡ARTE VIVA! events calendar.