2025 - 2026 Exhibition Series
Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of art at the Lake Wales Arts Council, where you can revel in the ever-changing seasonal exhibitions in the Michael Crews Gallery. For artists, we extend the opportunity to showcase your talent through calls to entry for upcoming exhibitions, including the prestigious annual Lake Wales Art Show, fostering a platform for your work to shine in Central Florida.
Sacred Currents: Spirituality in African Art (from the collection of Daniel Jones)
OCTOBER 1 - DECEMBER 12, 2025
"Sacred Currents: Spirituality in African Art" is a compelling exhibition that unveils the deep spiritual dimensions embedded in African artistic traditions. Curated from the extensive collection of Daniel Jones, the show features a rich tapestry of masks, textiles, and sculptures that connect the earthly and the divine, the living and the ancestral. Visitors are invited to explore how African communities express and navigate the unseen through visual culture, with focused sections on the Art of Protection, Art in Ceremony, and Art in Grief and Memorialization. Don't miss this opportunity to witness the profound history, symbolism, and diversity of African culture.
Size Matters: A Membership Exhibition
JANUARY 13 - MAY 16, 2026
The Lake Wales Arts Council proudly presents "Size Matters: A Membership Exhibition," an exclusive and intriguing exploration of scale in artistic expression. This show features a diverse range of works by our member artists, from delicate miniatures to expansive, room-commanding creations. Discover how dimension profoundly influences the emotional and conceptual impact of visual art. This exhibition is a showcase of regional talent and serves as a unique platform for artistic experimentation and dialogue. We invite our members to experience this fascinating look at how artists manipulate scale to convey meaning and feeling. Learn more about artist call for entry.
2024 - 2025 Exhibition Series
Cold Feet, Hot Flashes: Paintings by John Jacopelle
OCTOBER 1 - DECEMBER 12, 2024
How the Arts Shaped Lake Wales: 50+ Years of the Lake Wales Arts Council
JANUARY 7 - MAY 31, 2025
2023 - 2024 Exhibition Series
Floridian Fire - Contemporary Ceramics in the Sunshine State
SEPTEMBER 5 - OCTOBER 27, 2023
Tech, No Logic: Paintings by Mike Knapp
NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 29, 2023
Lake Wales Arts Council Members Exhibition
JANUARY 8 - FEBRUARY 22, 2024
Solivita Artisan Guild Group Exhibition
MARCH 4 - 28, 2024
Our Gallery
The Michael Crews Gallery
The community response to the Art Center’s quality programs in just ten years overwhelmed the capacity of the historic structure built for the needs of a 1927 church congregation.
A Capital Campaign called You Gotta Have Art, chaired by Robin Gibson, was formed in 1999 to raise funds for repairs and restoration to the existing structure and to add additional classroom and gallery space needed to allow the Arts Center to expand its programs of art and music to the community and surrounding area.
Lake Waleans who had known Mike Crews and his love for arts suggested that the new building be named in his honor and memory. The Lake Wales Arts Council unanimously agreed. Michael Crews, Mary Combs, Marilyn Newell, Marie Kirch, and Milford Myhre were the signers of the original Lake Wales Arts Council Charter.
Our Gallery
The Michael Crews Gallery
The community response to the Art Center’s quality programs in just ten years overwhelmed the capacity of the historic structure built for the needs of a 1927 church congregation.
A Capital Campaign called You Gotta Have Art, chaired by Robin Gibson, was formed in 1999 to raise funds for repairs and restoration to the existing structure and to add additional classroom and gallery space needed to allow the Arts Center to expand its programs of art and music to the community and surrounding area.
Lake Waleans who had known Mike Crews and his love for arts suggested that the new building be named in his honor and memory. The Lake Wales Arts Council unanimously agreed. Michael Crews, Mary Combs, Marilyn Newell, Marie Kirch, and Milford Myhre were the signers of the original Lake Wales Arts Council Charter.