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Arts + Culture

The Sarasota Ballet has hired Misa Kuranaga as principal dancer. In the 2025-26 season, she danced in "Birthday Offering" with the company.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • July 23, 2026
Sarasota Ballet adds three principal dancers

The company also announces five other appointments and two promotions.

  • Arts + Culture
"Reflection-Venice, 1894," a photogravure print taken by Alfred Stieglitz, and Clarence Hudson White's photogravure print, "Edge of Woods-Evening, (1900)," were gifts of Warren J. and Margot Coville to The Ringling.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • July 22, 2026
The Ringling goes back to black-and-white photography

The "Evocative Lens" exhibit features early experiments by Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz and Clarence H. White.

  • Arts + Culture
Linda R. McKee, retired chief librarian of The Ringling, and Deborah W. Walk, retired chief circus curator, have written a book about a mysterious painting known as the "Greta Garbo Vermeer."
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • July 20, 2026
Two sleuths track the mystery of the 'Greta Garbo Vermeer'

A retired curator and a librarian at The Ringling have written a new book about the elusive painting.

  • Arts + Culture
An interior view of Lynn Goldsmith's "Shared Light" photo exhibition in the Richard and Ellen Sandor Museum of Botany & the Arts at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • July 15, 2026
Selby Gardens exhibit showcases rock 'n' roses

Lynn Goldsmith's photos celebrate nature and her collaboration with Selby artist-in-residence Patti Smith.

  • Arts + Culture
Former Sarasota Opera maestro Victor DeRenzi and Jennifer Rominiecki, president and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • July 13, 2026
Selby Gardens announces collaboration with former Sarasota Opera maestro

Victor De Renzi will bring his creative vision to the living museum for the spring 2027 season.

  • Arts + Culture
Fogartyville has installed a new bar.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • July 13, 2026
Fogartyville gets a face-lift

Grants allow the Rosemary District listening room to add a built-in bar, more restrooms and flexible seating options.

  • Arts + Culture
Keren Shani-Lifrak is stepping down as executive director of Artist Series Concerts.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2026
Artist Series Concerts executive director is stepping down

The board is undertaking a search for Keren Shani-Lifrak's successor.

  • Arts + Culture
Kelsey Stalter teaches Katharine McLeod how to live in the moment in Florida Studio Theatre's "Dog Mom."
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • July 8, 2026
Florida Studio Theatre embraces summer's dog days with a rolling world premiere

The new play "Dog Mom" at FST shows how fur babies have a lot to teach their humans about how to live.

  • Arts + Culture
Beth Arthur poses with her granddaughter Sandy Arthur in front of two paintings acquired by Arts Advocates Gallery, "Bryce Canyon" (left) and "Sky Dreams."
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • July 6, 2026
Sarasota Art Colony artist refuses to be forgotten

Beth Arthur recently celebrated her 100th birthday at Art Advocates, which has acquired two of her paintings.

  • Arts + Culture
Hand balancer Yelitza Vivas wows the crowd at the Summer Circus Spectacular, which runs through Aug. 8 at The Ringling's Historic Asolo Theater.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • July 1, 2026
The Summer Circus Spectacular is a family affair

Husband and wife Davis Vassallo and Ashley Vargas star in a circus that thrills all generations.

  • Arts + Culture
Andy Sandberg is artistic director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, an artist incubator based in Englewood.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • June 29, 2026
Hermitage Artist Retreat strengthens its ties with Broadway

The Englewood arts incubator announces non-exclusive development deal for musicals with Manhattan Theatre Club.

  • Arts + Culture
A visitor to Sarasota Art Museum takes a photo of David Hockney's "Inside It Opens Up As Well," which collector Stanton Storer loaned to the museum for "Something Borrowed, Something New."
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • June 24, 2026
Collectors lend their treasures to Sarasota Art Museum for blockbuster exhibition

"Something Borrowed, Something New" features works by contemporary artists David Hockney, Ai Weiwei, KAWS, Louise Bourgeois, Richard Serra and others.

  • Arts + Culture
Jerome and Kathryn Chesley pose in their living room surrounded by colorful glass art that they've collected over the years.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • June 22, 2026
Sarasota couple are cultural ambassadors, together and separately

Retired educators Jerome and Kathryn Chesley lead trolley rides, usher at theaters, teach and lecture about arts and history.

  • Arts + Culture
Most of the action in Asolo Repertory Theatre's "Lady Disdain" takes place in a studio where romantasy audiobooks are recorded.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • June 17, 2026
Asolo Rep's 'Lady Disdain' brings the Bard into age of romantasy, revenge porn

Lauren Gunderson's reimagining of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" is a rolling world premiere.

  • Arts + Culture
Cristela Carrizales stars in Lifeline Productions' "Begin Again Badge," which runs through June 21 at the Cook Theatre in FSU Center for the Performing Arts.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • June 15, 2026
Lifeline Productions follows a Girl Scout who grows up and conquers her demons

Cristela Carrizales' "Begin Again Badge" uses humor to to punctuate a recovery journey to self-acceptance.

  • Arts + Culture
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1
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Bradenton 3-year-old Zy'heir Curry, a lover of "Paw Patrol," shows off his trophy from playing flag football at The Learning Experience.
  • July 24, 2026
The Learning Experience in Lakewood Ranch tackles a flag football event
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Larry Debb of GSP Development with a scale model of Saravela at the development's sales center.
  • July 24, 2026
City staff instructed to develop condo-hotel policy
5
Danae Tran plays the violin for Longboat Island Chapel attendees of the July 19 morning service before she and fellow scholarship recipient Michelle McLeod move to greet guests at the award reception.
  • July 24, 2026
Scholars celebrated at Longboat Island Chapel award reception

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