• Alternate Text

  • Loading

  • Holiday Gift Guide
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App
  • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • LWR Life
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Longboat
    • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • LWR Life
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Holiday Gift Guide
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Arts + Culture

    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • May 29, 2024
Sarasota Music Fest celebrates 60 years by defying convention

Under Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, the festival will explore improvisation and cross musical boundaries.

  • Arts + Culture
Jonathan Smith's indie film, "Guy Friends" follows a woman pursuing her first female friendship.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • May 27, 2024
Sarasota filmmaker follows female friendship in 'Guy Friends'

The film by Jonathan Smith premieres May 31 in Sarasota, New York and Los Angeles.

  • Arts + Culture
"Ed's Shed" of Safety Harbor, Florida, will appear June 7 and 9 at the second annual Squeaky Wheel Fringe festival.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • May 26, 2024
Squeaky Wheel puts Sarasota on the fringe festival map

The festival's second year features new and returning performers plus hassle-free ticketing.

  • Arts + Culture
Keith Alessi brings his show, "Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life" to the second annual Squeaky Wheel Fringe festival.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • May 26, 2024
A former CEO combines fringe and philanthropy

Keith Alessi donates the proceeds from his fringe show, "Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life," to charity.

  • Arts + Culture
There will be a special screening of a video of the New York performance of "Clowns Like Me," starring Sarasota actor Scott Ehrenpreis, on TK at Sarasota Rising's Living Arts Festival on Saturday, Nov. 16.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • May 22, 2024
'Clowns Like Me' returns to FSU's Cook Theatre before heading to NYC

The one-man show tells the story of Sarasota actor Scott Ehrenpreis' struggle with mental illness.

  • Arts + Culture
Florida Studio Theatre's 14th annual Sarasota Improv Festival takes place July 12-13.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 17, 2024
Impro Theatre headlines the 14th annual Sarasota Improv Festival

The festival takes place July 12-13 at Florida Studio Theatre's downtown campus.

  • Arts + Culture
Sheldon Rhoden has starred in Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's "Marvin Gaye: Prince of Soul" four times.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • May 15, 2024
WBTT's 'Marvin Gaye: Prince of Soul' keeps audiences coming back

Sheldon Rhoden is playing R&B singer Marvin Gaye for the fourth time in the time-traveling musical at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.

  • Arts + Culture
Jeffery Kin's Living Arts Festival will debut in and around Sarasota in November.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • May 13, 2024
Save the date for Sarasota's inaugural Living Arts Fest in November

Jeffery Kin says it's time for Sarasota to have an interdisciplinary arts festival.

  • Arts + Culture
"Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical" runs at Asolo Repertory Theatre through June 9.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • May 8, 2024
Asolo Rep's 'Twelve Angry Men' adaptation sings a song of freedom

Asolo Repertory Theatre Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs the inventive production in its Sarasota premiere.

  • Arts + Culture
George Nickson and Samantha Bennett, co-founders of ensembleNewSRQ, pose on the stage of The Ringling's Historic Asolo Theater, where they will perform May 9-11.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • May 1, 2024
EnsembleNewSRQ makes its Historic Asolo Theater debut

The contemporary classical music group will present "Parisian Refraction" on May 9-11.

  • Arts + Culture
Florida Studio Theatre's Arts Plaza project will be on its five-theater campus in Sarasota.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 30, 2024
Florida Studio Theatre receives $4 million gift for Arts Plaza

The grant puts FST's $57 million downtown arts center project on track for a December 2024 groundbreaking.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Lee Gundersheimer performs in "In Remembrance" at Theatre Odyssey's Ten-Minute Play Festival in 2023.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • April 29, 2024
Lee Gundersheimer grabs spotlight with wide range of productions

The former artistic director of The Players is a commanding presence in Sarasota theater.

  • Arts + Culture
Selby Gardens names new vice president for strategic communications
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 26, 2024
Selby Gardens names new vice president for strategic communications

Nancy Seijas-Kipnis previously worked for the Tampa Museum of Art for more than a decade.

  • Arts + Culture
Earlier this year, WSLR/Fogartyville co-founders Arlene Sweeting and David Beaton stepped down from managing the community radio station and listening room.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • April 25, 2024
WSLR/Fogartyville founders step down

Arlene Sweeting and Dave Beaton, who founded the radio station WSLR and the nightclub Fogartyville, are stepping down and moving to Michigan.

  • Arts + Culture
Avenue of Art expands mission of bringing color to the city
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 25, 2024
Avenue of Art expands mission of bringing color to the city

The project in Burns Square now enters its third phase, with 100 sidewalk paintings set to be added to the existing 210 by the end of the month.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
« 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 »
The best of Your Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest in news, sports, schools, arts and things to do in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key and East County.

Sign Up

Latest News

Sponsored Content
1
  • December 4, 2025
Forks & Corks Food & Wine Festival
2
You'd better watch out: Tow-away zones set for Sarasota holiday parade
  • December 4, 2025
You'd better watch out: Tow-away zones set for Sarasota holiday parade
3
The moon shines between a pair of "Florida Reindeer."
  • December 4, 2025
Holiday display at Selby Gardens boasts over 2 million lights
4
A satellite image of Hurricane Irma.
  • December 4, 2025
Hurricane season ends without Florida landfall
5
Shane Rawley poses for a photo on Dec. 2 at Shaner's Pizzeria with his three published books. From left: "A February Thaw: A Peter Cobb Adventure," "January Freeze: A Peter Cobb Adventure" and "Peter Cobb: Three Strikes You're Out."
  • December 4, 2025
Former MLB pitcher and local pizzeria owner is an author

App

Download the Your Observer app

Stay in the know with the latest local news. Any device, anytime, anywhere.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-366-3468
  • FPN Verified

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Crossword
  • Contests

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Rack Locations
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Business Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2025 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
Sign Up for Daily Headlines

A daily dose of news from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

Sign Up for In Case You Missed It

A Saturday dose of the week's top stories from Sarasota, Longboat Key and East County.

The Your Observer App is Here!

Get local news you can trust — now on your phone, tablet or laptop. Fast. Free. Easy to Use.
Stay informed, wherever you are.

Download Now