• Alternate Text

  • Loading

  • Sand Bucket List
  • 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
  • Things to Do
  • 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
  • Things to Do
  • 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
  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Arts + Culture

George Nickson and Samantha Bennett in a 2016 photo.
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • December 24, 2016
Top Story — March: EnsembleNewSRQ's new-school musical vision

New music. New masterpieces. A new group brushes the dust off the concert experience.

  • Arts + Culture
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • December 23, 2016
Top Story — February: Sarasota Ballet releases Managing Director Mary Anne Servian

Catch up on the hottest news items of the of the year with the Observer’s Digital Year in Review.

  • Arts + Culture
Courtesy photo
  • By Nick Friedman
  • December 21, 2016
Sarasota Visual Artist Studios opens art studios to the public

The collaboration features 10 local artists, who are opening their studios to offer the public a glimpse into their creative process.

  • Arts + Culture
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • December 21, 2016
Super Strings offers young musicians a rare opportunity

As part of the Perlman Music Program, Florida students perform under renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman.

  • Arts + Culture
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • December 21, 2016
Artistic Directors’ Letters to Santa

Sarasota artistic directors share their holiday wishlists.

  • Arts + Culture
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • December 14, 2016
A+E Holiday Guide

Celebrate by giving the gift of arts and entertainment. There’s something for everyone.

  • Arts + Culture
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • December 14, 2016
'Gateways' opens at Alfstad& Contemporary

In his first solo Sarasota exhibit, international sculptor Hans Van de Bovenkamp displays smaller works.

  • Arts + Culture
Courtesy photo
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • December 14, 2016
‘Tis the Season

With ‘Deck the Halls,’ Florida Studio Theatre celebrates the holiday season — Florida style.

  • Arts + Culture
Kerri Crowley, Jackson Helwege and Alexandria Rogalski perform "Put on a Happy Face," from "On the Town."
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • December 9, 2016
Theater students explore pop culture

Tunes from 'On the Town' and 'Grease' can be heard tonight.

  • East County
  • News
Parker Lawhorne and Kelly Leissler started Plump Sisters Productions to offer Sarasota a narrative, musical-comedy drag performance.Photo by Salvatore Brancifort
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • December 7, 2016
The Plump Sisters bring musical-comedy drag performance to Sarasota

With their musical-comedy drag duo, Plump Sisters Productions, Parker Lawhorne and Kelly Leissler pay over-the-top tribute to showbiz of the past.

  • Arts + Culture
Gloria Musicae will team up with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe for a gospel remake of the holiday classic, Handel's "Messiah." Photo by Barbara Banks.
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • December 7, 2016
Modern ‘Messiah:’ Too Hot to Handel re-imagines a holiday classic

In a gospel re-imagining, Gloria Musicae and WBTT team up to turn Handel’s ‘Messiah’ into a jazz-infused surprise for the holidays.

  • Arts + Culture
Victoria Hulland and Ricardo Rhodes in Balanchine's "Jewels." Photo by Frank Atura.
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • December 7, 2016
Sarasota Ballet premieres Balanchine's 'Jewels'

With its premiere of George Balanchine’s ‘Jewels,’ the Sarasota Ballet becomes one of the few companies granted permission to perform the three-piece ballet.

  • Arts + Culture
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • December 7, 2016
‘Black Nativity’ unites

Director Nate Jacobs shares why Langston Hughes’ African-American Nativity story belongs to everyone.

  • Arts + Culture
Nick Friedman The Elling Eide Center opened in October. Currently open to scholars, leadership is looking for more opportunities to share Elling Eide’s collection with the public.
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • November 30, 2016
The Elling Eide Center: A Vision Realized

With the opening of the new Elling Eide Center, a local Sinologist’s legacy is cemented.

  • Arts + Culture
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • November 30, 2016
Music Matinees spotlight world-class local talent

Avis and Aaron Romm discuss their upcoming Sarasota Concert Association performance.

  • Arts + Culture
« 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 »
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

1
Julia Groom, Elizabeth Moore and Jennifer Masters
  • April 12, 2026
Gymnast Emily Meinke shares message of hope at Blue Ties & Butterflies
2
Alisa Pettingell, Eileen Curd and Graci McGillicuddy
  • April 12, 2026
Moffitt's Mission Possible luncheon supports new treatments in cancer
3
Longboat Key firefighter paramedics used the Hurst Jaws of Life ram to push the dashboard of a Ford Focus away from the passenger seat.
  • April 12, 2026
Fire Department turns Ford Focus into convertible for training
4
County Administrator Charlie Bishop is typically seated at the dais with commissioners during meetings, but he was absent during the discussion about his contract April 7.
  • April 12, 2026
Manatee County Administrator Charlie Bishop's contract up for renewal
5
Overall female winner Vicky Romocki poses with Shelley.
  • April 11, 2026
Over 1,000 turn out to Siesta Key Beach for Run for the Turtles

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 © 2026 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.

Anytime. Anywhere. Observer.

From in-depth local reporting to real-time breaking news, stay connected to the stories shaping our community with the Your Observer app.

Download Now for Free