Sarasota County Arts Council

The Sarasota County Arts Council is an organization devoted to the arts in Sarasota, which focuses on advocacy for and promotion of the arts, coordination of artists and groups with the greater Sarasota community, arts-related education, and access to the arts for all audiences and artists.

The programs and services offered by the Sarasota County Arts Council are diverse and allow people of all ages and backgrounds to more fully appreciate the culture and arts of Sarasota.  Arts Day is an annual celebration of the arts in which almost 1,000 local artists, both visual and performing artists, showcase their talents in Sarasota’s downtown.  Other opportunities for local artists include fellowships, workshops, exhibitions, and an artists’ registry.

The Sarasota County Arts Council assists local art galleries in gaining exposure before the public.  Among the galleries promoted by the Council are A Touch of Art Gallery & Framery, Art Studio of Colleen Cassidy-Bern & Studio 41, Art UpTown, Atelier Gallery of Fine Art, Beverly Fleming Gallery, Collectors Wall Fine Art Gallery, Décor Direct, Imperial Fine Art, Joan Peters Gallery, Katharine Butler Gallery, Mira Mar Gallery, Missing Link Gallery, Plum Door Art Studio & Gallery, Rilla Gallery & Studio, Selby Gallery, and Virginia Hoffman Studio, Inc.

The Council hosts an Arts in Education program, designed to encourage arts education; as a result, all Sarasota County public schools now offer an arts curriculum.  The Council also manages the Tourist Development Grant Program, which awards $1 million annually to county arts groups, and produces the SmARTalk luncheon program, which features renowned speakers on arts-related topics.

The Sarasota County Arts Council, in conjunction with other local organizations and individuals, has developed "The Hermitage," an artists’ retreat located on Manasota Key.  Since 1999, the Hermitage has been hosting regional and international artists of all sorts in its peaceful setting.  More information on the Hermitage is available by contacting Bruce Rodgers at (941) 475-2098, or by visiting http://www.hermitage-fl.org.

The Council hosts a Cultural Tourism Roundtable, in which marketing directors from the arts and hospitality industries from across the nation come together in Sarasota to collaborate on marketing the city and its environs as a destination for cultural tourism.  The Cultural Executives Committee is made up of representatives from Sarasota’s local and regional cultural organizations to facilitate communication among the various arts groups and to advise the Arts Council.  The Council also acts as a liaison between the arts community of Sarasota and local and state governments.

The Council publishes two publications.  "Sarasota County: Florida’s Cultural Coast," is an annual pocket guide to county arts and culture, and is distributed throughout the state of Florida.  ArtBeat is a quarterly newsletter for lovers and patrons of the art throughout the United States.  In addition, the Council produces the Sarasota County Cultural Calendar, updated regularly online at the Council website, http://www.sarasota-arts.org.