Sarasota is Florida's Arts and Cultural Epicenter

  It will come as no surprise to most people that Sarasota Florida, recently named the "#1 Small City in the Nation for the Arts", is the center of Arts and Culture of Florida. The arts scene in Sarasota rivals the arts environments of much bigger cities in other parts of the country.

  The genesis of involvement in the arts in Sarasota began with John and Mable Ringling who built their magnificent 56-room Venetian Gothic mansion, Cà d’Zan. Having amassed a significant collection of art and art objects, the Ringlings built the 21-gallery Ringling Museum of Art to house their collection in 1931. John Ringling bequeathed his collection and the Cà d’Zan mansion to the people of Florida at his death in 1936. After a tumultuous decade, the Cà d’Zan mansion and the Ringling Museum were taken over by the State of Florida in 1946, rehabilitated and eventually opened to the public.

  Performing arts of all kinds thrive in Sarasota. The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents travelling shows ranging from musical acts to Broadway revivals. The Asolo Repertoire Theater, which opened in 1960 as a summer acting studio is now a full repertoire theater where more than 100,000 people attend its diverse repertoire of theater experiences. The Sarasota Orchestra, the oldest continuing orchestra in the state of Florida, has been entertaining music lovers for over 60 years. The Sarasota Ballet has featured several world-premieres under the direction of internationally-recognized Ian Webb and a half-dozen smaller theater companies perform comedies, dramas and the like on a variety of stages. Live music from contemporary to jazz emanates from Downtown Sarasota pubs and clubs virtually every night.

  The Ringling College of Art & Design hosts a thriving community of visual artists who display their craft at many school-sponsored exhibits. S/aRt/Q is a non-profit group of Sarasota artists who engage the community with unique visual and print art experiences in numerous galleries around Sarasota.

  Sarasota's rich artistic atmosphere has spawned a host of festivals. Film arts are highlighted at the Sarasota Film Festival in April and the Sarasota Film Society Cine-World Festival in November. The Sarasota Music Festival brings together the best young musicians from around the globe for three weeks each June. Ringling Museum, in conjunction with the New York-based Baryshnikov Arts Center presents the Ringling International Arts Festival which brings together performers from around the world for a celebration of art in all forms. The Sarasota Blues Fest in September and funky arts and crafts highlighted at the annual Atomic Holiday Bazaar in December are two more popular events while the St Armands Arts Festival in Janaury and the Siesta Fiesta in April bring top-notch arts and crafts talents to Sarasota.

  In next-door Bradenton, the Village of the Arts is a vibrant community of artists living and working together in Florida’s largest art community. Over 30 galleries, studios, cafes, and jewelry, fashion and book stores fill a charming neighborhood of restored 1920's and 30's cottages.

  Whether the arts and cultural aspects of your life have been mainstream or a passing fancy you've just never quite had the time to pursue, Sarasota has something to awaken your interest and provide the atmosphere in which your artistic side can blossom and expand. If a lifestyle steeped in the arts is something you would enjoy, there no better warm and sunny place to live than Sarasota Florida.

  Contact Me at your convenience for more information, or for a more immediate response, call me at 941-266-1799.

There's Alway Something Happening in Sarasota

    One of the things that attracts so many people to certain areas of the country is the number of things to do.  Annette Fuller, editor of Where to Retire magazine says, “There are many reasons Baby Boomers are being drawn more to metropolitan areas like Sarasota.  A major reason for this is that these areas have lots of things to do including sports team to support, museums to visit and university classes to attend."

   Sarasota Florida area is one of the most popular retirement areas in the United States for many reasons. In addition to its many Sarasota waterfront homes and condos Sarasota golf course homes that draw people to our area, its popular also because of the almost constant flow of events and activities keeping residents entertained and informed.  This is particularly true during the months when the colder climates up North bring more people to our area.  Let's explore just a few of the events and activities afoot during the month of December, 2013.

    For those who enjoy viewing public art, a drive down Sarasota’s Gulfstream Avenue will bring you to the free biennial exhibition of sculptures along Sarasota’s bay front.  At Island Park and Bayfront Park, from now through May, 2014, Sarasota's "Season of Sculpture" association is presenting Season VII’s "Shared Ground: Eight Artists - Eighteen Installations," a sizable collection of large-scale sculptures in Sarasota’s various waterfront parks.

  A satellite exhibit of smaller works will also being presented beginning in January, 2014 at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune building on Main Street. This indoor exhibit includes wall-hanging, free-standing and pedestal works by the same artists whose work is presented in the waterfront parks.  The Season of Sculpture not-for-profit group not only brings this nationally acclaimed International Invitational Exhibition to Sarasota each year, but it also provides opportunities for visitors to learn more about the works themselves and the artists who created them.

    Visitors are always impressed by a visit to the Ringling Museum and its 21 galleries of European paintings, Cypriot antiquities and Asian, American, and contemporary art objects that were collected by John Ringling, , one of the 5 original circus kings of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and his wife Mable during their lifetime.

   From now through February 4th, 2014, there is also a unique exhibition of original posters printed between 1890 and 1950 announcing the Wild West shows great Wild West shows from Buffalo Bill to the 101 Ranch.  Much like circuses of the day, Wild West shows traveled from town to town on rails, bringing cowboys, sharp shooters, Native Americans and a variety of animals to audiences around the country.  The exhibit is in the Poster Gallery of the Circus Museum Tibbals Learning Center.

    Ca' d'Zan, John and Mable Ringlings' splendid Venetian Gothic mansion built between 1924 and 1926 and since restored to its original state, is also open for tours.

    For fun for the the whole family, everyone enjoys visiting the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens at 811 S Palm Ave in Sarasota. Right now through February 27th, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is presenting a new art exhibit called Tropical Splendor in the Museum of Botany and the Arts. The exhibit showcases two artists’ fascination with Selby Gardens.  The exhibit features beautiful garden paintings by Anna Mason and Tom Stephens. Their styles represent a broad range of interpretation from grand vistas to detailed close-ups all depicting popular Selby scenes and plant specimens.  The exhibit runs daily through February 27th from 10am to 4:30pm.

Selby Gardens is also currently presenting their holiday "Lights in Bloom" light show. This is a chance to see the new Children’s Rainforest Garden decked out with holiday lights for the first time.  There will be festive live music to enjoy while dining on grilled entrees, kids’ “Merry Meals,” and holiday snacks while Santa and his elves make an appearance each night. A great thing to do with visiting children and grandchildren.

    The city of Sarasota Florida has a deep commitment to lifelong learning.  The Lifelong Learning Academy (LLA) is celebrating its 15th year of operations.  Registration began on December 11th for the Winter 2014 Semester of the Lifelong Learning Academy.  Classes will be held at the USF Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) campus, at the Anna Maria Island Community Center and at the State College of Florida at Lakewood Ranch.  Each non-credit, university level course lasts six to eight weeks, with most classes meeting for one hour and twenty minutes each week.  There are no grades or tests.

    Students of all ages may attend classes, participate in discussion groups, and attend special lectures and events.   Tuition is only $75 per class.  Payment for one course during an academic year entitles students in the program to privileges such as access to the USFSM campus, use of the high-speed wireless Internet connection, use of the university library and discounted prices at the campus bookstore.

    On December 14th, Suncoast Motorsports hosted the 9th Annual "Porsches in the Park" event at the beautiful St. Armands Circle. Some of the most spectacular Porsche cars from all over Florida were on display in the center of the circle for public viewing while that same evening, the 28th Annual Sarasota Christmas Boat Parade of Lights was held. On the very next day, on December 15th, Bernadette Peters, one of Broadway’s brightest stars presented a gala evening of songs from her Broadway shows and Grammy Award-winning albums at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

    On December 17th, Wynton Marsalis, the acclaimed jazz and classical trumpeter, entertained his audience with holiday music including a never-before heard holiday tune that Marsalis said he has been carrying around with him for about two decades. And, on December 20th through the 22nd, the Sarasota Ballet presented "Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker," always a holiday favorite.

    This constant flow of interesting and exciting events and activities, along with baseball Spring training camps and so much more make the Sarasota Florida area, including Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch as well as Siesta, Lido, Bird and Longboat Key one of the favorite places in the United States for Americans as well those from Canada, Europe and more recently Asia and Latin America to buy homes and condos. I'd be delighted to help you find that one home or condo on the Sarasota real estate market that perfectly matches your needs and wishes.