The following article appeared in Sarasota Magazine on November 1, 2026:
The arts can turn an ordinary moment into something that stays with us, especially when different creative worlds meet. Picture an aerialist soaring above a choir in full voice, or a stage rising outdoors with the bay as its backdrop. Picture a community’s own stories, sung and staged for the first time. Making that happen has never been simple, and rising costs and changing audiences are making it even more challenging. Across our region, arts organizations are creating and expanding anyway, and they’re doing it by joining forces.
Sector-wide, arts and cultural organizations are answering these challenges with innovation by co-producing shows, sharing stages, and building audiences together. That work continues to drive significant impact, as the arts and culture sector generated $342 million in economic activity in Sarasota County and supported more than 5,200 local jobs, according to the most recent Arts & Economic Prosperity study from Americans for the Arts. Nearly half of arts audiences came from outside of Sarasota County, and residents have overwhelmingly said these experiences inspire pride in their community.
Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) supports that spirit of innovation through its Empowering Arts Grant Program. Started in 2014 as Arts Appreciation Grants, the program provides annual unrestricted funding so organizations can build upon their strengths, test new ideas, and pursue partnerships that reach new audiences. In fiscal year 2027, $785,000 will support 13 cornerstone organizations from across the region.
Actress Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer entertains the audience at a Hermitage Artist Retreat event held at The Ringling.
That collaborative mindset is present in every corner of every stage, traditional or otherwise. Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe continues to expand its reach into the natural beauty of The Bay Park. The Hermitage Artist Retreat (The Hermitage) has partnered with The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (The Ringling) for more than a decade to premiere work commissioned through the Hermitage Greenfield Prize. Each year, The Circus Arts Conservatory (The CAC) and Key Chorale combine athletic artistry and choral music, this year alongside musicians from Venice Symphony, in “Cirque des Voix.” While this is a mere sampling of area collaborations, the overall effect of pooling talent and resources allows each of these organizations to create work at a scale none could achieve alone.
“We are not in competition with other arts and cultural organizations,” said Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Hermitage. “We should be celebrating each other’s achievements and looking for opportunities to connect whenever possible.”
The clearest example this season is “The Day the Circus Came to Town,” a world premiere musical opening at Asolo Repertory Theatre (Asolo Rep) in March 2027. One hundred years ago, John Ringling made Sarasota the winter home of his Barnum & Bailey circus; now, Asolo Rep, The Ringling, and The CAC are telling that region-defining story together. Asolo Rep brings theatre-making expertise, The Ringling a deep collection of circus history, and The CAC a living link to the circus community that still calls Sarasota home. The result is a “docu-musical” built from dozens of interviews with local circus legends and performed by actors, acrobats, and aerialists alongside a live circus band.
“Ambitious work of this scale requires organizations willing to try something new and a community willing to believe in it,” said Phillip Lanham, Gulf Coast’s President | CEO. “That combination is a hallmark of this region. Through Empowering Arts, we give our partners the freedom to take risks, share stages, and reach new audiences.”
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has collaborated with multiple arts and culture
The arts do more than entertain audiences – they are an educational force, teaching people of all ages to see the world differently, express what they think and feel, and connect with others. Florida Studio Theatre’s young playwriting program, developed with Sarasota County Schools, brings new student voices to the stage. Embracing Our Differences is crossing county lines, bringing its annual art exhibition to Pinellas County and its twice-annual Bucket Fillers Reading Days to neighboring school systems. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (Selby Gardens) has created cross-generational programs that partner with social service organizations to offer complimentary memberships to young people, families, and seniors. The challenges facing the arts haven’t gone away, but with more voices creating and wider audiences experiencing the work, the sector will keep rising – with Empowering Arts prepared to champion that rise every step of the way.
“No single organization can fully understand or serve every part of our community alone,” said Caitlin Whiteaker, Development Grants Specialist and Sustainability Officer at Selby Gardens. “By combining our respective expertise, relationships, and resources, we can build a more connected regional culture in which more people... feel that they belong.”
Learn more about Gulf Coast's Empowering Arts grant program by clicking here.
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