Photo courtesy of Art Center Sarasota.

There’s a perception that Sarasota’s cultural scene takes a breather when the calendar turns to summer. The snowbirds head north, the season wraps up, the curtain comes down. Time to rest.

Here’s what actually happens when summer arrives: our arts community doesn’t slow down. It shifts. And in many ways, the work that happens over the summer is some of the most important work we do all year.

In my March column, I wrote about why arts education matters, how school-based programs are the great equalizer, giving every student access to creative development regardless of their family’s resources. When the school year ends, a gap opens. And what fills that gap matters.

This is where our community really shows up.

Right now, arts organizations across Sarasota are preparing an extraordinary lineup of summer youth programs. And the breadth of what’s available is something I think we should all be proud of.

Your child can learn trapeze and aerial silks at the Circus Arts Conservatory. They can train alongside Resident Teaching Artists at Florida Studio Theatre. The Sarasota Ballet School offers everything from camps for three-year-olds to junior intensives for serious young dancers. Sarasota Opera is opening its doors for a youth camp where kids experience every facet of the art form, from performing onstage to building sets and designing costumes. The Sarasota Art Museum and Art Center Sarasota are running weeks of visual arts exploration. The Venice Symphony is hosting a summer music academy with scholarships available. And that’s not even the full list.

Theatre, dance, music, visual arts, circus arts, marine science at Mote and nature-inspired art at Selby Gardens. The options span every discipline and every age group, from preschoolers to high schoolers, from first-timers to advanced students.

What strikes me about all of this isn’t just the variety. It’s the intentionality. These aren’t drop-off programs designed to fill time. These are experiences led by professional artists, educators, and organizations that understand what creative development actually looks like. They’re building the same skills we talk about during the school year, creativity, collaboration, confidence and communication, where kids have the freedom to explore.

And many of these programs offer scholarships and financial assistance, because access still matters in the summer.

I’d encourage families to explore what’s available. We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to youth arts opportunities at sarasotaarts.org/youth-arts-opportunities-summer-2026.

But before we get to summer, we have something important on the calendar. On May 11, we’re hosting our Annual Arts Summit at the Mertz Theatre thanks to the Asolo Repertory. It’s an afternoon designed for anyone committed to the future of arts and culture in Sarasota, with presentations on how the arts enhance quality of life, how creativity drives connection across our community, and an update on Artscape, our initiative to create affordable housing for the creative workforce. We’ll also have performances from Artist Series Concerts, Asolo Rep, Key Chorale Quartet, and more. Doors open at 12:30, program runs from 1 to 4, followed by a reception. I hope you’ll join us. Tickets and details are at sarasotaarts.org/annual-arts-summit.

Because that’s really the point of all of this. Whether it’s a child discovering they love the stage at a summer theatre camp, or a community leader member showing up at the Summit to advocate for our cultural future, it all connects. So, to that I say, what off-season?

Visit sarasotaarts.org to learn more about arts and culture in Sarasota County.

Brian Hersh is the CEO of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County.

Photo courtesy of Art Center Sarasota.