ARTS+CULTURE 

Beautiful Ideas at SAM 

SARASOTA ART MUSEUM | This summer, the work of one of the founders of American Minimalism and Conceptual art will be on full display at the Sarasota Art Museum (SAM). Beautiful Ideas: The Prints of Sol LeWitt, organized by the New Britain American Museum of Art, showcases the printmaking aspect of Sol LeWitt’s career. LeWitt, who rose to prominence in the late 1960s with large-scale, monumental wall drawings, is perhaps most readily associated with a quote: “idea becomes a machine that makes the art.” His practice was more akin to that of a creative director, creating and delineating plans for art, before delegating the execution of it to his team. Beautiful Ideas incorporates the bold colors and geometric shapes that defined LeWitt’s style by dividing the exhibition into four sections: Lines, Arcs, Circles, and Grids, Bands and Colors, From Geometric Figures to Complex Forms,and Wavy, Curvy, Loopy Doopy, and in All Directions. “Printmaking was a way for LeWitt to experiment with different techniques,” says Virginia Shearer, executive director of SAM. “We’ll have an array of his series and use of different techniques—lithographs, silkscreens, etchings, aquatints, woodcuts—that will enable us to focus on minimalism and conceptual art.”Part of the incentive behind Beautiful Ideas was to show LeWitt’s influence on contemporary art, particularly in juxtaposition with the other exhibitions on view this summer at SAM. “I feel that it’s important to help people make sense of the art of our time and build appreciation for it,” says Shearer. “To educate viewers about everything that came before.” Through October 25, Beautiful Ideas: The Prints of Sol LeWitt, Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 941-309-4300, sarasotaartmuseum.org 

Summer Circus 

CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY  | “In a circus performer’s career, I can assure you, no matter where they are from in the world, they will want to perform in Sarasota at least once,” says Circus Arts Conservatory (CAC) president/CEO Jennifer Mitchell. “It’s not just because of our global notoriety, but also because CAC is actively producing shows that continue to evolve and present to audiences what they want to see.” This summer, some of the circus’ top acts will come to the hallowed site of Sarasota, to perform in CAC’s Summer Circus Spectacular. Held at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, the Summer Circus Spectacular is an action-packed, multi-act, one-hour, family friendly performance. One of the acts includes Duo Transcend, an acrobatic and daredevil act composed of married couple Tyce Nielsen and Mary Wolfe-Nielsen, most notably seen on America’s Got Talent. “They do some incredible aerial acrobatics, including fast-paced roller skating. Everything in the Historic Asolo Theater feels either riskier or more powerful, because it’s such a small space—there’s about 25 feet of airspace,” says Mitchell.  Another aspect of the series is the educational component. For just an additional $5, audience members can gain admission to The Ringling’s Historic Circus Galleries and Tibbals Learning Center. “Partering with The Ringling makes perfect sense. They’re preserving that heritage, while we are the living circus pushing it forward.” Summer Circus Spectacular, June 12-August 8, Historic Asolo Theater at The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, 941-360-7399, ringling.org.

FST Summer Improv

FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE  | The annual, multi-day Sarasota Improv Festival is on hiatus for 2026. Instead of the large-scale international gathering, Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is expanding its regular summer improv programming, featuring a mix of local troupes and guest performers at Bowne’s Lab. Featuring Freedom! The Musical, July 4, 2026; Comedy Lottery, July 11 – July 25, 2026; Forgotten Broadway, July 31 and August 1, 2026; and, Out of Bounds, Augut 8 – Sept. 19, 2026.  Florida Studio Theatre, Browne’s Lab, 1241 N. Palm Avenue, Sarasota, floridastudiotheatre.org

A Constant Sky at the Ringling

THE RINGLING  | The intention of visual art is more than just to evoke beauty. It is to elicit such a response in the viewer that they in turn look within themselves, questioning what they know or think about the world. Mixed-media visual artist Andrea Carlson’s work does just that. This summer, The Ringling unveiled Andrea Carlson: A Constant Sky. The exhibition, organized by the Denver Art Museum, is the first museum survey of Carlson’s work, showcasing works on paper and large scale paintings from throughout her career in addition to a new sculptural work, Columns for a Horizon.“Descended from Grand Portage Ojibwe and European settlers, Carlson creates intricate, multilayered works that challenge colonial narratives embedded within American art history, museum collections and popular visual culture,” says Ola Wlusek, The Ringling’s Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “Her landscapes are populated with animals, art objects and cultural belongings rendered through dense visual references and text, creating spaces that are both visually immersive and intellectually provocative.” Columns for Horizon, made from turned wooded columns and driftwood retrieved from the shores of Lake Superior, marks Carlson’s first foray into sculpture. “The sculpture is presented in two installations to create a spatial and conceptual dialogue across the exhibition. These groupings shape how viewers physically move through the gallery and alter their sightlines to the wall works beyond them,” says Wlusek. “By partially obstructing access to the works on the walls, Carlson encourages viewers to think critically about visibility, mediation and the structures that determine access and ownership.” Andrea Carlson: A Constant Sky, through November 15, 2026, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, 941-359-5700, ringling.org 

The WIzard of Oz: Youth Edition

ASOLO REPERTORY THEATRE  | Asolo Repertory Theatre presents The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition in Sarasota, a magical summer children’s musical running July 8–August 2, 2026 at the Cook Theatre. Follow Dorothy, Toto, and friends down the Yellow Brick Road in this family-friendly production perfect for audiences of all ages. “I’m hopeful that audiences will feel like they may know this story well, yet they’ve never seen it told this way,” says Cat Brinsidi, Director of The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. July 8-August 2, 5555 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, 941-351-8000, asolorep.org.

Penumbra at SAM

SARASOTA ART MUSEUM  | Cultural hybridity, notions of identity and the cross sections of tradition come to life in Maria A. Guzman Capron: Penumbra at Sarasota Art Museum (SAM). Penumbra, which means near or half-shadow, is a new solo exhibition from Capron, a California-based artist who works in textiles. Born in Milan to Columbian and Peruvian parents before later moving to Texas in adolescence, Capron’s bold textile works explore how she has moved through cultures, deftly weaving pieces of each into her artistic journey. In Penumbra, Capron creates otherworldly figures from hand-dyed, painted and screen-printed fabrics, that in some cases, look like creatures from a long forgotten fairytale. “She has a unique use of found and recyclable materials,” says Virginia Shearer, executive director of SAM. “People are interested in this idea of recycle and reuse and that was one of the things that drew the curator of this exhibition, Lacie Barbour, to Capron’s work. Her work is also just so big, bold, beautiful and accessible—this idea of textile artists having their moment in contemporary art is one that we’re quite interested in.” Maria A Guzman Capron: Penumbra, through September 27, 2026, Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 941-309-4300, sarasotaartmuseum.org 

Laser Light Nights

THE BISHOP MUSEUM  | Rock out at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature this summer with Laser Light Nights. From May 21-September 5, the crowd favorite concert series returns for three nights a week. Laser Light Nights take place in the Bishop’s planetarium, blending mind-bending visuals and projections with music from iconic artists that span across genres and generations, featuring classic legends of rock n’ roll like Queen, Elton John and the Beatles to rock favorites like Metallica and Foo Fighters to pop stars like Taylor Swift and The Weeknd. “When you go into the planetarium, you have a great surround sound system and then it will be a performance of laser lights that will either throw shapes on the screen and graphics that go along with the music,” says Andrew Sandall, CEO of the Bishop. May 21 to Sept.5 Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm and 9pm. 201 10th St West, Bradenton, 941-746-4131, bishopscience.org

Soccer Paradise

SARASOTA PARADISE  | The Sarasota Paradise may have started as the little engine that could, but in 2026, the Lakewood Ranch-based soccer team has turned into a full on freight train. In 2023, founder and CEO Marcus Walfridson brought the Sarasota Paradise to life, competing in the pre-professional United Soccer League 2 (USL2). Fast forward three years later and the Paradise have become Sarasota’s marquee professional sports team, competing in the fully professional and highly competitive USL1. This season, the new-look Paradise are led by head coach and technical director Mika Elovaara as the team goes for glory. Catch home games at the 3,000-plus seat stadium Premier Sports Campus, replete with amenities like food trucks, a team store and activities for youngsters. Away matches are available to watch live on ESPN+.  Home Games: Friday, July 11 vs. Miami FC, Wednesday, July 29 vs. Portland Hearts of Pine, Saturday, August 1 vs. FC Naples, Wednesday, August 19 vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC. Sarasota Paradise, 5895 Post Blvd, Lakewood Ranch,sarasotaparadise.us  

Summer Season

FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE  | The 2026 Summer Season brings you the best in contemporary theatre through its three-show Mainstage series, and three-show Cabaret series. Coming to Summer Maintage: Dog Mom, through July 26, 2026 and The Last Romance, July 22 to August 16. Coming to Summer Cabaret: Leaving on a Jet Plane, through July 19; Songbirds of the Seventies, July 7 to Sept 6; and, Legacy, August 4 to Oct 4, 2026.  Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Avenue, Sarasota, 941-366-9000, floridastudiotheatre.org 

SUMMER AT THE SILVER SCREEN

The quintessential summer experience brings a few things to mind. Barbecues and ballgames, beachdays and fireflies and yes, the summer blockbuster. For those wanting to maximize their time outdoors while still seeing the best of the silver screen, fret not, as the Sarasota area is rife with options that give you that drive-in theater experience, without taxing your car’s battery. At Sarasota’s historic Opera House, meanwhile, stay cool while checking out classic film and opera performances.

Movies at the Opera House | Each summer, entertainment lives on at the Sarasota Opera House. While Sarasota Opera’s official season has ended, the company, which is celebrating 100 years in its historic home in 2026, keeps the good times rolling. On Fridays at 7pm, the Opera screens Classic Movies at the Opera House, with titles such as The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) and The Truman Show (1998) as well as HD at the Opera House on Sundays, which features films of iconic opera, ballet and theater performances. “These summer series celebrate the Opera House’s dual legacy as both a historic cinema and a world-class performance venue, reinforcing its role as a cultural anchor in Sarasota,” says Richard Russell, General Director of Sarasota Opera. “By offering films, operas and ballets during the off-season, Sarasota Opera welcomes new audiences, deepens engagement with existing patrons, and keeps the building vibrant even when the mainstage opera season is not in progress.” Cecil B. DeMille’s Academy Award-winning The Greatest Show on Earth holds historical significance as the epic drama set in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus was filmed in Sarasota and had its road premiere at the Opera House 74 years ago. “Presenting it again honors Sarasota’s role in classic American filmmaking and highlights the Opera House’s longstanding place in cinematic history,” says Russell. Classic Movies at the Opera House, Fridays, June 12-October 2; HD at the Opera House, July 12, August 16, September 20, October 4; Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota.

Movie in the Park, Waterside Place | For those in the know, Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch is well, the place to be. The 36-acre town center located on the banks of Kingfisher Lake is home to an assortment of activities from farmers markets to Ranch Nite Wednesdays and yes, an outdoor movie series. This July and August, on every second Friday of the month, come to Waterside Park for a free, family-friendly movie. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets and concessions are available from We B’ Poppin Popcorn and Kettle Corn. “What started as a simple summer programming initiative has grown into a monthly tradition that brings the community together in such an authentic way,” says Nicole Hackel, events and resident experience manager at LWR Communities, LLC. “Movie in the Park creates an opportunity for families and neighbors to slow down, connect, gather and enjoy an evening outdoors at Waterside Park, while watching a family friendly movie under the stars!” July 10: Tangled, 7:00-9:00pm; August 14: The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, 7:00-9:00pm, Waterside Park, 7301 Island Cove Terrace, Sarasota.

Movies Under the Stars, UTC | There is something special about sitting underneath the stars with friends or family and taking in a movie. Perhaps it’s the company or the setting or even just the fact that you’re doing something outside, that you typically would do in the comfort of your own home or in a movie theater. Whatever the reason might be, come to The Green at UTC, located near Rocco’s Tacos on the fourth Friday of every month, for UTC’s free outdoor movie series, Movies Under the Stars. Although showtime starts after sunset, families are encouraged to arrive one hour prior, where onsite concessions, face painting, character meet and greets and more occur. “At UTC, we’re committed to creating memorable experiences for the community, and this series is one of the ways we provide free, family-friendly entertainment everyone can enjoy together,” says Julie Fanning, Director of Marketing at Benderson Development. “Guests especially love the relaxed outdoor atmosphere, the character meet-and-greets, face painting and the opportunity to spend quality time together while enjoying a free night out. We invite everyone to bring their lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy an evening under the stars at UTC!” June 26, 8pm: Wonka; July 24, 8pm: Elf; August 28, 8pm: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, 125 N Cattleman Rd, Sarasota.

SARASOTA FILM SOCIETY | Sarasota Film Society is a nonprofit, member-supported organization, dedicated to providing the highest levels of entertainment and education to the public from all areas of the film industry. Since its founding by Dick and Sue Morris in 1984, Sarasota Film Society has grown in countless ways and now encompasses two separate and unique facilities, with one located at Burns Court Cinemas in downtown Sarasota, and the other at Lakewood Ranch Cinemas. Movies coming this summer include Young Washington, July 2; Peter Asher: Everywhere Man and Bernstein’s Wall, July 3, Janis: Little Girl Blue, July 6; Fackham Hall, July 20, Billie, July 20, Mahler In New York and Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President, August 3; and, To Kill a Mockingbird, August 12.