Pictured: Brian Hersh, CEO of Arts and Cultural Alliances for Sarasota County, engages in a lively Q&A with Deborah F. Rutter, former President of the Kennedy Center, during

As the calendar turns and Sarasota County moves into what many still call the “off-season,” I’m reminded how the rhythms of this community have never quite followed the expected script. After all, it was the Ringling Circus that first redefined winter here, not as a time of rest, but as a time of renewal. Their off-season was anything but idle. It became a season of imagination, rehearsal, and creation.

That spirit still runs through our cultural veins.

On May 21, we gathered at the Sarasota Opera House for “Perspective. Practice. Place.” – A Summit on Arts, Community, and Creative Leadership. It was an afternoon full of insight, passion, and powerful reminders of why Sarasota County has long drawn artists, visionaries, and those looking to build something different.

From the mid-century boom of artist colonies escaping the rigidity of northern cities to the vibrant network of performers, educators, and creatives who call this place home today, this region has always been more than a destination, it’s been a cultural experiment in motion.

The summit made that legacy feel alive and urgent.

To those who joined us: thank you. Your presence affirmed that even in May, even in what some still call the “quiet season,” our creative community is in full bloom.

Our keynote speaker, Deborah F. Rutter, grounded us in the realities and possibilities of leading cultural institutions today. Her stories were both eye-opening and inspiring, a reminder that resilience and imagination go hand in hand. Paired with the brilliance of Sarasota Contemporary Dance, the musical energy of Karim Manning and Upward Notes, and the thoughtful contributions from local leaders, we experienced not just a reflection of where we are, but a glimpse of where we can go.

And it doesn’t stop here.

The summit surfaced both opportunities and challenges, from sustainable funding and equitable access to the evolving role of cultural spaces in our region. But it also highlighted a truth we must keep naming: Sarasota County is never really in an “off-season.” The work continues. The art continues. The conversations, collaborations, and creativity keep showing up, in new forms, new faces, and new futures.

We’re not done yet.

Thanks to the generous support of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and the Town Hall Speaker Series of Ringling College, this summit was only the beginning of what’s possible when we gather, reflect, and lead with creativity.

As history tells the story of people coming to Sarasota County to escape, and to begin again, we now carry forward a different kind of legacy. One rooted in possibility. One that doesn’t pause when the season changes.

Thank you for being part of it

Brian Hersh is the Chief Executive Officer of the Arts and Cultural Alliances for Sarasota County.

Pictured: Brian Hersh, CEO of Arts and Cultural Alliances for Sarasota County, engages in a lively Q&A with Deborah F. Rutter, former President of the Kennedy Center, during