Art is a powerful entity. It has the ability to move mountains, to alter destinies and in some cases, to transport the viewer back in time. Such is the case in the Sarasota Art Museum’s (SAM) new exhibition Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration, which opened on August 31. Art Deco, the iconic style of architecture, visual arts and product design, first emerged in Paris prior to World War I. The movement took flight, however, in the 1920s and ‘30s, with the moniker “Art Deco” instilled upon it in 1925.

Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration celebrates the centennial anniversary of the movement by showcasing 100 posters from the Crouse Collection that feature the work of some of the foremost graphic designers of the 1920s and ‘30s. “We will have more than 100 works of art in the show, with 100 of them being Art Deco posters for the anniversary,” says Virgninia Shearer, Executive Director of SAM. “What’s exciting about this is that Art Deco is this incredible art movement that has had all of these ripple effects over time. The idea that this modern movement in design could have this long-lasting impact is very special for us.”

For Shearer and the rest of the team at SAM, The Golden Age of Illustration is a chance to take a step back and reflect on a movement that ushered in a new wave of modernism. “We were a museum that was founded on the idea of showing modern and contemporary art and we’ve focused heavily on the contemporary, but in the next several years, we want to find opportunities to dip into and showcase modernism and the lead up to where we are today,” says Shearer. “Art Deco itself was really built upon its predecessor, Art Nouveau, which was pulling in a lot of influences from cubism, futurism, constructivism—the world of fine art was coming into graphic design.”

The posters and works on view in the exhibition are large scale. Many were originally designed as advertisements to be plastered on the sides of buildings or train stations, all hand drawn, by some of the top graphic designers of the era. “I think that people will be very surprised when they see the exhibition,” says Shearer. “Unlike the advertising that you see today where it’s an actual photograph of the object you want to buy, what you’re seeing here is the artist’s interpretation of the car, cigar, airplane, drink or whatever the product is that they’re trying to sell.”

August 31 to March 29, 2026, Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 34236 

Installation view of Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration at Sarasota Art Museum, Sarasota, Florida, 2025. Photo: Ryan Gamma.

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Sarasota Opera invites the community to a special celebration honoring the birthday of legendary Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi on Friday, October 10 at 7:00 P.M. at the Sarasota Opera House. As the only opera company in the world to have performed all of Verdi’s written works, Sarasota Opera is proud to commemorate his legacy with a screening of the acclaimed documentary film VIVA VERDI! The film offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of the celebrated opera singers and musicians currently living out their “third act” while mentoring international music students at Milan’s unique retirement home, Casa Verdi, built by Giuseppe Verdi in 1896. 

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Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) is pleased to announce the first show in its 2025-2026 “Soul Of A People” theatre season: “Purlie.” The production runs from October 8 through November 9, 2025 in The Donelly Theatre of WBTT (1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota). Tony Award-winning play “Purlie” made its Broadway debut in 1970 at the Broadway Theatre before transferring to the Winter Garden Theatre, completing its 688-performance run at the ANTA Playhouse. The musical is based on Ossie Davis’s 1961 play, “Purlie Victorious.” “Purlie” explores themes of race, injustice, community, and the struggle for freedom and equality in the American South.  

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Sarasota Jewish Theatre (SJT) is pleased to present two contemporary short comedies by Bruce J. Bloom, and “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” which is based on a play be Celeste Raspanti, in October. All plays are presented at The Sarasota Players, inside the Crossings at Siesta Key mall, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets can be purchased at theplayers.org or by phone at 941-365-2494. For more information, visit SarasotaJewishTheatre.org. 

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The Sarasota Players is excited to present the city-premiere of The Wedding Singer with music by Matthew Sklar, book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy, lyrics by Chad Beguelin and based on the New Line Cinema film written by Tim Herlihy starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Running from Sept. 24 through Oct. 5, don’t miss this opportunity to see this high-energy, hilarious romp through New Jersey in the 80s. Our VIP tables for The Wedding Singer are totally rad! For just $150, you and your plus-one will get a primo table for two, a bottle of bubbly, wedding cupcakes provided by Frosted Pink, and an interactive experience that’ll have you laughing, dancing, and living your best life. 

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On Saturday, October 25, Nathan Benderson Park will become a sea of pink as our community rallies to end breast cancer. Whether you’re a survivor, thriver, supporter, or friend, this is your moment to be a part of something bigger – the 2025 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk! Making Strides isn’t just any walk—it’s the nation’s largest breast cancer movement! Every step fuels lifesaving research, patient support like rides and lodging, and the American Cancer Society’s 24/7 helpline. Together, Sarasota and Manatee have already raised hundreds of thousands locally to fight breast cancer—and this year, we’ll go even further. Lace up, bring your brightest pink, and join us! Hope starts here, and every stride brings us closer to a world without breast cancer. 

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