What makes a city great? Is it the vibrancy of its downtown area? Is it the city’s access to public spaces such as beaches, parks or hiking trails or the depth of its arts and cultural sector or even its economic output? While all of those components factor into what makes a city—and the surrounding metropolitan area—stand out, what makes a city truly great boils down to one thing: how much its citizens care about the place they live.

Last Thursday, the Sarasota Art Museum (SAM) hosted a 10x10 event, in which 10 leaders and creative minds in the community take five minutes to present 10 images of their work and inspiration. The slides change every 30 seconds, keeping the presentations brief, but impactful. The 10x10 series, initially organized by Michael Halflants of Halflants + Pichette Architects, occurs every four months and has been in production since 2009. On September 25, the Thomas McGuire Hall in SAM was packed to the brim with Sarasotans who care deeply about the history and future of the city in which they live.

The most recent lineup included photographer and long-time faculty member of Ringling College of Art and Design Thomas Carabasi, visual artist Keith Crowley, urban planner Phillip DiMaria, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s recently retired art critic Jay Handelman, RLCA executive director Lauren Kurnov, historian Jeff Lahurd, community activist David Lough, architect John Pichette, real estate broker and Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation chair Drayton Saunders and cultural historian Skyler Smith.

DiMaria, who has served on the Bay Park Conservancy, spoke on his research into improving St. Armands Circle following the disastrous flooding from last year’s storms. “I tried this three-pronged approach of taking a look at the buildings themselves, looking at the huge public investment we've made as a community in the parking garage and then looking also at what I've learned from some of the other projects that I've worked on in regards to activating and reinvesting in the circle itself,” says DiMaria.

Saunders, who helps lead the Performing Arts Foundation’s vision to reimagine the Bayfront, talked about the importance of creating a place that will drive Sarasota into the future. “Being a parent puts you in a timeframe and you realize that you’re not here forever,” says Saunders. “Somebody will be inheriting what you do and it was with that sense of importance and the unique aspects of Sarasota, our culture of investing in things that are inspirational, that I knew the Bayfront was what I had to be committed to until it was done.” 

Guests attend the 10x10 Speaker Series event on September 25. Photo by Dylan Campbell.

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The Best Adapted Book Club focuses on books on their way to becoming award-season films. October's pick is Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz, translated by Carolina Orloff and Sarah Moses - a Man Booker International Prize 2018 Finalist. The book centers around a new mother who develops postpartum depression and enters psychosis. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson with LaKeith Stanfield, Sissy Spacek, and Nick Nolte as supporting cast. It is scheduled to be released in the United States on November 7, 2025. We will meet in person in the loft at our store at The Mark, 117 S. Pineapple Ave. The book club is $16.95, which is the cost of your copy of Die, My Loveto be picked up at Bookstore1 any time before our meeting. November 17th at 5:30, we'll be discussing Train Dreams by Denis Johnson. And on December 8th at 5:30, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell.

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Get ready to embark on a journey into the vibrant heart of Hispanic arts and culture asFlorida's Paradise Coast gears up for another exhilarating celebration.  ¡ARTE VIVA! , presented by the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), is a yearlong extravaganza that promises to be an unforgettable tribute to the rich cultural tapestry of the Hispanic community, which makes up nearly 30% of the region’s population. ¡ARTE VIVA! recently was recognized by the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA), earning two 2025 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards.  The festival won a Gold Award for the Best Single Magazine Display Ad and a Silver Award for Best Media Component for the Meet the Artist Video Series Interview with Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. For a comprehensive list of upcoming events and to immerse yourself in the ¡ARTE VIVA! experience, please visit the ¡ARTE VIVA! website at www.arte-viva.com. 

The Art of Performance @ the HAT has become the most global, unexpected and vibrant performing arts series in Sarasota. No matter if you are a loyal fan or brave newbie to our programming, we have performance and engagement options for you!  Single tickets are now available! 

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Audiences raved about Sarasota Orchestra’s performances of Star Wars: A New Hope last season. Now it’s time to dust off those Darth Vader helmets again as the Orchestra presents Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, live in concert! Since the release of the first Star Wars movie over 45 years ago, the Star Wars saga has had a seismic impact on cinema and culture, inspiring audiences worldwide with its mythic storytelling, captivating characters, groundbreaking special effects and iconic musical scores. The battle for the galaxy intensifies in this thrilling fifth episode of the unfolding saga. The Rebel Alliance scatters after the Empire attacks their base on the ice planet Hoth. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) flee to Cloud City, where they are captured by Darth Vader. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) journeys to the mysterious, marshy planet of Dagobah, where the wise Jedi Master Yoda teaches the young hero the ways of the Force. Little does Luke know that all his Jedi training will be called upon so soon. A stunning revelation—and a seeming life-or-death duel with Darth Vader—await.
 
Tickets sell out quickly, so don’t wait to secure your seats for the best show in the galaxy! 

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Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative’s (SBAC) “Beyond Regional Boundaries” initiative continues its powerful exploration of Black artistry with the sixth exhibition in the series, “Reflection, Transition, Rebirth: A Journey of the Soul,” featuring work by Curtis Anderson Jr., October 17-November 10, at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota. A reception with the artist is Sunday, October 19, 5–6:30 p.m., following WBTT’s production of “Purlie,” a Tony-Award winning comedic Broadway play about a charismatic self-taught Black preacher who returns to his home in the Jim Crow South.  

The Glenridge Performing Arts Center (GPAC) presents veteran comedian Tom Briscoe in “It’s Not Mansplaining, It’s Old Mansplaining” on Saturday, October 25, 7:30 p.m., at the Glenridge Performing Arts Center, 7333 Scotland Way, Sarasota. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.gpactix.com or by calling 941-552-5325. Briscoe’s laugh-out-loud show takes a smart, relatable look at aging, marriage, and empty-nesting. With no politics and no cringe, just 90 minutes of sharp observational Dry Bar (clean) humor, Briscoe delivers a collection of slants and rants on being misunderstood, misinterpreted, and misread by the growing number of people much younger than he is. Topics range from bad jobs and travel mishaps to raising daughters, unsolicited advice, ungracefully aging, and living each day as a cautionary tale. Performances take place at the Glenridge Performing Arts Center, 7333 Scotland Way, Sarasota. Tickets and more information are available at www.gpactix.com or by calling 941-552-5325. 

The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County is proud to unveil its 2025–2026 season, an exciting lineup of programs designed to spark creativity, foster connection, and highlight the transformative role of the arts in our community. This year’s calendar includes a powerful new conversation series, a vibrant celebration of arts in education, and the return of the popular Culture Collective membership program. To learn more about the Arts Alliance’s 2025-2026 programming, visit SarasotaArts.org. 

As it approaches its third year of presenting its inspiring outdoor exhibitions in St. Petersburg, Embracing Our Differences (EOD) is broadening its roots in Pinellas County with two initiatives: The inaugural St. Petersburg Luncheon on December 5 and the launch of Bucket Fillers Reading Day on November 13. Both efforts build on EOD’s mission to promote kindness, respect, and inclusion through the power of art and education.  

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