Come March 21, a piece of Sarasota’s history will come to life. The Beaux Arts Ball—which began in the 1930s—will make its return as a part of Art Center Sarasota’s 100th anniversary. The Ball, which is Art Center’s biggest fundraiser of the year, is designed to be a time portal into the jazz age of the 1920s. Guests are encouraged to wear 1920s-inspired attire and live entertainment will be provided by a jazz trio led by Los Angeles-based musician Ben Thomas.

We're hoping to make a big splash and have the community come together and really enjoy themselves at this event,” says Alecia Harper, donor relations coordinator at Art Center Sarasota. “It will be a multimedia event, with live music and skits, in an effort to revive some of the energy of the late 1940s after World War II when people were starting to enjoy themselves again and enjoy the arts.”

Although the Beaux Arts Ball technically began around 1936, when Guy “Pappy” Saunders, an instructor at Ringling College, would organize a group of art students to gather at the John Ringling Hotel, Art Center Sarasota took over the reins after the Second World War. That post-war period was a crucial part of developing Sarasota’s artistic heritage—an influx of art school students on the GI Bill built Sarasota’s reputation as an “Artist Colony,” where art schools lined the streets and artists came from all over the country to develop their craft.

“At the time when the Sarasota Art Association took over the Beaux Arts Ball, there were maybe 500 artist members from the Artist Colony. By 1951, there were more than 1,000 Art Association artist members and so the Ball was very closely entwined with the people that formed the Artist Colony,” says Harper. “It started as a costume ball created by Ringling College students, turned into an event focused on Artist Colony members and became a massive event by 1953.”

Beaux Arts Ball, March 21, 6:00pm, Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 

Judy Axe at the 1955 Beaux Arts Ball. Photo provided by Art Center Sarasota.

To learn more click here

Can you name five women artists off the top of your head? We’ll give you help with that answer as we celebrate Women's History Month with the Petticoat Painters’ Now You See Us Cultural Heritage exhibit at City Hall. The show closes at the end of the month, but we will be celebrating this year-long exhibition with art demonstrations and live performances by students from Booker High School’s Visual & Performing Arts Program. Public Art Committee Vice Chair Maria Schaedler-Luera will also be on hand to facilitate interactive discussions about the art works. This is your chance to meet the artists and celebrate the lasting influence and creative vision of this historic women’s art group. This event is free and open to the public. Petticoat Painters is one of the oldest continuously exhibiting groups of women artists in the U. S. https://petticoatpainters.com/ 

The magic of the silver screen takes center stage when Neil Berg brings his brand-new production, 100 Years of Hollywood, to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Thursday, April 9 at 7 p.m. The concert celebrates a century of unforgettable movie music, performed by acclaimed stars from Broadway’s greatest shows. Tickets are currently on sale. Reservations can be made on VanWezel.org or through the Veteran Air Box Office. 

Drew Marc Gallery is proud to present the largest presentation of work to date by Sarasota-based artist Andrea Dasha Reich, opening March 13, 2026 at the gallery’s South Tampa location. The exhibition highlights Reich’s groundbreaking resin paintings and is being presented as a solo exhibition in collaboration with Drew Marc Gallery.  For additional information or collector inquiries please visit www.drewmarcgallery.com or call 813-294-3638. 

The State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) Music Program closes its Spring 2026 season with performances in April and May at SCF Bradenton, 5840 26th St. W. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for SCF students and staff unless otherwise noted. View events and purchase tickets on the SCF Music Season page, the SCF Box Office page or the SCFMusic app, or call 941-752-5252. To learn more about the SCF Music Program, visit SCF.edu/Music or call 941-752-5351. 

White Plume Productions announces the Sarasota premiere of Naga-Mandala ("Play with a Cobra") by legendary playwright Girish Karnad. This is a masterwork by one of the foremost contemporary playwrights from India. Featuring live music, dance and theatre, Naga-Mandala celebrates imagination and transformation through the lens of South Indian folklore. This is a professionally-mounted production uniting local and international artists in a co-production with the Circus Arts Conservatory. Recommended for audiences 10 and older. Limited engagement: one weekend only. Performances Friday 3/13, Saturday, 3/14 and Sunday, 3/15. Tickets on sale now through the Circus Arts box office at Naga-Mandala Sarasota Premiere. 

For ticket information click here.

Ya Got Trouble” in Sarasota as Big League Production’s National Tour of Meredith Willson’s THE MUSIC MAN comes to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall for three performances April 10-11, 2026. Tickets for Meredith Willson’s THE MUSIC MAN are currently on sale and start at $56. Tickets can be purchased online at VanWezel.org, by calling 941-263-6799 or by visiting the Veteran Air Box Office at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Groups of 10 or more should contact 941-263-6726. 

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) presents The Pirate Ship and the Sea Monster & Other Winning Plays, an imaginative and uplifting collection of original short plays written by elementary school students locally and around the world. This creative final show of the 2025-26 Children’s Theare Series opens March 22 and runs through April 19, 2026, in FST’s Keating Theatre. 

This is your final invitation to be part of something truly exciting! We’re opening our doors to give you a chance to explore our transformed space, meet the passionate individuals who make it all possible, and connect with old and new friends alike. Bring a friend who has never seen the space! Maybe you know a potential volunteer looking to get involved, a family looking for resources, a youth looking for community, or a philanthropist who likes to learn about local social causes. This is the perfect chance to get acquainted with ALSO! Whether you have a few minutes to pop in or want to stay longer, we’re excited to share the heart of our community with you. We’ve saved a spot just for you, and we truly hope you’ll join us! 

To learn more, visit

This dazzling new work from acclaimed multi-disciplinary artist, Ahamefule J. Oluo, weaves music and storytelling into a singular live experience—combining trumpet, clarinet, live looping, and percussion made from everyday objects, all guided by Oluo’s incisive wit and singular narrative voice. Adventurous, genre-defying, and unmistakably of the moment, this is the kind of boundary-pushing performance you’ll only find at the HAT!

Mar 4, 7:30pm, Mar 5, 7:30pm, Mar 6, 7:30pm, Historic Asolo Theater, Save 10% with Promo Code: OLUO10. 

For ticket information click here.

Ringling College Computer Animation alumni-led projects won big at the 4th Annual Children's and Family Emmy Awards. The ceremony took place at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City on March 1 and 2. For more information, visit www.ringling.edu and follow the College on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.