The 2026 Sarasota Film Festival brought an assortment of varied and powerful stories to the Gulf Coast. One such was the Narrative Feature Competition winner, Charliebird. Directed by Libby Ewing, Charliebird follows Al (Samantha Stuart), a music therapist at a children’s hospital in Texas, who begins to work with a troubled young patient, Charlie (Gabriela Ochoa Perez).

“She meets this young patient who is on the cusp of womanhood, 17 turning 18 years old,” says Ewing. “They bond very quickly, but their relationship confronts the music therapist with some of her own past trauma. It’s a story about a healer that needs to heal.”

Ewing was inspired to direct Charliebird, her feature film directorial debut, in large part due to her relationship with Stuart, who wrote the film. Ewing and Stuart had met through acting classes in Los Angeles—during a women’s writing collective Ewing hosted throughout the pandemic, Stuart pitched the idea of Charliebird to the group. “I’d never seen music therapy portrayed on screen before,” attests Ewing. “She asked me to direct this and I felt like I had to—I was very protective over the development of this story. We filmed in the Galveston/Houston area in Texas in July 2024 and Hurricane Beryl hit the day before our first day of shooting.”

The hot, humid filming conditions lent themselves tonally to the themes of Charliebird. “The story is quite intimate. It’s confronting. It’s a quieter film, but it lends itself to that hot, sticky, saturated Texas feeling,” says Ewing. “The themes of the film are not comfortable, so to me, the weather was a bit of a gift that we kept using.”

Prior to filming, Ewing wasn’t familiar with music therapy or how it can be essential in helping patients. Through the development of Stuart’s script, however, Ewing began to understand the healing modalities of the practice. “Music is such a powerful tool for healing and science supports that art heals on a cellular level,” says Ewing. “Yet we don’t focus on that in Western medicine. I was able to shadow some creative arts therapists, and see examples of their work, such as playing music when patients are going into and coming out of surgery.”

Charliebird is available to rent or buy on platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play and Fandango at Home. 

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Every June, the eyes of the classical music world turn to Sarasota, drawn to the dazzling display of world-class artistry and youthful promise within the Sarasota Music Festival. So much more than a concert series, the Festival is a whirlwind of beauty, connection, and inspiration. It charges our city’s atmosphere with the passion and devotion of musicians who travel from across the globe to be part of something extraordinary. The energy is electric, and the collaboration is historic: for the first time, every performance this summer features faculty and fellows sitting side by side. For two weeks, you are invited to immerse yourself in this creative confluence. Four faculty-curated chamber music concerts culminate in a blockbuster full-orchestra finale. To truly experience the Festival is to see it from the inside: Go behind the curtain in coaching sessions and open rehearsals to catch the spark. While the Festival’s 13 days may feel fleeting, they ignite the kind of glow that stays kindled all summer long. 

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Peter M. Robinson is the Murdoch Distinguished Policy Fellow at the Hoover Institution, where he writes on business and politics, serves as editor of the Hoover Digest, and hosts the video series Uncommon Knowledge. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Oxford University, he began his career in the White House, serving as chief speechwriter to Vice President George Bush and later as a speechwriter to President Ronald Reagan, where he authored the famous “tear down this wall” address. He later earned an MBA from Stanford and worked in media and public policy, including roles at Fox Television and the SEC. Since joining Hoover in 1993, Robinson has authored several books—such as Snapshots from Hell, It’s My Party, and How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life—and contributed widely to major publications, while also serving as a Dartmouth trustee; he currently lives in Northern California with his family. 

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ensembleNEWSRQ (enSRQ) concludes its 10th anniversary season with “Music for New Bodies,” a sweeping and visually arresting operatic work by composer Matthew Aucoin and director Peter Sellars. Presented in collaboration with Artist Series Concerts, this Sarasota premiere takes place Friday, May 22, 7:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Single tickets for the concert are $50; VIP tickets are $175. For more information, visit www.EnSRQ.org. 

FST announced a strategic evolution in its leadership structure as the organization prepares for the expansion of the McGillicuddy Arts Plaza. As part of this transition, longtime leaders Richard Hopkins and Rebecca Hopkins will assume new executive roles while continuing to guide the theatre, alongside a national search for additional leadership to support FST’s continued growth. As part of this transition, Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins will assume the title of Executive Producer, and Managing Director Rebecca Hopkins will assume the title of Executive Director. These changes reflect the expanding scope and complexity of the organization as FST continues to grow its programs, facilities, and impact. 

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Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design (SAM) is pleased to participate in Blue Star Museums, a program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families during the summer. The 2026 program will begin on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 16, 2026, and end on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026. Learn more and find the list of participating museums at arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums. 

Join us on May 5 from 6:30 to 7:30pm for think + drink: We Are Family. Coinciding with our latest temporary exhibition, ¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas, this talk explores the impact of Hispanic and Latino players in Tampa, focusing on the family ties and community connections that shaped their stories on and off the field. Joshua Weaver, Curator of the Tampa Baseball Museum, shares insights into the people behind the game and the generations that supported them. Expect a closer look at how culture, family, and baseball come together in Tampa’s history. 

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At the National Travel & Tourism Week Celebration on May 7, Visit Sarasota County’s Board of Directors will name Victor DeRenzi as the 2026 Voice of Sarasota – an honor presented to an individual whose exceptional efforts have significantly promoted Sarasota County as a tourism destination. Join us to celebrate at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Courtyard on Thursday, May 7 from 4:30 to 6:30pm. 

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This concert – on Mother’s Day – begins with harpsichordist Paulo Bordignon performing music by Bach and Couperin. Sarasota Orchestra principal oboe Bobby Nunes and principal harp Phoebe Powell, accompanied by strings and harpsichord, each perform a concerto for their instrument by baroque master G.F. Handel. The two also join forces for Debussy’s enchanting Album of Five Pieces for Oboe and Harp. With special guests Katherine Baloff and Leah Latorraca, violin; Stephanie Block, viola; David Bender, cello; and John Miller, bass. Tickets are $50 and $75 (VIP seating). 

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Join Sarasota Contemporary Dance for our Milestone Gala and Performance celebrating 20 years of SCD, presented in collaboration with the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. Mi Amor is a love letter—to dance, to artists, to community, and to everyone who has been part of this journey. The evening begins with an elegant cocktail hour featuring the stunning photography of resident artist Sorcha Augustine, capturing two decades of SCD’s story. Guests will enjoy live music by The Jazzberries, followed by an intimate dinner upstairs and a powerful, joyful celebration performance that brings the entire night to life. This is more than an event — it’s 20 years of movement, memory, love, and legacy.

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Join us on May 8th at Calusa Country Club for the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation’s 2nd Annual Golf Tournament. Enjoy breakfast, golf, lunch, our awards ceremony, and your chance to win a Rolex in our Hole-in-One Contest—generously donated by Diamonds by Doron. 

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For many older adults, something as simple as better lighting can make the difference between staying home and staying connected. That idea is behind a $120,000 grant from the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation to Senior Friendship Centers, which will fund the replacement of outdated parking lot lighting at its Sarasota campus. 

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 A $12,000 grant from the Curran Family Foundation will help children with developmental delays continue receiving critical therapy services at The Florida Center for Early Childhood. The support benefits the organization’s Developmental Therapy Services program, which provides individualized speech-language and occupational therapy for young children who need help building communication, motor, sensory and daily living skills. While insurance and Medicaid cover a portion of these services, reimbursement rates often fall short of the true cost of providing high-quality, licensed therapy. For more information about The Florida Center for Early Childhood, visit TheFloridaCenter.org.