Pictured: A student drawing at the Arts in Education event last year. Provided photo.

We’re lucky to live in Sarasota, where our schools reflect what this community looks like. And arts and culture are a huge part of that. It’s exactly the message I want every family in our county to hear as the new school year begins.

Kids head back to class on August 10th. Backpacks are getting packed. Crossing guards are back on duty. But before that first bell rings, I want to make one thing clear: here on Florida’s Cultural Coast, arts and education aren’t two separate conversations. They’re the same conversation. Arts aren’t extras. They’re essential to a complete education, and that’s exactly how we treat them here.

Every student in our county should have access to art instruction and experiences, not as a bonus, but as an expectation, one that reflects who we are as a community. Visual art, theatre, dance, and music. Sometimes it shows up woven into other subjects, too: theatre alongside a history lesson, music built into a math lesson on patterns. For example, at Patriot Plaza, we manage tours where students learn about patriotism and civics through visual art.

Arts instruction builds the skills employers keep asking for: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity. And as AI reshapes so much of what we do, a strong creative voice may be one of the most valuable things a student carries into adulthood. So, ask your kids and their teachers what they’re doing this year that ties into arts and culture. EdExplore SRQ makes that easy to find. It’s a searchable platform that connects teachers and families to hundreds of vetted, standards-aligned experiences with our local nonprofits and teaching artists. In-class visits, hands-on programs across the arts, history, science, and more. Every one of them is reviewed by the school district so it ties back to what your child is learning. Take a look and take your family exploring.

Whether your family has been here for generations or you just moved for a new job, here’s what it means to live on Florida’s Culture Coast: our arts and cultural organizations are woven into how this community raises and educates its kids. That’s the depth and breadth of what’s available to your family.

This isn’t just enrichment, and it isn’t just a break for families who are stretched thin. Arts engagement builds real skills, and it enhances wellbeing, helping students build confidence, find a sense of belonging, and connect with their peers and their community That’s what we keep seeing, study after study. One more thing before I let you get back to packing lunches. Save the date: our Arts in Education event is November 7th at the Sarasota Art Museum, featuring performers from Sarasota County Schools. I want to see you there. If you’d like a reminder closer to the date, sign up at sarasotaarts.org and we’ll make sure it lands in your inbox.

The school year is starting. Let’s make sure every student has the opportunity to experience the arts.

Brian Hersh is the CEO of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. To learn more, visit sarasotaarts.org.

Pictured: A student drawing at the Arts in Education event last year. Provided photo.