SRQ DAILY Aug 21, 2026
Friday Weekend Edition
"It is about what it means to be human and that psychological feeling of being alone."
Since John Ringling brought his circus to Sarasota in 1927, artists have flocked to the area, creating a cultural legacy rooted in the arts. Today that legacy lives on, through both the economic driver of cultural tourism stemming from the area’s performing and visual arts organizations, and a near constant influx of new, independent artists.
One such artist making her Sarasota debut is the painter Elaine Clayman, who released her series, Unheard, at Andrew Ford Fine Art Gallery on August 7. A native New Yorker, Clayman moved to Sarasota in 2021 and splits time between the two places. Clayman, a commissioned portrait artist and contemporary narrative figurative painter, has a long history of exhibiting in New York and was the owner/director of the Elaine Clayman Gallery, in Nyack, New York, for over a decade.
Clayman’s five original oil paintings in Unheard delve into the human condition. Working in sepia tones, Clayman creates atmospheric depictions of individuals designed to pull the viewer into the work, similar to an author pulling a reader into a story. In Unheard, a man plays the piano by himself, pools of light framing his figure. “You don’t always have to have an audience,” says Clayman. “I had a friend who would play the piano by himself in the middle of the night—which I found inspiring as a visual artist.”
In her latest series, Clayman employs isolation as a way to delve into human psychology. Through the Mist and Unveiled feature figures alone, caught in a state of reflection. “It is about what it means to be human and that psychological feeling of being alone,” says Clayman. “I want the viewer to say, ‘Is that me?’ when they look at the painting. I want them to be unable to get the image out of their head.”
Elaine Clayman’s art is on view at Andrew Ford Fine Art, 506 South Pineapple Ave, Sarasota 
"Through the Mist", Oil on Canvas, Elaine Clayman. Provided photo.
Sarasota Orchestra announced six exhibitions at the Orchestra’s Harmony Gallery to take place during the 2026-2027 season, including special collaborations with the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition (SAACC) and Booker High School’s Visual and Performing Arts program. In addition to the partnership exhibitions, the Harmony Gallery will feature four local artists showcasing their work in solo exhibitions. Selected by a jury process, this season’s featured artists work in mediums including oils, acrylics, watercolor, and ink. Twenty-five percent of all proceeds from the sale of the artwork benefit Sarasota Orchestra. The exhibits invite patrons to explore the collaboration between the visual and performing arts.
It's time to sign up for Venice Theatre's Fall New York City adventure! If you want to join us, now is the time to act! This trip sells out quickly, so don't delay. 25 slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. (For couples, each person should fill out a form.) Cost is $1825 per person, double occupancy. (Single Occupancy is $2300). Deposits are due Sept. 3, which are $400 per person.
Provided photo.
The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced the distinguished Florida public school arts teachers who will spend part of their summer on Manasota Key while working on their own artistic endeavors. They are the recipients of the 2026 State Teachers Artist Residency program (STARs) – now in its sixteenth year – presented by the Hermitage Artist Retreat in partnership with the Florida Alliance for Arts Education (FAAE). This year's recipients were selected from dozens of impressive applicants, and the teachers selected from across the State of Florida include two visual artists, an author, and a poet. These artists and educators receive a residency at the nationally renowned Hermitage Artist Retreat, where they can focus on their own work as creative artists. These teaching artists will present a family-friendly showcase of their work on Friday, July 10th starting at 10:30am. This special event will be held at SKY Academy (operated by the YMCA of Southwest Florida), by invitation only for the students in the community. To learn more visitHermitageArtistRetreat.org
Have you gotten your POPS tickets for the year yet? We have an exciting season lineup that you will not want to miss - so peruse our shows, find the dates that work best for you, grab your buddies, and join us for this fantastic 2026-27 season!
Local author Louise Harris will appear at the FloridaRAMA 2026 Literary Festival promoting her 1776 Series of books this month. While her series is set in modern day, each book is tied to the Revolutionary War in some way, which is timely given the country’s 250th anniversary. The event takes place on Aug. 22 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The literary festival will be held at 2606 Fairfield Ave. S, St. Petersburg, Fla. During the festival, Harris will be one of 30 local authors. The literary festival will provide 12 readings, local vendors, and meetings with professionals in an immersive world. FloridaRAMA Literary Festival is sponsored by Brown’s Trophies, FloridaRAMA Impact, MidFlorida Credit Union, No Clubs, SouthState and The UPS Store.
Sarasota Opera has been awarded a $12,500 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to support consultant fees for the organization’s strategic planning process. Funding for this grant was made possible by the foundation’s Joseph and Sylvia Bloom Unrestricted Fund. For more information, visit cfsarasota.org or call 941-955-3000.
Further casting has now been revealed to join the previously announced Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp in Affluenza, the first play in the Mainstage Season 26/27 at Riverside Studios. Strictly Come Dancing favourite Janette Manrara will appear in the world premiere of the play, which runs 26 September to 21 November (press night 5 October) alongside Juliet Cowan (Broken Glass, Young Vic), Wallis Currie-Wood (CBS TV’s Madam Secretary, Elektra on West End), and Olivier Award nominee Rupert Young (Bridgerton, Dear Evan Hansen). The creative team, led by writer/director Andy Sandberg, includes Set Designer Charlie Corcoran and Costume Designer Hannah Schmidt. Lighting Design is by Jack Weir and Sound Design is by Emily Drohan. The Casting Director is Nicholas Hockaday, and the Associate Director is Cecilie Fray. Learn more at MainstageSeason.com
Over the past 50 years, Goldsmith’s photography has appeared on or between the covers of magazines including Life, Newsweek, Time, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, and many others. Her work is held in numerous private art collections and museums, including the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Seventeen books have been produced of Goldsmith’s images, including Flower by Rizzoli in 2000 and Patti Smith: Before Easter After, published as a Deluxe Limited Edition by Taschen in 2019 and as a trade edition by Rizzoli in 2024.
Car Bank SRQ celebrated the groundbreaking of its second location, Car Bank 2.0, on Saturday, August 1, marking a major milestone in the expansion of Sarasota’s premier luxury garage condominium community. The event welcomed a strong turnout of community members, automotive enthusiasts, and future owners who gathered to celebrate the next chapter of Car Bank 2.0. Guests enjoyed a showcase of luxury and exotic vehicles, interactive experiences, giveaways, refreshments, live entertainment, and the opportunity to meet the founding team. Created by Sarasota entrepreneurs Todd Segal and Tom Bury, Car Bank 2.0 is a 26-unit luxury garage condominium community designed for collectors, automotive enthusiasts, and owners of specialty vehicles including exotic cars, RVs, boats, and other prized possessions.
Michael's On East, 1212 S East Ave, Sarasota, FL 34239
This long-term installation in Gallery 10 of the Museum of Art showcases five outstanding examples of 17th-century Dutch painting on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Featuring a dramatic seascape, an expansive landscape, and captivating portraits set in detailed interiors, this exhibition offers a window into the vibrant artistic production of the Netherlands as the small nation rose to global prominence in the 17th century. The five exceptional paintings from the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, complement The Ringling's holdings of Dutch art and provide additional perspective on the artistry, historical significance, and continuing appeal of Dutch painting from this period.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
The summer 2026 exhibition at Selby Gardens will celebrate the creative collaboration between two legendary figures and longtime friends, photographer Lynn Goldsmith and singer-songwriter Patti Smith, who is Selby Gardens’ artist in residence. The exhibition will feature Goldsmith’s photographs of Smith, past and present, in the Museum of Botany & the Arts. The images will offer an intimate portrait of an iconic artist over the course of her remarkable career.
Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Art immersion class for children ages 6-18. Small classes with fine arts materials. Visit linarinconart.com for more information and to register.
Creative Liberties Artist Studios, Gallery & Creative Academy, 927 N Lime Ave., Sarasota, FL 34237
What We Carry, We Carry Together explores nostalgia, family history, and shared cultural memory through circular mixed-media assemblages constructed from familiar, everyday objects. Rooted in the belief that stories thrive where memories overlap, the exhibition invites viewers to discover themselves in the experiences of others. As personal narratives intersect with collective histories, remembrance becomes a powerful act of connection, empathy, and community building.
SPAACES, 2051 Princeton St., Sarasota
Guys and Dolls is a classic 1950s musical romantic comedy set in Depression-era New York City, centering on two intertwining love stories involving gamblers and the women who love them. High-roller Sky Masterson tries to win the heart of a strait-laced missionary, Sarah Brown, while showgirl Miss Adelaide tries to get her fiancé, Nathan Detroit, to marry.
Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 3rd Ave. W, Bradenton
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a landmark 1962 play by Edward Albee about a bitter, middle-aged couple, George and Martha, who invite a younger couple, Nick and Honey, over for drinks after a party, leading to a night of psychological warfare, verbal sparring and the revelation of deep-seated resentments and illusions.
Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 3rd Ave. W, Bradenton
Of Excess brings together the work of Jason Pinckard and Morgan Woolverton, whose multidisciplinary practices explore the entangled relationships between nature, culture, technology, and industry. Through distinct yet complementary approaches, both artists examine how contemporary systems and the phenomena they produce shape how we live, perceive, and interact in a society increasingly defined by excess.
SPAACES, 2051 Princeton St., Sarasota
Step into a world of unrestrained creativity with this cherished annual production featuring winning plays written by elementary students from around the world. Featuring stories only the mind of a kid could create, these short plays are brought to life by professional actors. This beloved annual production has been celebrating the boundless creativity of children for over 30 years. This play runs 50 minutes with no intermission.
Keating Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave., Sarasota
Alice by Heart is a poignant musical from the creators of Spring Awakening (Stephen Sater and Duncan Sheik) that blends Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with a 1940s London Blitz setting. Teenager Alice Spencer copes with the death of her best friend, Alfred, in a subway shelter by escaping into their favorite book, navigating themes of grief, love and growing up.
Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 3rd Ave. W, Bradenton
Take a musical journey across America as the Venice Chorale celebrates the people, places and landscapes that have shaped our nation's history. The concert also features the world premiere of the winning work from the Chorale's 3rd Annual Choral Composition Competition. You'll hear Route 66, California Dreamin', Georgia on My Mind and more.
Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice
Buckle up for a high-energy musical ride that features guest soprano Jenny Kim-Godfrey and guitarist Jonathan Godfrey. This spirited concert will take audiences on a joyful journey filled with movement, memories and music that captures the thrill of the open road, the rhythm of the rails and the freedom of flight. Songs include Leaving on a Jet Plane, Little Deuce Coupe and Midnight Train to Georgia.
Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice
A dazzling operatic fusion of myth and comedy, this one-act story begins with a lively backstage prologue in which an opera troupe and a comedy ensemble are forced to perform together. The resulting spectacle sets the mythical, mournful Ariadne alongside the playful Zerbinetta and her band of comedians. The opera showcases Strauss's gift for intertwining emotional depth with theatrical spectacle, masterfully balancing lush lyricism and clever playfulness.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave., Sarasota
With a theme of The Future is Not What It Used to Be, EcoSummit 2027 will bring together scientists, innovators and community leaders to explore real-world solutions for protecting natural lands and waterways in Florida. At The Bay Park in Sarasota next February, the summit addresses action in four domains: natural lands, resilient waterways, human health and living cities. Join the email list on the event website to learn when speakers, performing artists and ticket sales are announced.
The Bay Park, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota
In the exhibition, SEE INSTRUCTIONS, Wes Kline and Sean Miller present a series of iterative works generated through scores, written instructions, events, and intermedia experimentation. The duo presents individual works as well as their collaborations with Fluxus artists such as Eric Andersen, Philip Corner, Ken Friedman, Yoko Ono, and others. Examples include a broken piano as an opportunity for transformation over destruction, and the secret healing potential that exists by involving jumping spiders with acupuncture sessions.
SPAACES, 2051 Princeton St., Sarasota
Appropriate is a biting, dark comedic drama that follows estranged siblings returning to their late father’s decaying Arkansas plantation to settle his estate. While sorting through hoarded items, the family discovers a disturbing photo album of slave lynchings, triggering deep-seated, explosive confrontations over family history, racism and inheritance.
Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 3rd Ave. W, Bradenton
Sarasota Opera's inaugural staging of a Gilbert and Sullivan work, H.M.S. Pinafore is a cornerstone of Victorian comic operetta, where questions of love and social rank spark humor and delight. At the center of this story, set aboard a British Navy ship, is the earnest sailor Ralph Rackstraw and Josephine, the captain's daughter, whose affection challenges the strict hierarchies of their world. The uproarious satire includes witty patter songs and memorable melodies that make it a perennial favorite for audiences of all ages. This opera is performed in two acts.
Sarasota Opera, 61 N Pineapple Ave., Sarasota
One of the most enduring works in the repertoire, this is the moving story of Violetta Valéry, a celebrated courtesan whose unexpected love for Alfredo Germont conflicts with her world of parties and pleasure, forcing her to make the ultimate sacrifice. Giuseppe Verdi's music seamlessly weaves elegance and drama, underscoring the timeless tale of Violetta's love and selfless devotion. This opera is performed in three acts.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave., Sarasota
From enchanted kingdoms and mythical creatures to daring heroes and legendary quests, Fantastical Journeys will transport audiences into worlds inspired by some of the most beloved stories of our time. The combined forces of Key Chorale’s 100+ voices, The Venice Symphony and an all-star cast of circus artists create a spectacular experience filled with soaring music, stunning aerial feats and awe-inspiring acrobatics. This is a two-hour production with an intermission.
Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota
Enjoy a delicious brunch offered every Sunday at Tripletail Seafood and Spirits on the beautiful covered patio or casual dining room. The menu features a variety of dishes created by Chef Cesareo Cardenas, including his decadent creme brulee French toast, steak and eggs, lobster benedict, crab and shrimp omelet and the Tripletail brunch burger. Guests will receive a complimentary Bloody Mary or mimosa with the purchase of any entree.
Tripletail Seafood and Spirits, 4870 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
Every Saturday and Sunday, Cask and Ale on Main Street lifts a toast and taps a toe to a delicious brunch with a diverse chef-prepared menu. Try the rotating chef's special menu, bottomless mimosas and a wide selection of craft cocktails. On Sundays, hear live jazz music from 12pm-4pm.
Cask and Ale, 1548 Main St., Sarasota
FST's resident improv team returns with Out of Bounds, an audience-favorite competition where two teams battle for laughs in a fast-paced series of games. Every scene is inspired by audience suggestions, and the winning team is up to the spectators to decide–and the method of voting is applause! This no-holds-barred comedy showdown runs 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.
Bowne's Lab, 1265 1st St., Sarasota
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