Arts & Entertainment

Preview

'Naga-Mandala' Premieres This Weekend at the Circus Arts Conservatory

The production, by a new Sarasota company, mixes music, storytelling and more with South Indian folklore.

03/10/2026 By Kay Kipling

ArtsBeat

A New Sound for the Sarasota Opera

Meet incoming artistic director—and longtime opera executive—Richard Russell.

03/04/2026 By Jay Handelman/ArtsBeat.org

Flashback

Photo: Betty Hutton Filming 'The Greatest Show on Earth,' March 1951

This month marks the 75th anniversary of the Academy Award-winning film, which was shot right here in Sarasota.

03/02/2026 By Megan McDonald

On the Upbeat

The Jazz Club of Sarasota’s Annual Festival Shines This Month

Plus, the club's got big plans to expand and open its own venue.

03/02/2026 By Kay Kipling

Living Room Classic

A European-Style Music Salon Takes Root in South Sarasota

On the first Sunday of each month, cellist Steve Kramer opens his home for an intimate revival of the centuries-old salon tradition, blending Bach, Gershwin and neighborhood potluck.

02/24/2026 By Kim Doleatto

Preview

WBTT Announces Its 2026-2027 Season

Themed "Rhapsodies of Rhythm," this season's performances span Stevie Wonder to Shakespeare.

02/24/2026 By Staff

Perks

Did You Know You Can Use Your Library Card to Get Free Access to Local Cultural Attractions?

Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources' new "Culture Pass" program allows adult residents with a library card to get free or discounted access to local theaters, museums and more.

02/24/2026 By Megan McDonald

Review

Asolo Rep Takes a Wild Comic Ride with 'The Unfriend'

Steven Moffat's play makes its bow with this U.S. premiere, and it's a doozy.

02/22/2026 By Kay Kipling

ArtsBeat

A Do-Over for the Sarasota Performing Arts Center

An updated plan features a different location, reduced cost, revised design and alternate parking—but will the city and community buy in?

02/19/2026 By Carrie Seidman/ArtsBeat.org

Poetry Life

Aimee Nezhukumatathil on the Power of Poetry

The award-winning poet, whose forthcoming book, "Night Owl," will be published in March, will participate in two talks during Bookstore1Sarasota's annual PoetryLife Weekend.

02/16/2026 By Elizabeth Djinis

Tides and Teeth

Filmmaker Wilson McCourtney Takes on Sharks, Red Tide and Florida’s Water Crisis in His Latest Documentary

"Fighting for Florida" will screen at the 2026 Sarasota Film Festival.

02/16/2026 By Kim Doleatto

Preview

Sarasota Opera Announces Its 68th Season

Five mainstage productions, a youth performance and several signature events are slated for 2026-2027.

02/11/2026 By Staff

ArtsBeat

A Q&A With Sarasota Orchestra's Music Director About His Role in Bad Bunny Super Bowl Show

"Apparently he was aware of my career, and his manager Googled me and found my manager," Guerrero says. "The first thing I was thinking [was], 'Is this real or a prank call?'"

02/10/2026 By Jay Handelman/ArtsBeat.org

ArtsBeat

Theater Review: Powerful Performance and Story in ‘Remember This’

The play is the true story of a Polish man who became an international hero, risking his life to reveal the atrocities he witnessed in Jewish ghettos and concentration camps.

02/10/2026 By Jay Handelman/ArtsBeat.org

Art Alive

Selby Gardens' Goldstein Exhibition Celebrates Alexander Calder

Works by the sculptor known for his mobiles are joined by horticultural creations inspired by him.

02/09/2026 By Kay Kipling

Me Porto Bonito

Yes, That Was Sarasota Orchestra Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero in the Super Bowl Halftime Show

Guerrero made an appearance during Bad Bunny's rousing performance.

02/08/2026 By Megan McDonald

Art of the Ark

Joel Sartore’s Images of Endangered Species for the National Geographic Photo Ark May Be Crucial to Saving Wildlife

Sartore will come to Sarasota this month to show some of his images and share stories of his work in a Ringling College Town Hall program at the Van Wezel.

02/07/2026 By Kay Kipling

Media

ArtsBeat Launches as a New Model for Community-Supported Journalism in Sarasota

Led by Jay Handelman and Carrie Seidman, ArtsBeat is designed to provide consistent, authoritative coverage of Sarasota’s performing, visual, and cultural arts.

02/02/2026 By Staff

Review

A New FST Production Takes Us to the Moon

"The Blue-Sky Boys" presents an often entertaining picture of the engineers behind the Apollo moon landing.

02/02/2026 By Kay Kipling

Final Frame

Sabrina Small Investigates What’s Behind the Mask in Her Drawings, Paintings and Stitchwork

"I’ve always been attracted to the underbelly of human nature and in myself and finding the beauty in the darkness,” Small says

02/01/2026 By Susan Burns