For The Sake of Art -
Centennial Season Events
Art, Actually
Our new speaker series, Art, Actually, explores how art intersects with identity, community, and change through conversations with artists, curators, and cultural leaders.
Lectures take place on Wednesdays at 11 am.
Free for Members | $15 for Non-Members
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Why Arts Matter Now: Power, Politics, and the Business of Creativity
In today’s cultural landscape, the arts are more than entertainment—they are vessels of memory, resistance, and possibility. Yet behind every performance, exhibition, or program lies a complex reality: balancing vision with operations, creativity with sustainability, and passion with the politics that shape funding and public perception.
In this engaging talk, Yoleidy Rosario-Hernandez, Founding Executive Artistic Director of Mosaic Movements, pulls back the curtain on the business of the arts. From wearing multiple hats to navigating shifting political climates, ze shares candid reflections on what it takes to build and sustain an arts organization today. Through stories rooted in Sarasota’s vibrant cultural identity and broader national currents, Yoleidy invites the community to consider why the arts matter now more than ever—and how artists, patrons, and cultural leaders together can spark resilience and change.
Upcoming Art, Actually Dates:
2026: March 4 | April 1 | May 6 | June 3 | Sep 16
Creative Happy Hour!
Select Fridays, 6–8 pm
Art Center Sarasota invites you to unwind, create, and connect during our Second Fridays Creative Happy Hour series with hands-on printmaking nights, casual musical performances, art trivia nights, and more. Snacks and beverages available for purchase.
Free for Members | $15 for Non-Members
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Film discussion: 5:30-6 pm
Movie & popcorn: 6-8 pm
Local filmmaker and film historian, Danny Canton, presents Alfred Hitchcock’s suspenseful masterpiece Vertigo. Enjoy popcorn, adult beverages, and a thrilling deep dive into the film’s twists, symbolism, and cinematic legacy—guided by Danny’s expert (and entertaining!) perspective.
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Put your art smarts to the test! Join us for an energetic night of trivia celebrating everything from classical masterpieces and contemporary icons to Sarasota's local legends and weird art history facts. Whether you're an art history buff or just winging it, this evening promises friendly competition, laughs, and creativity that colors outside the lines.
Beer & wine will be available for purchase.
Upcoming Creative Happy Hour Dates:
2026: April 10 | May 8 | June 12 | Sep 11
Saturday Night Sketch Club
Select Saturdays, 5:30-7:30 pm
Free for Members | $15 for Nonmembers
Join us for a relaxed evening of drawing and creativity featuring art-making with still lifes and refreshments.
Open to all skill levels—bring your own sketchbook & supplies.
Beverages and snacks are available for purchase.
Enjoy a welcoming atmosphere where you can sketch, explore, and connect with fellow creatives.
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Bring your sketchbook, paints, or medium of choice and drift into an icy, imaginative atmosphere inspired quiet mystery and creative possibility.
Inspired by Icelandic and Norwegian atmospheres, this Sketch Club tableau explores frozen light, icy color palettes, and quiet drama. Expect glacial tones, soft luminosity, and a cool, cinematic mood that invites you to sketch texture, stillness, and cold-weather wonder.
Upcoming Saturday Night Sketch Club Dates:
2026: Feb 28 | Apr 25 | May 23
Artists on Art - A Peer Critique: Photography
Critiques are aimed at fostering artistic growth through constructive and insightful feedback while discussing the ins and outs of the photographic medium. Photographers share their work, up to 5 images per meeting, either with physical prints or digital images displayed on our MacBook monitors in the digital lab.
10:30 am-12:30 pm, $5 registration fee per meeting
We invite photographers to show and discuss their work, share resources and ideas, and meet other artists in their discipline.
Upcoming Critiques:
Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, click to register
Beaux Arts Ball
YES, the legendary Beaux Arts Ball is back! This Centennial revival will be a spectacular evening of creativity, performance, and celebration—an event worthy of 100 years. Details coming soon!
Saturday, March 21, 2026, 5 pm
To become an event sponsor, please contact Katherine at katherine@artsarasota.org
