The centerpiece of Sarasota Rising’s initiatives is an interdisciplinary arts festival like no other, staged in our beautiful, eclectic, semi-tropical region. From November 10-17, 2024, our festival will broaden our region’s audience for the arts in all its “flavors,” emphasizing performing arts while offering visual arts exhibitions, family-friendly events, live music and more. Whether you’re an artist, business, prospective volunteer or potential donor, we encourage you to connect and RISE WITH US for an opportunity to help build a special legacy for our special initiative.
LIVING ARTS FESTIVAL LINEUP
Pre-Festival Events
Immerse yourself in the unique experience of our pre-festival party, 'The Living Arts Festival Fete'. Held at the iconic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Sarasota, this event offers a rare 'behind the scenes' glimpse into Fine Arts, the Performing Arts and Culinary Arts. Have you ever wondered how our festival started? Step into ‘the room where it happens’ and be part of the magic! The Festival Team will share the inner workings of the week ahead while you savor delectable bites and beverages by Beauty Booze. Don’t forget the live performances by Azara Ballet, The Indigenous Dance Troupe and Kathryn Parks! Help us elevate the arts in our region! Tickets available for $100.00. Sponsors and donors of $100.00 or more are complementary.
Our family-focused FREE arts exposition at Sarasota’s own Municipal Auditorium brings all of our cultural and creative families together with the explicit goal of fostering arts engagement among our area youth. Both indoor and outdoor stages proudly provide opportunities for our area schools and local educational organizations to place their unique energy on a stage for the world to see. Area dance schools, performing arts schools, and our area public and private schools will be working, playing, and growing together. Students from: The Ovation School of Musical Theater, Booker Middle School, Rowlett Elementary, Jump Dance, Manatee School for the Arts and more! The performing arts aren’t the only shining star. Hands on mask making, creative drawing, Improv workshops, Acting classes and an opportunity to own an original piece of art from an area artist at our 5X5$5! Arts and crafts and performances all day long! Today is about learning and growing, emphasizing children of all ages and from all backgrounds. Let’s amplify the impact of the arts for the next generation of creatives and leaders.
Main Festival Events
Our Living Arts Festival officially begins with this FREE eclectic opening night party. This “rooftop experience” will offer a global perspective of our incredible arts and culture offerings. Officially titled “A World of the ARTS” it's a fusion of international and local arts. Imagine our world-class Chalk Festival on the streets below and music from “O Som Do Jazz” a Brazilian Band and Vocalist setting the tone for world-class entertainment at our doorstep. With the support of our generous donors, we present a glimpse of the unbelievable week of arts programming, from theater and dance to fine art and music, all with an inclusive world beat. Enjoy LIVE performances by: Sarasota Jewish Theater, Diversity: The Voices of Sarasota, a premiere dance performance by Tania Vergara’s Endedans Contemporary Ballet andmore! Let’s come together to applaud the potential in all of us to elevate our cultural coast all “up on the roof” with our friends at Northern Trust.
We are proud to introduce our super collaboration entitled “Our Embrace Reimagined.” With collaboration and diversity as two of the core values of Sarasota Rising, The Living Arts Festival -Sarasota is blessed to be working with our friends at Embracing Our Differences and The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. This performance walking tour at Historic Spanish Point will boast a number of vinyl banners from Embracing Our Differences that have been chosen by an eclectic group of area arts groups such as CreArte Latino, Modern Marimba, SaraSolo, The Indictus Group, Poet Melanie Lavender and Sarasota Contemporary Dance. These passionate arts groups will use these vinyl banners as inspiration to create an original dance, spoken word, acting scene and more. These newly created performances will come together to create a live performance walking tour unique to our area. Collaboration, innovation, and creativity collide in celebrating diversity in the arts!
The week continues with an explosion of arts in our neighboring city of Venice! The city of Venice is coming together for an entire day of arts immersion. Visit incredible organizations like: The Venice Arts Center, The Downtown Association, Venice Mainstreet, the Venice Symphony and Venice Theater! We readily support their takeover of their downtown for the arts! This area-wide celebration of the arts will include area businesses by highlighting their arts groups, their individual artists, and their unique missions.
Wondering what will help put The Living Arts Festival – Sarasota on the map? Look for surprise events that help brand Sarasota as the cultural coast and arts hub. Discover unique pop-up surprises and ‘happenings’ to help celebrate downtown with live acts, food, and spirits! By infusing the event with our festival’s unique theatrical flavor, we will engage those members of the community who may not consider themselves “arts aficionados” and show them the arts are for everyone!
The mission of our festival is to help build cultural tourism and assist in helping our community cherish the arts groups we proudly boast as members of our arts community. What better way to do this than to indulge in what we call ARTS ROULETTE! All day long, we will be out in the community, letting members of our community spin the wheel to win tickets to the many organizations participating in our festival, and giving them the opportunity to experience the arts!
Art comes in many shapes and sizes and we are very proud that the folks at Lifeline Productions are helping the festival with a special film premiere. “Clowns Like Me” is a one man show by local actor Scott Ehrenprise telling the heartfelt story of his struggle with mental illness…in the most comical of ways. Thank you to friends at Burns Court Cinema for hosting this 10:00 AM showing of the taping of the Off Broadway production. Tickets are $25.00 and the proceeds for this event come right back to support the Living Arts Festival. An informal talk back with the actor will be moderated after the film.
What’s a festival without entertainment, prizes, and a mammoth performance at the Circus Arts Conservatory? On the Festival's last day, we all come together and celebrate by offering an exceptional opportunity for the education wings of area arts organizations to bask in our spotlight with Sarasota Rising - A Celebration of Youth. Imagine the stage filled with up-and-coming singers, dancers, musicians, and thrill-seeking circus acts! Students of all ages from our community come together to celebrate their passion for the arts. Imagine an arena full of students from: The Venice Symphony Youth Orchestra, Sarasota Contemporary Dance, The Cuban Ballet School, Rise Above Performing Arts, The Sarasota Youth Opera, Venice & Riverview High School Choirs, Westcoast Black Theater Troupe, The Artist Series, The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company and Trainees, Key Chorale and the Student Scholars and the acclaimed Circus Arts Conservatory. We are blessed to be giving them this opportunity to shine onstage!
Living Arts Festival will be a week-long celebration emphasizing performing arts, with visual and other ancillary arts programming scheduled throughout. Established organizations will offer special accessibility to new visitors, while others will produce works specifically for the festival. Expect vibrant kick-off events, world premieres of performing arts productions, art exhibitions, youth and family programming, celebrations of diversity, block parties, inspired food and beverage showcases, educational outreach and philanthropic activation.
As we near 2024, the Sarasota Rising team will offer opportunities for organizations, artists and volunteers to be a part of our festival programming. Whether you’re an established painter, a public-school theatre director, someone with a great band, a small arts organization looking for a stage or just an arts enthusiast looking to volunteer your energy, we’ll want to assemble a comprehensive list of anyone that wants to make Living Arts Festival a glowing success!