The Hermitage Artist Retreat and the Van Wezel Foundation will debut an innovative new art experience this summer called UNSCRIPTED: Arts from the Inside Out. This intimate, "off-script" series will take audiences on an insider's journey of the artistic process, produced by award-winning writers, musicians, composers, choreographers, visual artists, educators, and other Hermitage Fellows from around the globe.

"Great art doesn't begin in front of an audience. It begins in the private spaces where artists dream, work, experiment and create," noted Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat. "The unique essence of UNSCRIPTED is that the audience never knows exactly what to expect or what they will experience, creating a sense of mystery and anticipation for each gathering."

"Forward-thinking partnerships are essential to our vision for the new Sarasota Performing Arts Center," says Cheryl Mendelson, CEO of the Van Wezel Foundation. "The concept for a series of truly unscripted performance experiences, where the participants do not know the details of the program in advance, is a fresh and innovative way for audiences and artists to engage with each other. We look forward to paving the way for these kinds of unique collaborations that will ultimately be a part of the future of the new performing arts center."

UNSCRIPTED is a first-time partnership between the Hermitage and Van Wezel Foundation. In the spirit of the series name, there is no single venue or stage and every performance will take place in a variety of forms and locations. Whether it be a virtual zoom room, on the beach, in a studio, or even in a private living room, each presentation is a one-of-a-kind interactive experience.

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