Photo courtesy of The Hermitage Artist Retreat .

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) raised over $380,000 at the 2024 Hermitage Artful Lobster luncheon on Saturday, November 9. This annual event raises valuable funds for the Hermitage’s internationally renowned artist residency program, supporting the creative process of artists from around the world in the fields of music, theater, visual art, literature, dance, and more. Proceeds from this year’s event are also going toward hurricane recovery efforts for the Hermitage’s Manasota Key campus. Over 200 guests attended the sold-out luncheon, which was the first event to take place at the outdoor courtyard of the Ora in Sarasota. (The event was moved from the Hermitage campus due to ongoing hurricane cleanup and repairs.) Marking his fifth anniversary at the Hermitage, Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg served as the master of ceremonies. The event was headlined by two returning Hermitage Fellows: Tony Award-nominated actor, singer, and writer Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, and Grammy Award-nominated composer, lyricist, orchestrator, and music director Rona Siddiqui. Both of these extraordinary talents are proud Hermitage alumnae who have described our Manasota Key campus as “an artistic home.” Kritzer and Siddiqui have performed at multiple Hermitage events, including the “Hermitage Turns 20: Andy Sandberg & Broadway Friends in Concert” at the Van Wezel, the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, and several awe-inspiring performances on the Hermitage Beach. “This year’s Artful Lobster was an event to remember and an especially meaningful celebration of resilience,” said the Hermitage’s Andy Sandberg. “We are thankful to all who attended and supported this year’s festivities. The generous outpouring of support for the work we are doing at the Hermitage and our ongoing hurricane recovery efforts is a demonstration of our community’s extraordinary commitment to the arts and the creative process.”

Photo courtesy of The Hermitage Artist Retreat .