A philosopher once asked, “How can the laboring man find time for self culture?” In response, the Culture Collective, a program from the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County to help engage young professionals in the arts, has announced its 2017/18 season, including performances from area arts institutions such as Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota Opera and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.

Now in its fourth year at the Alliance, the Culture Collective serves to give young professionals ages 21 to 39 the opportunity to survey and sample the local arts and culture scene without breaking the bank. For a single membership fee, members of the Culture Collective receive tickets to a series of eight performances spread throughout the year and across different disciplines and organizations. In addition to what are effectively discounted tickets, members also have access to special pre- and post-performance events, ranging from mix-and-mingle cocktails with other members to behind-the-scenes tours and talks with the artists.

This year’s season begins Dec. 16 at the Van Wezel, where the Sarasota Ballet will perform John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker, before moving on to Asolo Repertory Theatre for a Jan. 30 performance of Shakespeare in Love. On Feb. 3, the Culture Collective will go to see the Choral Artists of Sarasota and Sarasota Contemporary Dance join forces for Carmina Burana in Motion, followed by a Feb. 17 performance of Native Gardens at Florida Studio Theatre. In March, members will experience Spectropia at the Ringling Museum and Sarasota Opera’s Manon Lescaut, before closing out the season with an April performance from the Sarasota Orchestra and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s Soul Man in May.

“It’s a way to not only experience the arts, but get more involved,” says Jim Shirley, executive director of the Arts and Cultural Alliance. The purpose of the Culture Collective isn’t to provide discounted tickets, but foster community and expose young professionals to the arts so that they can find what works for them and where they want to spend their time and energy in the community. “It’s important to the arts and cultural community that we get a chance to work with these future leaders,” he says. “And for them understand the importance of the arts in this community.”

Membership is still available at $125 for a single membership and $240 for dual membership. Contact the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County or follow the link below for more information. 

Culture Collective

Bridget Ziegler was elected to a one-year term as chairwoman of the School Board of Sarasota County on Nov. 28 by a unanimous 5-0 vote of the Board. Jane Goodwin was unanimously elected to serve as vice chair. The School Board elects a chair and vice chair annually from among its five members. Ziegler, who has served as vice chair since November 2016, succeeds Caroline Zucker as chair. Ziegler was appointed to the School Board by Gov. Rick Scott in June 2014 to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Carol Todd. Ziegler was elected to a four-year term in November 2014. She is a vice president at Marsh & McLennan, a firm whose specialties include risk management and insurance services. 

Sarasota County School Board

The Downtown Sarasota Alliance announces the appointment of a new board member to its board of directors. Joining the Board of Directors is Holly Sylvester. Sylvester is a leasing agent and residential property specialist at Michael Saunders & Company Rental Division, and has lived in the Sarasota area since the 1970s. Sylvester will be serving as membership chair for the DSA. 

Downtown Sarasota Alliance

Michael Renick, founder of Mangrove Realty and Team Renick announced a merger with Keller Williams On The Water Sarasota. Keller Williams on the Water Sarasota will establish a Keller Williams Luxury office located at 595 Bay Isles Dr., Suite 260, Longboat Key. They are in Realtor.com Top 20 national ratings, 5-star on Zillow.com and 99.9% customer satisfaction. With the merger the Keller Williams Luxury Office on Longboat Key will be in the Top 10 of units sold and volume on Longboat Key. This partnership creates an increase of 209% in market share for Keller Williams on the Water Sarasota. Team Renick includes Michael Renick, Eric Teoh, Monique Summers, Jo-Anne Yermack and Francis Perdisatt. 

Keller Williams On The Water

Keep calm and BBQ on! Best Local Barbeque is a brand new category in our annual Best of SRQ Reader’s Competition. Click below to share your insight. There is a lot at “steak” so every vote matters! 

Vote Here!

Make the season brighter for more than 600 homebound seniors, veterans and the handicapped home alone during the holidays by donating unwrapped items to Meals on Wheels of Sarasota now through December 9, including: combs and brushes, socks, slippers, eye glasses, scarves, oral hygiene products, shower products, puzzle books, writing pads and stamps, tissues, ink pens, coloring pencils, adult coloring books, blankets, deodorant, toys and dry pet food.  

Meals on Wheels Sarasota

Cat Depot is requesting the following to help kitties during the holidays and thereafter: cans of Friskies or Fancy Feast cat food, bags of dry cat food and plastic litter boxes in either of the following sizes: 12” x 16” or 15” by 18”.  

Cat Depot

Lighthouse of Manasota wishes for items to assist their low vision and blind clients as well as their instructors.  Donate the following to help clients: bus passes for SCAT and MCAT, Chrome Books, digital magnifiers, talking watches, talking GPS apps to guide users on foot or bus, iPhones, passes to museums, games for the visually impaired, refreshable braille displays, computer programs for magnification and voice reading, like JAWS by Freedom Scientific, and CCTVs used for low-vision magnification. Donate the following to help instructors: a van to use for Peepers low-vision merchandise, website programming and ad space. 

Lighthouse of Manasota

This year Goodwill Manasota’s wish is for McKay Academy, in need of the following: seven wireless interactive projectors to use with their Smart Boards, six soccer balls with pump, two 3-in-1 soccer trainer goal rebounder and training aids, five volleyballs, a volleyball set with multiple height settings, five basketballs, a basketball hoop, ten fun hoppers, two teeter totters and a 10’ x 10’ canopy tent.  

Goodwill Manasota

Sarasota Contemporary Dance would love the following for its new studio: conference table, lobby furniture, track light fixtures, microwave, half-size refrigerator, coffee maker, movable storage shelves, costume hanging rack, landline phone, printer/scanner, studio sound and lighting equipment, terrace furniture, yoga mats, portable ballet barres, mirrors, a black curtain, office chairs, projector and video camera. 

Sarasota Contemporary Dance