Tickets may be sold out for the TGIF 2019 Best Of SRQ Local Party tonight at Aloft Sarasota, with folks coming out to celebrate those local businesses SRQ readers voted Best Of and the community that supports them, but that doesn’t mean Sarasotans are hard up for a reason to hit the town tonight, as this weekend represent something of a perfect storm for the arts-oriented crowd calling these streets home. From the film festival to the chalk festival and all the galleries in between, it's a feast for the eyes.

The streets themselves come alive tomorrow, with the kickoff of the Sarasota Chalk Festival, returning to the Burns Court area for the first time since Kowal and Co. packed up for Venice in 2014. Beginning in the wee hours of the morning, artists from around the globe will convene on the Sarasota blacktop for a stunning display that will have all attendees looking at those familiar sidewalk scrawlers in a new light. Running through the weekend, attendees are invited to stay out late on Saturday for “Illumination Evening,” seeing festival volunteers line the streets with lights for an atmospheric evening of fine art and good company. Keep an eye out for the work of world-renowned pavement artist Kurt Wenner, a celebrated innovator who will be debuting a brand new installation that takes the medium to the next level.

For those looking forward to a stroll down Palm Avenue for First Friday, all the regular stops have new work on display for gallery-goers. Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art celebrates the work of Craig Rubadoux with A Rubadoux World, curated by Mark Ormond and featuring paintings, drawings and mixed-media. An opening reception will be held tonight from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Right down the road, Dabbert Gallery presents Abstraction Without Boundaries, featuring the abstract imaginings of six artists, including Kasia Bruniany, Barbara Krupp, Brian Smith and Gustavo Paris. The opening reception begins tonight at 6pm, complete with the famous Dabbert Gallery tropical punch. Meanwhile, under the red awning on Main Street, Art Uptown Gallery highlights the abstract painting of Dion Kurczek with a solo exhibition entitled Fluid Vision (opening reception at 6pm), and, at the center of it all, Palm Avenue Fine Art unveils its latest show, Light Chasers.

And if that weren’t enough for an evening of hard choices, tonight also marks the opening of the Sarasota Film Festival, with the opening night film, Mike Wallace is Here, screening at 7:30pm at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium. A documentary focusing on the career and impact of iconic broadcast journalist Mike Wallace, its award-winning director, Avi Belkin, will be in attendance. The opening night party follows at The Sarasota Modern, running until midnight at least.

As the films begin in earnest over the weekend, SFF Programming Manager Harrison Bender gives a hearty recommendation for both A Bread Factory, the 270-minute film about a pair of aging artists whose community space is threatened by the arrival of a competing and cosmopolitan gallery, and Pahokee, the Sundance darling documentary about a quartet of high schoolers coming of age in their corner of southeast Florida, and the economic challenges ahead. But whatever the personal preference, he feels confident that the community will show its support and find films they love.

“Sarasota has always been a great purveyor of the arts,” Bender says. “And what inspires me most is that, as a regional festival, we get to contextualize conversations through art and film for a local audience that is, quite frankly, always willing to show up. Everyone shows up.” 

Pictured: Still from "Mike Wallace is Here," opening film for the 2019 Sarasota Film Festival.

If you’re on the hunt for something fun and different to do tonight, we're happy to spread the good word—Pura Vie is putting on a show in Rosemary Square, in collaboration with The Overton, for a wistful outdoor market. The first ever Boho Night Market makes its evening debut tonight for the bohemian free-spirits and artistic creatives alike. 

The Overton will be posted and ready to go with some pour-over coffee, cocktails on tap and delicious bites. Once full and caffeinated, meet, shop and support some local artisans with a stacked lineup: succulent displays from Evergreen Home, travel treasures from SolmanaCollection, crystal art and jewelry by LunaVim, boho-chic outfits from Pineapple Lain Boutique, hand-beaded purses by IF by Roxanne, modernized macramè by Macrameow, wire-wrapped stone art by SprnklDesign, seashell and driftwood jewelry by Drifttheory, womens vintage clothing from Toast And Tassel, resort-wear by Sunny Goddess, natural deodorants and foot scrubs from La Rose Bath & Beauty, vintage boudoir kimonos from House of the Broken Dragon and plenty more.

And who doesn’t love dogs and winning free stuff? Great, because all donations from the event will go towards benefitting the nonprofit Royal Pet Rescue. Meanwhile, raffle ticket prizes include a pet portrait session from Sarasota Photo Studio and a four-hour spa and yoga package from Pura Vie, If you don’t win, that’s okay, because there will also be free gourmet frozen pops from Pop Craft Pops (while supplies last). And not to fret, you won’t be enjoying the refreshing popsicle or fun outdoor shopping spree in silence—the feel good soundtrack includes vocals and sounds from Bri Rivera and Evan Eastmoore.

Fridays never looked so good. 

Photo courtesy of Drifttheory.

Boho Night Market presented by Pura Vie Spa is a free admission, family-friendly, community event, 5:00pm-9:00pm at The Overton, 1420 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota.

Sarasota Youth Opera’s annual Summer Camp engages young people in the magic of opera with sessions in singing, acting, props, wigs, make-up, and costumes, all led by professional singers, artists, directors, musicians, and technicians. Summer Camp sessions will take place from 10am to 4pm, Monday through Friday, between June 10-28, with an option of one, two or three week sessions, at the Sarasota Opera House. Tuition is based on age and session, with options for pre and post care available. Tuition assistance is also available.

No audition is necessary to participate, and programing is designed for all skill levels. The deadline for registration is Friday, May 10, 2019 with remaining applications accepted on a first come basis. For more information and to register, call 941-328-1307 or email youthopera@sarasotaopera.org. 

Sarasota Youth Opera Summer Camp

The Fine Arts Society of Sarasota recently awarded 12 local organizations with $43,550 in grants. The outreach grant program is part of the Society’s mission to support and stimulate the arts in Sarasota County. All grant monies are generated through the Society’s activities. 

The Fine Arts Society’s grants committee evaluates the impact of the goals of each grant submission, including the number of people affected, the evaluation plan and the project budget. Recipients of the 2018-2019 grants are Any Given Child, Art Center Sarasota student tours, Asolo Repertory Theatre Kaleidoscope performances, Education Foundation of Sarasota County spring art shows, Face Autism ballroom dancing program, Hermitage Artist Retreat six-week artist residency, Jazz Club of Sarasota high school jazz band competition, Sarasota Ballet after school dance program, Sarasota Film Festival “The Price of Everything” screening, Sarasota Museum of Art, Sarasota Orchestra youth orchestra summer program and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

Since 2007, the Fine Arts Society has awarded nearly $150,000 in grants to help support arts organizations, schools and children’s programs. 

Fine Arts Society of Sarasota

Incoming 4th graders from Tuttle Elementary School will be introduced today to Dance for a Future, a program created by the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School (SCBS) to provide opportunities for low-income students to experience the benefits of a dance education and contemplate the possibility of professional dance career. SCBS instructors and dancers will show all incoming fourth graders the barre and floor sections of a typical ballet class, after which Tuttle students will be invited to try some of the dance steps and positions. A Q&A session with SCBS Founder Ariel Serrano will follow.

Beginning in Fall 2019, students selected to Dance for a Future will receive two and a half hours of dance class, two afternoons a week, free of charge at the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School. Transportation from Tuttle Elementary to the SCBS studios and snacks will be provided, as well as all the dance shoes and apparel needed for classes and performances. Those who demonstrate a commitment to studying dance and stay with the program for the two years will be offered scholarships to join the SCBS Pre-professional Program.

Funded primarily by the Leslie and Margaret Weller Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the pilot year of this program will begin with the class demonstration at Tuttle Elementary School. The long-term goal is to expand the program so students from all Title I Schools in Sarasota County may have the chance to dance for their future. 

Sarasota Cuban Ballet School