Nothing amplifies discouragement like watching a social problem politicians chronically fail to solve repeatedly. That makes weeks like this so heartbreaking and anger-inducing. 

Here in Florida, we witness a debate about a tragedy afar that feels close to home. I noted recently the Sarasota impact of the Pulse shooting, which claimed the life of loca business leaderl Eddie Sotomayor and 48 other clubgoers. There’s members of this community who felt close as well to the Parkland shooting in 2018 where a gunman killed 17 on a Florida high school campus. No one needed a local news hook to weep at news of slain children in 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut. Tears surely flowed from many eyes upon learning of more murdered grade schoolers in Uvalde, Texas.

This state also knows challenging conversations can be addressed by policymakers, even if Congress leaves us with doubt. The Parkland bill in 2018 may have boasted dissenters on the left and the right. But it met the call to just “do something” from a public weary with infuriation.

Florida did something many conservatives in Florida said they would never consider. Lawmakers raised the purchasing age to buy assault rifles to 21, which could have created a barrier to the student shooter in Texas if such a law stood there. It also included a red flag provision allowing police to temporarilly take away guns from someone who presents a danger to themselves or others.

But then it contained elements liberals don’t like either, allowing for a greater number of guns on campus when in the hands of properly trained adults. At first, this applied to non-classroom personnel but that would expand in coming years. Many worried this would lead to more accidental and reckless gun injuries, or worse, prospective student gunmen stealing these weapons. But thankfully, these worst fears haven’t manifested.

The final product was deemed unacceptable by many Democrats and Republicans within the Legislature. Then-state Rep. Joe Gruters, a Republican, joked for a while his National Rifle Association score was worse than Democratic then-state Rep. Margaret Good’s because he voted for the legislation against the gun lobby’s wishes but Good voted against it because it didn’t go far enough in restricting gun access. 

Regardless, there were enough votes in the middle, thanks in part to wrangling by Bradenton Republican and then-state Sen. Bill Galvano, to get something across the finish line. Sometimes the way forward leaves everyone a little unhappy. But make no mistake, forward is forward.

Now red flag laws have a chance to pass at the federal level, but tragedies create short windows of opportunity. There’s also a push for background checks. Legislation already passed by the U.S. House with few Republican votes, one from U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota.

It’s unlikely any solution will make all parties happy. It’s safe to say U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, won’t move far on these issues — the staunch gun rights supporter voted against the Parkland bill in the Legislature. But what Parkland proved is if lawmakers honestly engage the difficult conversations, steps forward can be taken, even if they require cobbling together a bipartisan coalition.

Today, the right in Washington scoffs at gun regulations as the left mocks solutions like hardening schools. Is it crazy to think both conversations move forward together? Why not broach when an individual’s instability justifies the temporary compromise of a right to wield weaponry capable of wiping out classrooms? Why not consider if single-entry schools, a system good enough to keep hotels secure from guests hoping to skip booking fees, could also protect students from killers?

Call your representatives and remind them, even if end solutions challenge political values, conversations still must take place. Only if Congress negotiates in good faith can even the smallest step forward occur.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ MEDIA.

As an institution, it is our mission not just to educate our students with the critical skill sets needed for their degrees, but to prepare them for and empower them in their professional careers from day one. This is how they will become the leaders of tomorrow.

Last October, we began a series of columns showcasing the diverse degree programs offered at Ringling College of Art and Design, and how we set our students up for success as the creative leaders of tomorrow. We know from numerous studies and reports (including Deloitte’s recent in-depth report on the creative economy) creative industries are likely to be the key drivers of economic growth over the long term. The Deloitte study notes as we begin to emerge from three years of pandemic-driven downturns, trends show the creative economy could grow by as much as 40% by 2030.

What does that mean? In short, Ringling College’s talented art and design graduates will be more in demand than ever before, and what’s more, they will be vital to the success of our future world economy. 

Ringling College is preparing its students – in every major – for this transformative evolution in art and design.

To be counted among the industry’s vanguard, and to prepare our students as best we can to work and lead in both today’s and tomorrow’s creative industries, Ringling College has added a variety of programs in recent years, including a Visual Studies BA program, a Virtual Reality Development BFA program – the first of its kind at any art and design college in the world – and an Entertainment Design BFA, with its focus on themed built environments. We also continue to competitively rank very highly worldwide in our other majors, including Illustration, Game Art, Graphic Design, Motion Design, and our Computer Animation program, currently ranked No. 1 in the world. 

An ever-expanding campus, coupled with state-of-the-art technology provide students with the tools to prepare for this exciting future. Our beautiful Alfred R. Goldstein Library, high-powered computer labs with the latest software across campus, the Richard and Barbara Basch Visual Arts Center, with its makerspaces for printmaking, glassblowing, woodworking, letterpress and photography, and the Ringling College Studio Labs, with two 8,400-square-foot sound stages and a post-production facility, all offer students an unparalleled opportunity to step into the future today.

And let’s not forget the Sarasota Art Museum. An extension of Ringling College of Art and Design, the Museum, housed in the repurposed Sarasota High School building, includes contemporary exhibitions by emerging artists, showcasing the art of our time. It truly is a dynamic “living laboratory” for contemporary art and education for Ringling College students, residents and visitors. 

People often ask me, “Larry, what are students able to do with an art and design degree? Is it really worth it?” My answer has always been, and is even more emphatic today when I say, “Yes! It is absolutely worth it! In fact, it may well be one of the most valuable degrees to hold in our near future.”

The reason? Because there are no limits to what students can do with these degrees. It’s obvious our graduates go on to animate award-winning films, exhibit work in world-class museums and galleries and design spaces, experiences and digital assets experienced by millions of users every single day, but our graduates are also business executives, entrepreneurs, creative directors and CEOs. They work for the CIA, General Motors, with sports teams, nonprofits, in the medical industry and in the tech industries like Google and Amazon. The opportunities are limitless.

As president of Ringling College for the past 23 years, it is easy for me to understand why Ringling College graduates leave school so well-prepared to turn their creative passion into a lifelong profession. It is my hope and my goal, on behalf of everyone at the institution, to help others see the undeniable value of a Ringling College education. 

While we hope the skills our graduates take with them prove to be invaluable on their journeys, it’s important to remember that it all begins with pursuing that singular passion, that one thing in our lives that simply won’t be denied. In the end that is what leads to success.

Dr. Larry Thompson is president of Ringling College of Art & Design. 

Photo courtesy Ringling College.

Since the May 16, 2022 City Commission meeting at which The Players Centre’s initial proposal for a lease agreement at the historic Sarasota Municipal Auditorium was discussed, my organization—the City’s first arts organization—is more energized than ever to seek a path forward in transforming the Auditorium into a world-class venue and community space.

Our enthusiasm is fueled by a deep respect for the historic and civic importance of the Auditorium and its longstanding usage for many diverse events. That deep respect comes naturally to The Players as an organization since, after all, we have been part of the City’s arts fabric for over 90 years, changing lives, launching careers, providing a supportive space for artists and helping define our city as an arts destination. We remain committed to these goals and our community-centric, civic-minded approach to theater, education and engagement.

Our commitment to these values and to the city is not merely lip service. 

As the CEO of The Players with extensive management experience, I am tasked with ensuring that our lofty goals of artistic and community excellence are matched by an understanding of dollars and cents. Our proposed investment of $6 million to $9 million stands to dramatically elevate the Auditorium’s capability to serve our needs and the needs of the community, whether it’s in the service of other arts organizations, The Bay conservancy, as an event space for corporate, private or fundraising events, craft shows, expos and any number of community-oriented programming. Over the proposed 30-year lease, that up-front investment comes out to as much as $25,000 a month, for which The Players will accrue no equity nor a guarantee of a permanent home after the lease. For the City, our proposal would save a reported $266,649 annually in operating costs. Notably, no other proposal has been made that matches our level of financial commitment.

However, the most important case to be made in favor of our proposal is our unique ability to maximize the Auditorium’s usage. While more than half of the year would be earmarked for The Players Centre and Studios productions, we anticipate utilization and activation of the space that exceeds 300 days per year. That usage far outpaces its current bookings and is only possible because we are committed to collaborating with organizations like the Sarasota Film Festival, Project Pride, Girls Inc., other arts organizations and the Auditorium’s various annual expos, in addition to inviting new users into the space. They all stand to benefit from our proposal to elevate the space and transform it into a centerpiece of The Bay’s vision of a community campus for all. By granting The Players the ability to manage the Auditorium, the community would be placing it in the hands of a trusted, nonprofit, historic, community-based arts organization with a long history of managing events, productions, educational programming and community outreach. What’s more, our nonprofit operating model reduces the overhead of management costs, allowing us to expand our community and educational programming that have become such vital pieces of the arts landscape in our region. In addition, we will be better positioned to support our hardworking team of artists, instructors, performers, and administrative staff, all of whom add to the economic and cultural vibrancy of Sarasota.

We encourage and invite continued collaboration as we further develop our proposal. Stephen Covey always advised to “think win-win.” Our proposal goes a step further in creating a win-win-win for the City of Sarasota, The Players Centre and The Bay. This is an exciting opportunity for the city in which we were founded, in which we have grown, and in which we wish to remain. We have the vision. We have the infrastructure to execute our ambitious proposal. We have a willingness to listen and collaborate. We have the capital. Now we need support from our community.

William Skaggs is chief executive officer of The Players Centre.