Embracing Our Differences celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with a special retrospective exhibition installed on the Great Lawn of the Sarasota Art Museum. Opening today and titled “Embracing Kindness,” the exhibition takes viewers on a look back through 20 years of art and community, while promoting its own message of kindness in an increasingly unkind time. “We have a lot to celebrate and a lot of challenges,” says Embracing Our Differences Executive Director Sarah Wertheimer. “The work and this mission are needed more today than they were 20 years ago.” The exhibition is free and open to the public.

For two decades, Embracing Our Differences has championed inclusion and tolerance in the community through educational programming and its yearly flagship art exhibition in Bayfront Park, seeing as many as 50 or more billboard-sized works of art erected on the green, each paired with an original quote calling for peace, love and acceptance. Embracing Kindness sees the Sarasota-based nonprofit looking back through hundreds of entries over the years and narrowing that down to a select 14 to be displayed outside at the Sarasota Art Museum. “We tried to find those pieces that were memorable for the community,” says Wertheimer, “but also vary topics and art styles and representation.” It’s impossible to pick a favorite, she says, but she’s proud to include two from Ukraine—one from the 2019 show and the other from the 2020 exhibition. In total, Embracing Kindness includes art from five different countries.

But as much as Embracing Kindness is about looking back and celebrating how the wider community has embraced and supported the Embracing Our Differences mission over the years, it’s also about looking forward to what kind of future that community wants to create and how important kindness is in daily life. “It’s a simple concept,” Wertheimer says, “but unfortunately it isn’t practiced all the time.” But by blowing up the message 16 feet wide and more than 12 feet tall, she hopes maybe it’ll make an impact. “I hope people walk away with a deeper appreciation for the importance of treating one another with kindness and respect,” she says. “And a deeper appreciation of diverse perspectives and life experiences, and how much richer it makes our world when we’re able to bring them together.”

And although the world, at times, may seem to be going in the opposite direction—“We were hoping the world would be growing into a kinder, more respectful place,” Wertheimer says, “but unfortunately that’s not what we’re seeing across the world today.”—she won’t let it slow her, or Embracing Our Differences, down. “That doesn’t mean we need to stop trying,” she says. “It just means we need to do even more.”

On display through November 26, Embracing Kindness is free to view and membership with Sarasota Art Museum is not required for entry, although access is through the museum building. An Art Talk with Embracing Our Differences Exhibit Director Sheila D. McKoy will be held at the museum on October 28 at 1pm and is also free to attend. 

Pictured: One World One Heart by Anna Zigel of Boyarka, Ukraine, from the 2019 Embracing Our Differences Exhibit.

To learn more, visit.

This Friday, October 20th, from 8-9:30 pm, music instructors Iain Harris and Taylor Galford will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s seminal album The Dark Side of The Moon with a tribute concert at local music school, Music Compound.

“Here at Music Compound, we normally have a monthly concert with the members, half of which are themed. October is always Rocktober which made me think that we should play something by Pink Floyd,” says Harris. “As I started writing down what songs we could do I thought to myself, well this is like half of The Dark Side of The Moon album. Why don’t we just do the whole album? It’s one of those ideas that’s so blindly ambitious that I thought, well I’ve thought of it, so now we have to do it.”

The concert, which will feature 22 students and 11 staff members, will be a full 45 minute run through of the album with no breaks in between songs. “People are going to be running on and off the stage, swapping out instruments song by song, it really is a collaborative effort by the whole school. It’s by far the most ambitious thing we’ve ever attempted to do which is really exciting,” says Harris. “It’s a complete, contained work. Taylor has worked to create backing tracks and sound effects–all the instruments will be live of course–but if you know the album, then you know that there’s various sound effects like heart beats and cash registers that complete the work.”

Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the concert and Music Compound as a whole is the accessibility factor of the program. While participants in this particular concert had to have a particular level of skill, it is a Pink Floyd album after all, the age range and experience level varies widely from musician to musician. “We say that Music Compound is for all people of all ages and all abilities. It’s an environment where everyone can come together and be creative,” says Harris. “We have musicians in their early teens up to retirement age playing together in this concert. There’s various lineups of different songs and instrumental sections where people who could be grandparents and grandchildren are playing together. It really is a communal event.”

Friday, October 20 8-9:30 pm, Music Compound SRQ, 1751 Cattlemen Rd, Sarasota. 

Pictured: Music Compound instructors Taylor Galford (far left) and Iain Harris (third from left) lead fellow instructors and students during a rehearsal of the tribute to Pink Floyd's seminal album, The Dark Side of the Moon. Photo courtesy of Music Co

To learn more, visit.

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announced today that a distinguished panel of arts and cultural leaders will discuss the myriad of challenges facing the arts in Florida and our country in the newly announced program “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens: State of the Arts in Florida.” This event will take place on Thursday, November 30th at 5pm at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus. Hermitage Curatorial Council member Nataki Garrett, who recently served as Artistic Director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Tony and Olivier Award-winning producer Tom Kirdahy, a Sarasota resident and friend of the Hermitage, will participate in a discussion with the President of the Manasota Chapter of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), David Wilkins, in a conversation moderated by Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. No matter where you get your news, it is a given reality that America – and Florida, in particular – feels more divided now than at nearly any point in our history. How does this impact the artists who call Florida home or who come here to make work? What challenges does this create for our state’s cultural economy? These esteemed professionals will share their experiences and thoughts in a candid and wide-ranging discussion on the arts community and the artists creating work in the state of Florida and beyond. 

ensembleNEWSRQ (enSRQ), the innovative chamber music ensemble, opens its eighth season with “Beyond the Veil,” an ethereal glimpse into the world beyond, with haunting works for string quartet and piano from some of the brightest new voices in music. String quartets from Nia Imani Franklin and Julia Adolphe bookend a captivating trio for violins and piano from Chris Rogerson. Philippe Manoury’s monumental “Tensio” for string quartet and live electronics transports audiences to a different world. The concert is Monday, October 23, 7:30 p.m., at First Congregational Church, 1031 S. Euclid Ave., Sarasota. Single tickets are $25. Season subscriptions for five concerts are available now for $115. For more information on ticket packages and single tickets, including student ticket pricing, visit www.EnSRQ.org.  

The Perlman Music Program nurtures the talent of gifted young musicians by providing an opportunity for them to train in Sarasota with Itzhak Perlman and other renowned musicians at the PMP Winter Residency. After the residency, PMP students move on to higher education and careers. The Perlman Music Program Suncoast (Perlman Suncoast) then invites these alumni back to the Sarasota-Manatee region for performances and outreach initiatives in public venues, retirement centers, private communities, places of worship, and public schools. Each performance offers a unique opportunity for area audiences to learn about and interact with the musicians through Q&A sessions and post-concert receptions. In November, Perlman Suncoast presents two recitals by the Tobias Quartet. The first event is Wednesday, November 15, 7 p.m., in the Thomas McGuire Hall at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The program features Ludwig van Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18 No. 2 in G Major and Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major. Tickets are $20. To purchase tickets, visit PerlmanSuncoast.org. 

Pictured: n November, Perlman Suncoast presents two recitals by the Tobias Quartet.

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is excited to bring children and their families the magic of the holiday season with the latest iteration of Deck the Halls. This interactive family-friendly, music-filled show celebrates everything that makes the holidays in Sarasota special. Since Deck the Halls was first produced in 2016, the show has become a holiday tradition for many families on the Suncoast. This year, the festivities return with all-new sketches, all-new songs, and all-new memories ready for the making. Created by Caroline Saldivar and Sarah Durham with additional material by Dellan Short and Jeremy Weinstein, Deck the Halls plays select Saturdays and Sundays starting November 25 in FST’s Keating Theatre. Inspired by happenings in the community and trends in popular culture, this year’s edition of Deck the Halls will lovingly spoof everything from over-the-top commercials and Taylor Swift-mania to snowbirds and the rise of TikTok—all shared through a family-friendly lens. Audiences can also expect entertaining parodies of classic holiday songs—such as “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Jingle Bells”—as well as original comedy sketches featuring five of Santa’s favorite elves and Mrs. Claus herself. Cast in this show are Lorelei Frank, Olivia Green, Deonta Mitchell, Mitchell Nalos, Lauren Phillips, James Randolph, and Dellan Short—all members of FST’s Professional Training Program. The creative team features direction and scenic design by Caroline Saldivar, musical arrangements by Jeremy Weinstein and Jim Prosser, choreography by Trisha Stever, music direction by Jeremy Weinstein, costume design by Scarlett Kellum, lighting design by Dio Raquel Jr., and sound design by Naomi Marin. Deck the Halls is part of a four-show subscription package. Also included in the Children’s Theatre Series subscription package is The Velveteen Rabbit: A Toy Story, a brand-new adaptation of Margery Williams’ classic story, Red Riding Hood, a furiously fast retelling of the popular fairy tale, and The Power of Peanut Butter & Other Winning Plays, a collection of award-winning plays written by elementary school students from around the world. Subscriptions for all four Children’s Theatre shows are now on sale for only $20—just $5 per person per show. Single tickets are also available for $10 per ticket. Subscriptions and tickets are now on sale at 941.366.9000 or FloridaStudioTheatre.org. 

To learn more, visit.

We are thrilled to announce Hamlet’s Eatery and I Love Downtown Facebook Group (ILDS) is hosting their first Talent Show TONIGHT, Friday, Oct 20th. We have found over a dozen exceptional acts to participate in this thrilling event from singers, dancers, and even a magician! Our talent show aims to provide a platform for performers to shine bright and share their passion with a supportive community. Judges Mark Klecka, Scott Malouf, Nicole Hancock, and Michelle Madeo Keyvani will have the difficult decision of who gets the prizes. But we need your help, the audience will vote for their favorite too! There are amazing prizes for these brave acts. This event promises to be an unforgettable evening filled with awe-inspiring performances, friendly competition, and immense entertainment. The show will be held outside in the courtyard of The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave in Sarasota. Doors open at 5pm and the show will start around 6pm. Join us on October 20th for an evening of incredible talents, remarkable performances, and an abundance of applause. For more information visit www.Hamletseatery.com or call 941-445-1938. 

Sarasota Orchestra celebrates the ingenuity of composers from across the centuries in two November concerts. Its first Masterworks series concert pairs Beethoven’s epic Third Symphony, “Eroica,” with a bluegrass-inspired concerto from the 21st century. On the Orchestra’s Chamber Soirée series, a one-night-only performance of Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat offers music and theatre lovers a unique opportunity to experience an imaginative masterpiece. Masterworks: Beethoven’s Eroica-Sarasota Orchestra’s Masterworks series gets off to a joyous start with a program featuring Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony, a supreme work that is by turns heroic, somber, and ecstatic. David Alan Miller leads the Orchestra in this masterpiece, which redefined the symphonic art form. Tessa Lark, violinist and fiddler extraordinaire, brings her flair to Michael Torke’s bluegrass-inspired violin concerto, Sky. The sparkling Overture to Die Fledermaus, Johann Strauss Jr.’s comic homage to champagne and practical jokes, opens the celebration. Grammy Award-winning conductor David Alan Miller has served as Music Director of the Albany Symphony since 1992 and currently serves as Sarasota Orchestra’s Artistic Advisor. Violinist Tessa Lark’s recording of Sky with the Albany Symphony earned a 2020 Grammy nomination for Best Classical Instrumental Solo: November 3, 7:30 pm, November 4, 7:30 pm, November 5, 2:30 pm, Van Wezel, Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org or call the Box Office at (941) 953-3434.

Chamber Soirée: A Soldier’s Tale: Igor Stravinsky’s music for the theatrical work L’Histoire du Soldat propels the tale of a soldier who trades his magic violin to the Devil in exchange for knowledge of the future. The piece is a tour de force for the seven instrumentalists, three actors and one narrator tasked with bringing the spectacular score to life. Now considered among the most important chamber music opuses of the early 20th century, L’Histoire’s combination of virtuosic instrumental writing and dramatic narration always make its live performance a must-see event! Director and Production Designer Logan gabrielle Schulman is a New York-based interdisciplinary theatrical director and installation artist with a degree in Theatre and Religion from New College of Florida. Raychel Ceciro (the princess, associate producer), 23 Alejo-Barbić (the soldier), Amber McNew (the devil) and Casey Murphy (the narrator) make up the cast. Costumes designed by Anna Roth. November 19, 4:00 pm, Holley Hall, Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org or call the Box Office at (941) 953-3434. 

To learn more, visit.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is excited to welcome Mannheim Steamroller Christmas to Sarasota on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at 7 p.m. Chip Davis, founder and creator of Mannheim Steamroller, will celebrate over 35 Years of his annual Christmas concert tour, making it the longest running concert tour in the entertainment industry! Tickets are currently on sale. Davis founded his own record label, American Gramaphone, which went on to become one of the industry’s largest independent record labels. A Grammy Award winner, Mannheim Steamroller has sold more than 41 million albums, with over 31.5 million in the Christmas genre. Their holiday CD’s have become synonymous with Christmas and occupy top positions on Billboard’s Seasonal Chart every year. This year’s show will feature classic Christmas hits from the Mannheim Steamroller holiday albums along with multimedia effects in an intimate setting. Davis will direct and co-produce Tour performances with MagicSpace Entertainment. Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased at www.VanWezel.org, by calling the box office at 941-263-6799 or by visiting the box office Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Groups of 10 or more should contact 941-263-6726. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis is co-produced by MagicSpace Entertainment. The company is a boutique producing and presenting firm focused on first-class properties and productions. Based in Park City, UT, the company has produced and presented national tours, Broadway shows, concerts, museum exhibits and sporting events worldwide for over 40 years with a powerhouse producing team focused on providing creative, marketing and general management expertise. www.magicspace.net. 

Wellen Park invites the community to “fall” into fun with a new lineup of events. Come to Downtown Wellen to enjoy a variety of local musicians performing in the brand-new Fall Music Series, a calendar full of flexible fitness classes, a memorable Fall Fest event, a community art event celebrating the local visual and performing arts community, and so much more.  From live music to fun-filled festivals, there are plenty of ways to celebrate fall at Wellen Park.  Wellen Park’s calendar reflects the exciting upcoming events coming to Downtown Wellen. Most activities are free and open to the public. For more information, visit wellenpark.com/events. Showcase your #WellenLiving experiences this fall by posting on Facebook and Instagram. Tag Wellen Park for a chance to be featured on its Facebook and Instagram pages.   

SRQ’s Giving Coast program connects the nonprofits in our region with our philanthropic readers in the Giving Back May/June and the December editions of SRQ Magazine with the Donor's Guide To Giving. Our region is known for its strong philanthropic spirit. Join us this May/June in recognizing and sharing your organization’s mission and your wish list with those who want to support you. Capture your story and engage our readership in your philanthropic work. Space closes Friday, October 20, 2023. Please reach out to your Account Executive or Robinson Valverde at robinson.valverde@srqme.com