A new art gallery is coming to the Sarasota arts scene with the August opening of 502 Gallery in the Burns Court Historic District. Created by artists Tim Jaeger and Cassia Kite, as well as local collector Richard Mones, the new gallery will be dedicated to showcasing the power and beauty of small works, inviting its roster of near 50 emerging and established artists from the Southwest Florida region to scale down and say more with less. The gallery opens August 5 with its first exhibition, “Shopliftable.”

“It’s a really exciting time to be opening a gallery,” says Jaeger, noting that, with last year’s departure of 530 Burns, the neighborhood lacks a solid visual arts presence. “And we’re excited to share with Sarasota a lot of artists who are either unrecognized, underrepresented or haven’t exhibited in a while.”

This will not be the first time Jaeger has championed the importance of small-scale artwork in the Sarasota art scene, having previously curated an early version of the Shopliftable concept at GAZE Modern in the Rosemary District years ago. “Small works invite people to get up close and personal,” he says. “It’s a more detailed experience and people like the intimacy of it.” For the August exhibition, contributing artists have been asked to create a piece no larger than 6” in any dimension, and have answered the call with ceramics, painting, drawing, photography and even kinetic sculpture from Steven Strenk and Virginia Hoffman.

Other artists with 502 Gallery include Joseph Arnegger, Jorge Blanco, Matteo Caloiaro, Tom Casmer, Omar Chacon, Jesse Clark, Jack Dowd, Linda Driggs, Regan Dunnick, Joe Fig, Gale Fulton-Ross, Jenny Medved, Meg Pierce, Taylor Robenalt, Jeff Schwartz and Rob Tarbell.

Beyond artistic preference, Jaeger also sees creating and celebrating small-scale artwork as an important factor in making the local arts scene accessible, both for collectors and artists. “It paves the way for younger collectors to be able to afford artwork from local artists, to start a collection,” he says. And for those with established collections, smaller works can more easily be integrated into the whole. “A lot of collectors already have their statement piece,” he says. “But there’s always room for another small piece of artwork somewhere.”

With time, Jaeger hopes that 502 can be that place where new artists and collectors find their footholds, established artists and collectors add to their repertoire, and all benefit from a more vibrant exchange. “It’s creating another standard in the community and raising the bar for the visual arts,” he says. “But on a personal note, it gives me great joy to see other artists succeed. And that’s what this is for.”

Located at 502 South Pineapple Street in the Burns Court Historic District, 502 Gallery opens August 5 with Shopliftable.

Pictured: Octocup by Christina Hess will be part of 502 Gallery's debut show, Shopliftable.

The Ringling Circus and Sarasota have been joined at the hip since 1927, when John Ringling moved the circus’ headquarters to the Gulf Coast. From then on, Sarasota became known as a circus town, a cultural hub for artists and creatives in the Southeast. The Ringling blossomed into the region’s preeminent arts organization and although the institution no longer produces a circus of its own, the tradition of circus in Sarasota lives on. For the past 18 years, The Ringling has partnered with the Circus Arts Conservatory to produce the Summer Circus Spectacular. The show, which began its nine-week run at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre earlier this month, brings some of the best of what the circus world has to offer back to Sarasota for an extended run.

This year’s lineup features a number of exceptional acts including Zore Espana on the Cyr Wheel, a 6th generation circus artist from Englewood, Florida. Espana, who hails from a legendary trapeze family, dazzles on the Cyr wheel and is just one of the artists in this year’s lineup making their Summer Circus Spectacular debut. “Zore has such a captivating act and is a beautiful, flowing, energized representation of what the Cyr wheel act is,” says Pedro Reis, Founder and President/CEO of the Circus Arts Conservatory. Other artists include Antino Pansa on the slack wire, Camille Langlois with the hair hang, the contortionist Uranbileg Angarag and more. “The show is so exciting because we have a very, very strong ensemble of artists. What Antino Pansa does on the slack wire is just amazing–he does handstands, one-armed handstands, splits and more. Camille has a hair hanging act that is unique and quite powerful, it has a message that I think is going to resonate with both children and adults,” says Reis. “Uranbileg is going to perform a piece called Broken Doll, where she performs contortion which is very unique and spellbinding.”

Audience members of the Summer Circus Spectacular also have an opportunity to explore The Ringling’s circus history at a discounted price. For just an additional $5, attendees can gain access to The Ringling’s Historic Circus Galleries and Tibbals Learning Center.

June 14 through August 17, The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, Box office: 941-360-7399.

Pictured: Slack Wire artist Antino Pansa. Photo courtesy of CAC.

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VenuesNow, a leading B2B trade publication for live entertainment venues globally, has released its mid-year charts, and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has made some of the top ranks.  Coming off a successful 2023-2024 season, Hamilton, which played at the Van Wezel for a two week sold out run, was ranked the number two show in U.S. theaters for tickets sold and number four worldwide, for venues under 2,000 seats. The Van Wezel season took the number two spot for most tickets sold in the U.S., second to Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, Fla. Van Wezel was also ranked as the number four venue worldwide for ticket sales, for venues under 2,000 seats. These calculations come from data collected by VenuesNow between November 16, 2023 and May 15, 2024. Mary Bensel, Executive Director of the Van Wezel, shares her excitement, "It is such a thrill to receive the great news that the Van Wezel has ranked so well in the VenuesNow mid-year report. We are overjoyed to share these accomplishments. It shows how the performing arts in Sarasota have made a comeback after the pandemic years. I am confident that our strong programming has kept us connected to our beloved communities this year, and I'm overjoyed when thinking about next season's lineup of performances and the new performing arts center." The Van Wezel promises another thrilling season of highly anticipated shows for the 2024-2025 show season with Broadway Blockbusters like Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Funny Girl, Les Misérables, and Beetlejuice, alongside concerts from Bill Ocean and The Commodores, to name a few. Additional Van Wezel shows are being announced throughout the summer, with the full season lineup expected to be revealed at the end of August. Future updates on shows and productions can be found on the Van Wezel’s website and social media accounts. 

The River District Alliance (RDA) in partnership with the City of Fort Myers and The Caloosa Sound Amphitheater is set to host an unforgettable Independence Day celebration with a tribute to Southwest Florida Veterans followed by a Star-Spangled Salute with The Venice Symphony Jazz Orchestra. Under the direction of Musical Director Peter Barenbregge, the 17-piece orchestra will perform a mixed selection of powerful patriotic tunes, pop classics, big-band classics, and conclude with a spectacular fireworks display. The July 4th celebration concert will feature two world-class vocal soloists Michelle Amato and Jeremy Gaynor from NBC’s The Voice for the patriotic tribute with The Venice Symphony Jazz Orchestra. An audience of 20,000 people are expected to attend the evening’s festivities. Admission to the event is free for all attendees. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets to comfortably enjoy the music and fireworks from their preferred viewing spots at the amphitheater. On-site refreshments will also be available. The Star-Spangled Salute is a family-friendly event that welcomes residents and visitors alike to join in celebrating America's independence in a festive outdoor setting. For more details and event updates, please visit https://caloosasoundamp.com/events/. 

Aviva Senior Living, a not-for-profit senior rental residential community is pleased to announce appointments to its Board of Trustees, effective July 1, 2024. Eric Fox will become the organization’s board chair for a two-year term. In addition, Mark Cole, Alan Funk and Alan Goldner will join the board as trustees for a three-year term. The new members join a diverse group of trustees with expertise in business, marketing, healthcare, finance, and not-for-profit management. Eric’s background is in business management and operations for Compass Group, the world's largest food service provider. Additionally, he was in real estate investing. Eric has been on Aviva’s board since 2022 and most recently served as secretary on its executive committee.  Mark Cole has decades of experience in fundraising and nonprofit management for arts and education. He was most recently the Chief Advancement Officer for the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation and currently serves as fundraising counsel to Parisleaf, a branding agency that helps nonprofits fund success through branding their fundraising campaigns. Alan Funk has an extensive background in senior living, having served in senior management positions at various for-profit and non-profit providers of skilled nursing, assisted living and skilled home health care services, including Jewish living facilities.  Alan Goldner brings his business and finance acumen to Aviva, having owned the United Supply Corp. for 30 years, a distributor of school supplies, toys, and home office supplies. Alan is also deeply involved in the Israel Tennis and Education Centers and recently retired to Longboat Key from Mountain Lakes, N.J. With their addition, Aviva’s Board grows to 15 individuals along with the community’s President & CEO, Jay Solomon. 

Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is proud to announce the promotion of four sheriff’s office members in a ceremony held on Thursday. Deputy Ed Hyde is promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Patrol Bureau. The sheriff’s office hired Hyde in 2014 as a patrol deputy. Deputy Dan Hodge is promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Patrol Bureau. The sheriff’s office hired Hodge in 2010 as a patrol deputy. Deputy Ron Bairos is promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Patrol Bureau. The sheriff’s office hired Bairos in 2014 as a patrol deputy. Sergeant Kyle Pfender is promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the Patrol Bureau. The sheriff’s office hired Pfender in 2011 as a patrol deputy.