Welcome

Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Hermitage was built in 1907 and was reconceived as The Hermitage Artist Retreat in 1999. Artists and writers live and work here for six-week residencies curated by national leaders in art and literature. We preserve Old Florida beach houses and the ancient native beachfront environment as a place to birth new art, new thought, and the world’s next great masterpieces.

Hermitage Fellows include nine Pulitzer winners; a host of MacArthur “Geniuses;” and Grammy, Tony, and Emmy winners. Work created at the Hermitage is shown at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna Opera, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall, Mass MoCA, MoMA and the MET Museum.

With a mission to inspire the artists of our time, we invite the public to be inspired as you see and hear cutting edge art, literature, drama and music in Sarasota area venues, and on the Hermitage beach at sunset in a series of free Friday programs.