Friends of the Hermitage |

Full Event Schedule for the 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO), in collaboration with the Greenfield Foundation, presents the 18^th year of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration. The events span from Saturday, April 11^th through Monday, April 13^th, including the annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner in Sarasota on Sunday, April 12^th. The celebration culminates on Monday, April 13^thwith the first public presentation of 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize winner Deepa Purohit’s original play Mxx: The Dignity Project, a new Hermitage commission presented in partnership with Asolo Repertory Theatre.

2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize winner Charisse Pearlina Weston will offer her first public Hermitage program in partnership with The Ringling at the Museum’s Historic Asolo Theater in Sarasota on Saturday, April 11^th at 5pm. Weston, a conceptual artist and writer, contends with the dynamic interplay of violence and intimacy through repetition, enfoldment, and concealment in her work. Drawn to its fragility and danger, glass has been her primary medium for much of her career. Her recent solo exhibit, “mis/mé- (squeeze)” was a New York Times Critic’s Pick. Weston will spend an hour in conversation with 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize juror Larry Ossei-Mensah, independent curator and founder of ARTNOIR. Join the Hermitage for this free community event: “Repetition, Enfoldment, Concealment,” A Conversation on Art and Practice. Together, Weston and Ossei-Mensah will discuss the intricacies of Weston’s practice, offer their perspectives on the arts as a reflection of social impact, and discuss how Charisse’s Hermitage Greenfield Prize commission extends that work into new pathways.

The following night, Charisse Pearlina Weston will be celebrated at the 18^th annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, a benefit for the Hermitage Artist Retreat, starting at 6pm on Sunday, April 12^that Michael’s On East (Sarasota, Florida). The annual fundraiser will feature live musical performances from leading talents of Broadway and beyond. (Guest performers will be announced at a later date.) Past guest performers at this popular event have included Tony Award nominee Eden Espinosa, Tony and Grammy Award winner Rachel Bay Jones, Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, and Tony Award winner Gavin Creel. This elegant annual dinner heralds the jury-selected recipient of this prestigious prize, awarded this season in the discipline of visual art. The Hermitage Greenfield Prize (HGP) is a distinguished national commission awarded by the Hermitage Artist Retreat in partnership with the Philadelphia-based Greenfield Foundation; the $35,000 award rotates annually among visual art, theater, and music. The 2026 winner’s newly commissioned work will have its world premiere exhibition in Sarasota in the spring of 2028. The Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration is presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation, with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County serving as Lead Community Sponsor. Media sponsors include The Herald Tribune, and SRQ Magazine. The co-chairs for this year’s gala dinner are Ellen & Richard Sandor. A full list of this year’s sponsors can be found at HermitageArtistRetreat.org/HGPDinner2026.

Sponsorship levels for this Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, the organization’s spring benefit, range from $2,000 to $10,000. Tables and sponsorships may be purchased by contacting the Hermitage Development Office at (941) 475-2098, Ext. 2, or by emailing Development@HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

The 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration will culminate on Monday, April 13^th at 7pm with the first public presentation of the newly commissioned play by 2024 HGP winner Deepa Purohit, Mxx: The Dignity Project. This presentation will be presented in partnership with Asolo Repertory Theatre at the Asolo’s Koski Center. An immersive play, installation, discussion circle, and “happening,” Mxx: The Dignity Project centers the collected experiences of inter-generational women from the South Asian diaspora in America who engage or disrupt the diasporic rituals and expectations placed on their bodies as they navigate the “machinery” of the medical/elder care/end-of-life system. How do women live, age, and die with dignity in a culture where the entire medical system is built on this key tenet: to prolong life? This workshop presentation features a cast of four South Asian women, including Hermitage Fellow Nandita Shenoy, Sara Haider, Indika Senanayake, and Rita Wolf.

Past recipients of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize include Rucyl Mills, composer and sound artist (2025); Deepa Purohit, playwright (2024); Sandy Rodriguez, visual artist (2023); Rennie Harris, dancer/choreographer (2023); Angélica Negrón, composer (2022); Aleshea Harris, playwright (2021); Helga Davis, composer / performer (2019); Martyna Majok, playwright (2018); David Burnett, photojournalist (2017); Coco Fusco, interdisciplinary artist (2016); Bobby Previte, composer / drummer (2015); Nilo Cruz, playwright (2014); Trenton Doyle Hancock, visual artist (2013); Vijay Iyer, composer/pianist (2012); John Guare, playwright (2011); Sanford Biggers, visual artist (2010); Craig Lucas, playwright (2009); and Eve Beglarian, composer (2009).

“Repetition, Enfoldment, Concealment” – A Conversation on Art and Practice with 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Winner Charisse Pearlina Weston, Saturday, April 11, 2026 @ 5pm: Winner of the 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize in Visual Art, Charisse Pearlina Weston is a conceptual artist and writer whose work contends with the dynamic interplay of violence and intimacy through repetition, enfoldment, and concealment. Drawn to its fragility and danger, Weston has worked with glass as her primary material for much of her career. Her recent solo exhibit, “mis/mé- (squeeze)” was a New York Times Critic’s Pick, the review’s headline exclaiming “Surveillance Never Looked So Good” and noting that “in Weston’s best work, the folds and bends in her industrial ingredients seem to be concealing or safeguarding information, holding things back as they beguile.” Weston will spend this hour in conversation with 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize juror Larry Ossei-Mensah, independent curator and founder of ARTNOIR. Together, they will discuss the intricacies of Weston’s practice, offer their perspectives on the arts as a reflection of social impact, and discuss how her Hermitage Greenfield Prize commission extends that work into new pathways. Presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and The Ringling. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, FL 34243.

GALA DINNER! – 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, Sunday, April 12, 6pm: The 2025 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner recognizes this year’s recipient, visual artist Charisse Pearlina Weston. This 18^th year of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner will feature live performances from Hermitage alumni. Presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation. Lead Community Sponsor: the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Michael’s On East (1212 South East Ave., Sarasota, FL 34239). For information on tables and sponsorships ($2,000 to $10,000), visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org, or call (941) 475-2098, Ext. 2.

“Mxx: The Dignity Project,” a World Premiere Play Commission from 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Winner Deepa Purohit, Monday, April 13 @ 7pm: The culminating work of her 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize commission, Deepa Purohit shares the first public presentation of her new play, Mxx: The Dignity Project. An immersive play, installation, discussion circle, and “happening,” Mxx centers the collected experiences of inter-generational women from the South Asian diaspora in America who engage or disrupt the diasporic rituals and expectations placed on their bodies as they navigate the “machinery” of the medical/elder care/end-of-life system. How do women live, age, and die with dignity in a culture where the entire medical system is built on this key tenet: to prolong life? This presentation features a cast of four South Asian women: Hermitage Fellow Nandita Shenoy, and actors Sara Haider, Indika Senanayake, and Rita Wolf. Presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and Asolo Repertory Theatre. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). Asolo Repertory Theatre’s Koski Center Coville Rehearsal Hall, 1009 Tallevast Rd., Sarasota, FL 34243.

Hermitage Receives $12,000,000 Gift of Land and Property on Manasota Key

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO) announced today that the organization has received an unprecedented gift of land and property from the Morrison and Steans family. Located less than half a mile from the Hermitage’s existing home on Manasota Key, this property will more than double the Hermitage’s capacity for its celebrated artist residency program. The total appraised value of the gift is approximately $12,000,000, making this one of the largest land gifts of its kind to a nonprofit arts organization.

The Gulf-to-Bay property spans 6.5 acres of land and is comprised of five main structures. These buildings will provide additional accommodations for the nonprofit’s renowned artist-in-residence program. Generative artists, writers, and performers are invited by nomination to enjoy multi-week residencies on Manasota Key, where they receive the gift of time and space in an inspirational setting to develop new works of theater, music, visual art, literature, dance, and more.

The Morrison and Steans families – comprised of seven siblings and cousins – made this gift to the Hermitage in honor of their parents: Harrison I. Steans, Lois M. Steans, Harold M. Morrison, and Adeline S. Morrison. “Our parents believed in the mission and values of the Hermitage, and they understood first-hand the inspiration and importance of its Manasota Key home,” said the families in a joint statement. “We donate this property to the Hermitage Artist Retreat filled with hope that it will always remain a place of kindness and tolerance, where invited artists feel welcome; a place for fostering community, collaboration, connectivity, and conversations; a place of inspiration and creation; and a place that stewards the rich ecology and diversity of nature.” Adeline Morrison remains an engaged and enthusiastic supporter of the Hermitage, along with her four daughters, three nieces, and their respective families.

“Our family has a longstanding commitment to the Manasota Key community and its environmental preservation, and we share a collective belief in the power of nature and art to enrich lives,” added the Morrisons and Steans. “Under Andy’s leadership, the Hermitage has demonstrated that its mission and values enhance and enrich the community of the Key immeasurably, while also adding immeasurable value to the global artistic landscape. We have been impressed with Andy’s ambitious vision for the organization, and we are grateful for the beautiful gift that the Hermitage is to Manasota Key, seamlessly integrating its exceptional artists-in-residence program with this beachfront oasis.”

“This transformative gift from the Morrison and Steans family is a game-changer for the future of the Hermitage,” said Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “The family’s belief in the mission and values of the organization is deeply moving, and we do not take for granted what an unbelievable gift this is. This property will allow the Hermitage to not only serve individual artists, but also to uplift and support more collaborative ventures and project residencies – developing works that will be seen across the globe in major presenting halls, Broadway stages, concert venues, leading museums and galleries, bookstores, and cinemas.”

The properties were originally built by the prominent Vanderbilt family, who settled on Manasota Key in the early 1950s. The Steans and Morrisons ultimately acquired the properties from Samuel and Lydia Auchincloss in 1987. For the past four decades, the Steans and Morrisons have used these homes as a retreat for their seven daughters and their respective families and guests.

The properties were officially transferred to the Hermitage in 2025 in pursuit of the organization’s mission: to foster and inspire the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time. This is the largest single gift the Hermitage has ever received in its twenty-three-year history, and one of the largest land gifts of its kind to a nonprofit arts organization.

As the Hermitage has grown, physical capacity has sometimes presented a challenge for the aspirational goals of the organization. In recent years, the Morrison and Steans family invited the nonprofit to host artists-in-residence as their guests when the Hermitage needed overflow accommodations. Since the fall of 2024, following the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton on the Hermitage’s historic buildings, the Morrison and Steans families generously invited the Hermitage to expand its use of their properties. Unlike the historic Hermitage property up the road, the newly donated properties suffered minimal damage from the storms.

“This extraordinary family’s demonstration of their belief in the mission and values of the Hermitage is the truest form of philanthropy,” added Sandberg. “This unparalleled gift gives new life to the future of the organization as we plan for the lasting legacy of the Hermitage, deepening our roots on Manasota Key as we continue to broaden the Hermitage’s reach and impact both nationally and internationally.”

This newly gifted property is also the Hermitage Artist Retreat’s first ownership of land, as the nonprofit organization has been a longstanding tenant of Sarasota County in its properties adjacent to Blind Pass Beach. Nevertheless, the nonprofit organization has no intention of abandoning its original Manasota Key home, where the Hermitage has a lease with Sarasota County that currently allows for extensions up through 2055.

“This new property is intended as an expansion, not a replacement,” added Sandberg. “To have a property of our own where we can host additional artists in residence is deeply meaningful. This will allow us to broaden the reach and impact of our Hermitage programming, and to dream even bigger about the possibilities for project residencies, artistic collaborations, and more.”

*The Hermitage Artist Retreat on Manasota Key – Historic Campus (North) and Newly Gifted Residences (South)*

The 850 artists the Hermitage has served includes 18 Pulitzer Prize winners, Poets Laureate, Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellows, and multiple Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar winners and nominees.

“The Hermitage is an organization that is deeply committed to celebrating the freedom of artistic expression, offering necessary space and time for artists to ruminate, conjure, and create,” said two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. “I had the opportunity to visit the Hermitage as a Fellow, and I have more recently held the honor of serving on the Curatorial Council. This extraordinary gift of expansion to the Hermitage will provide wonderful new possibilities for collaboration and invention.”

“This is one of the most heavenly and inspiring places on earth, and the interdisciplinary nature of the Hermitage’s programming is deeply connected to its roots on Manasota Key,” added internationally renowned flutist Claire Chase. “It is thrilling to imagine how this gift will allow the Hermitage to expand its already visionary possibilities.”

“I have developed my plays Liberation and Camp Siegfried at the Hermitage, among other new projects, and I cannot express to you how vital this magical place is to the cultural fabric of our society,” said Tony Award-nominated playwright Bess Wohl, whose hit Broadway play Liberation shared some of its earliest excerpts on the Hermitage Beach. “I recently had the opportunity to stay at this new property as a guest of the Morrison and Steans family, and to know that this land has now been entrusted to Hermitage for its mission gives me so much joy and hope for the future of all the incredible work that will be made there for generations to come.”

“The Hermitage is one of those rare places where there’s no limit on what you can explore,” said acclaimed choreographer Lorenzo ‘Rennie’ Harris. “My dancers and I were among the first to experience the generosity of this new property, and hearing that this inspiring property will be in the hands of the Hermitage forever gives me so much hope for the future. Anything and everything are possible at the Hermitage, and I am so grateful to know there are kind and generous people who believe so passionately in the mission of this remarkable place.”

“This is a monumental accomplishment for the Hermitage and a triumph for the countless artists and audiences who will benefit from this profoundly generous donation,” added Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Hermitage alumnus and trustee Doug Wright. “The Hermitage is championing artists at the most critical stage of their process, and the inspiration behind so many of the works created at the Hermitage has been deeply influenced by the magic of Manasota Key. This expansion is a thrilling gift to our cultural society. Now, what dreams may come!”

“Seeing this gift come to fruition is nothing short of a dream come true,” added Sandberg. “It has also been a great pleasure getting to know the extended Morrison and Steans families,” added Sandberg. “I had the privilege of meeting Addie Morrison when I first joined the Hermitage six years ago. Since then, I have enjoyed getting to know the family as neighbors, friends, and supporters. Sitting down with the seven cousins to discuss our shared goals has been inspiring and invigorating. Collectively and individually, the Steans and Morrisons are good-hearted, passionate, and thoughtfully intelligent people. We are honored that they have entrusted us with their family’s legacy on Manasota Key.”

In addition to its commitment as an arts incubator, the Hermitage takes pride in its commitment to ecological preservation. The organization has invested significantly over the years in planting native flora and removing invasive species from its Manasota Key home. “The Hermitage is deeply committed to caring for this land and these unique coastal properties,” said Emeritus Trustee and longtime Manasota Key resident Larry Bold. “As we have demonstrated with the commitment, care, and resources we have put into the properties down the road, the Hermitage Board and team take our role as stewards of the land very seriously, and we know the Morrison and Steans families have put great trust in the Hermitage for the future of this land. We do not take the responsibility lightly, and as we have always done, the Hermitage intends to be both attentive caretakers and thoughtful neighbors.”

The Hermitage Board of Trustees recognizes this new ownership of property will mean an increase to the annual operating budget, and they are eager to embrace this next chapter. “This has been an incredible period of growth for our organization,” noted Board President Carole Crosby. “The organization is ripe for continued expansion, and we are hopeful that this extremely generous gift from the Morrison and Steans families will inspire others to recognize the value of supporting this vital arts organization.”

“We are excited about what this will mean for the future of the organization,” added Andy Sandberg. “This milestone gift is setting the Hermitage on a thrilling trajectory, with new opportunities and possibilities on the horizon.”

Since assuming his role as Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage in January of 2020, Sandberg has guided the organization through a period of significant growth and expansion. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and three of the region’s most devastating hurricanes, Sandberg and the Hermitage team have dramatically expanded the organization’s live programming; introduced dozens of new regional, national, and international collaborations; grown the organization’s annual revenue by nearly 5X; and overseen two of the largest nonprofit theater-commissioning initiatives in America. The Hermitage is now recognized as one of the preeminent new works incubators in the United States, celebrating and elevating the voices of diverse and accomplished artists spanning theater, music, visual art, dance, film, literature, and more. Beyond his role at the Hermitage, Sandberg is a director, writer, and Tony Award-winning producer whose theatrical work has been represented in New York, London, and throughout the U.S.

A leading national arts incubator, the Hermitage is the only major arts organization in Florida exclusively committed to supporting the development and creation of new work across all artistic disciplines. The Hermitage hosts artists on its Gulf Coast Manasota Key campus for multi-week residencies, where diverse and accomplished artists from around the world and across multiple disciplines create and develop new works of theater, music, visual art, literature, dance, film, and more. As part of their residencies, Hermitage Fellows participate in free year-round community programs, offering audiences in the region a unique opportunity to engage with some of the world’s leading artists and to get an authentic “sneak peek” into extraordinary projects and artistic minds before their works go on to major galleries, concert halls, theaters, and museums around the world. These free and innovative programs include performances, conversations, readings, music concerts, interactive experiences, open studios, school programs, teacher workshops, and more, serving thousands in our regional community each year.

Hermitage Raises Over $450,000 at Artful Lobster – a Record Breaker!

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) raised over $450,000 at the 2025 Hermitage Artful Lobster on Saturday, November 8^th. This annual event raises valuable funds for the Hermitage’s internationally renowned artist residency program, supporting the creative process of artists from around the world in the fields of music, theater, visual art, literature, dance, and more. This year’s event returned to the Hermitage’s historic beachfront campus on Manasota Key after being displaced by the hurricanes in 2024. Over 200 guests attended the sold-out luncheon, where Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg served as the master of ceremonies.

The event featured performances from Tony Award nominated Broadway star Betsy Wolfe (Death Becomes Her; Waitress; & Juliet); Latvian guitarist and Hermitage Fellow Matīss Čudars, the 2023 recipient of the Hermitage Prize in Composition; and 2024 Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative Fellow Raleigh Mosely II.

Following welcome remarks from Andy Sandberg who reflected on the past year and expressed gratitude to the larger Hermitage community, Raleigh Mosely II kicked off the musical entertainment with an unforgettable performance of “The Only One,” written by Tony Award-winning Hermitage Fellow Gavin Creel. This song was from Creel’s musical Walk on Through, which was developed in part at the Hermitage prior to Creel’s passing. Sandberg noted that this performance in Gavin’s honor was intended to celebrate the legacy of this beloved performer and Hermitage alum. Shortly thereafter, the event’s headliner Betsy Wolfe took to the stage to share two songs from original musicals she’s developed. This included “The Shape of Things” from the new musical Joy, with music and lyrics by Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist AnnMarie Milazzo. After lunch, guitarist Matīss Čudars, the 2023 recipient of the Hermitage Prize in Composition at the Aspen Music Festival & School, delighted the audience with a guitar performance of his original composition “Vilcienā,” as well as a memorable rendition of the Beatles’ “Let it Be.” Following a brief video presentation about the impact of the hurricanes in the past season, Betsy Wolfe returned for a poignant rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” to highlight the Hermitage’s recovery efforts. After a highly successful and enthusiastic paddle raise led by Sandberg with some help from “Artsy” the Artful Lobster, Wolfe closed out the event with the pop anthem “Domino,” featured in the musical & Juliet, for which Wolfe received a Tony Award nomination. Sarasota musician and frequent Hermitage collaborator Joseph Holt performed alongside both Wolfe and Mosely on the keys. Between sponsorships and the paddle raise, the event raised over $450,000 in support of the Hermitage mission: to inspire and foster the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time.

“This year’s Artful Lobster was an event to remember and an especially meaningful celebration of resilience as we returned to the Hermitage campus,” said Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “We are thankful to all who attended and supported this year’s festivities. The generous outpouring of support for the work we are doing at the Hermitage is a demonstration of our community’s extraordinary commitment to the arts and the creative process.”

This year’s Artful Lobster was co-chaired by Sondra & Gerald Biller and Michael & Carol Clark. Sponsors and partners for the 2025 Artful Lobster included Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Key Agency, Herald-Tribune / Local IQ, and SRQ Media. A full list of this year’s sponsors and partners can be found at HermitageArtistRetreat.org/ArtfulLobster2025.

Third Annual Concert in the Ruby E. Crosby Alumni Music Series

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) is pleased to announce the third annual concert in the Ruby E. Crosby Alumni Music Series at the Hermitage, featuring award-winning composer and pianist Conrad Tao. This event will take place on Thursday, March 28^th at 7pm at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. This alumni music initiative was launched in 2022 to a full-capacity crowd at Selby Gardens with “Soulful Strings: An Evening of Harp Music,” featuring celebrated harpist and Hermitage alumna Ashley Jackson. Last year’s concert, “The Pop-Folk World of Zoe Sarnak,” featured award-winning New York City-based Hermitage alum Zoe Sarnak,withSarasota-based vocalists and musicians performing Sarnak’s original songs at Nathan Benderson Park.

This year, the Ruby E. Crosby Alumni Music Series at the Hermitage returns to classical music with world-renowned pianist, composer, and Hermitage Fellow Conrad Tao. Tao has appeared worldwide as a pianist and composer – including acclaimed performances with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, and more. He has been dubbed “the kind of musician who is shaping the future of classical music” by New York Magazine and an artist of “probing intellect and open-hearted vision” by The New York Times.

The Ruby E. Crosby Alumni Music Series at the Hermitage offers the opportunity for a distinguished Hermitage alumni composer or musician to return for additional residency time and a special community concert. This initiative is made possible by a generous multi-year gift from the Ruby E. and Carole Crosby Family Foundation. Current Hermitage Board President Carole Crosby initiated this gift as a special tribute to her mother Ruby, who helped to inspire her own deep love of music. A musician herself, Carole Crosby graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music and played the harp in both the Atlanta Symphony and Detroit Symphony.

“The Hermitage brings some of the most impressive performers in the world to our community,” said Crosby. “Music was always incredibly important to me and to my mother, so it’s an honor to celebrate her memory with this initiative spotlighting and supporting some truly extraordinary composers and musicians. I am continually inspired by the Hermitage’s commitment to these artists and the impact these magnificent talents are having in our region.”

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Conrad Tao back to Sarasota to share his talents with our growing Hermitage audience,” added Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Anyone who has seen Conrad perform knows that is one of the most extraordinary and innovative pianists of his generation. As we continue to reengage with and provide more opportunities for Hermitage alumni, this generous gift from Carole Crosby in honor of her mother allows us to celebrate some of the groundbreaking musical talents who have come to know Sarasota through their time at the Hermitage and to share their latest work with the members of our community.”

Hermitage Fellow Conrad Tao captures and energizes the essence of popular classical music through his undeniably gifted lens of improvisation and imaginative composition to elevate the future of music. He has amassed a steady stream of awards and critical acclaim for his performances, compositions, and recordings with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, and symphonies around the world. A returning Hermitage Fellow, Tao is the recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and was named a Gilmore Young Artist – an honor awarded only once every two years to highlight the most promising American pianists of the new generation.

“Piano Classics Remade” will be presented outdoors at Selby Gardens (Downtown Sarasota) on Thursday, March 28^th at 7pm. This program is free and open to the public with a $5/person registration fee. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org. Capacity will be limited, and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis, at which time registration will shift to a waitlist. Early registration is strongly encouraged.

Hermitage Receives National and Regional Grants

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announced receipt of several significant grants that will support the Hermitage’s mission and community programming. The Hermitage offers one-of-a-kind artistic programming with a focus on community impact, education, and social justice. The Hermitage provides artists the opportunity to create bold new works of art across all artistic disciplines. These extraordinary talents give back to the community by presenting their works in progress to audiences throughout our region before they go on to national and international acclaim. The Hermitage welcomes nearly 100 of the world’s leading artists to Sarasota County each year. Their free community programming now includes over 50 events annually at locations throughout the Gulf Coast region. Support from these organizations allow the Hermitage to continue to support artists and community initiatives.

Gulf Coast Community Foundation (GCCF)is continuing its support of the Hermitage with a $40,000 Arts Appreciation Grant in support of the Hermitage’s mission: to inspire and foster the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time. The Hermitage became one of Gulf Coast’s “Arts Appreciation” grantees in 2021, following multiple years of ongoing support and partnership. This grant was made possible through the Venice Endowment Fund, the Agnes Gnewikow Charitable Fund, and the Margaret Lehman Endowment Fund.

An additional $15,000 in community program support came from The Exchange of Sarasota, which awarded a grant for “Hermitage North” programming and the Hermitage’s arts education initiative. Part of these funds were awarded through The Exchange’s new Elizabeth Lindsay Arts in Education grant program.

Additional gifts of support include a grant for improvements designed to enhance artist facilities from the Frank E. Duckwall Foundation, a Capacity Building Grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County (CFSC) to support professional development, a grant from the Camilla & Earl McGrath Foundation toward the Hermitage’s nationally renowned artist residency program and free community programming, with continuing grants from the Amphion Foundation, Sustainable Arts Foundation, and Plantation Community Foundation to show support for special Hermitage programs in dance, music, family residencies, and more.

The Hermitage is widely recognized for its national artist residency program and its rapidly expanding community programming, introducing area audiences to some of the world’s leading artists across all disciplines. “As our programs and collaborations continue to evolve and expand throughout our region, we are excited to build bridges to new audiences and invaluable supporters,” says Andy Sandberg,Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage. “We are truly grateful for these generous grants from both new and longtime supporters, all of which will allow us to provide more support and resources to the diverse and accomplished Hermitage artists who are making a meaningful and lasting impact in our community and beyond.”

Adam Gwon and Reggie Harris to Perform at 2022 Artful Lobster

The Hermitage Artist Retreat, now celebrating its 20^th Anniversary Season, announced today that Hermitage Fellow Adam Gwon, an acclaimed musical theater composer whose work has been described by The New York Times as “funny and urbane with a sweetness that doesn’t cloy,” will headline the Hermitage’s signature fall fundraising event, “The Artful Lobster: An Outdoor Celebration!” on Saturday, November 12^th from 11:30am to 2pm at the Hermitage campus on Manasota Key (Sarasota County, Florida). Gwon is joined by Reggie Harris, a returning Hermitage alumnus, remarkably gifted musician and storyteller, and pillar of the international folk music scene for more than 40 years. Harris will also be presenting a community program at Booker High School as part of the “Hermitage @ Booker” series on Friday, November 4^th.

Now in its 14^th year, the Artful Lobster raises valuable funds for the Hermitage’s nationally renowned artist residency program, supporting the creative process of artists from around the world in the fields of music, theater, visual art, literature, dance, and more. This popular event, which takes place outdoors beneath a large tent on the Hermitage’s beachfront campus, features a lobster feast catered by Michael’s On East, in addition to live performances from renowned Hermitage Fellows. The co-chairs for the 2022 Artful Lobster are Maryann Casey and Elizabeth Moore.

A recipient of the Kleban Award, the Fred Ebb Award, the Richard Rodgers Award, and the Frederick Loewe Award, among others, Adam Gwon’s work has been performed on six continents and across the United States at venues such as Roundabout Theatre, Signature Theatre, South Coast Repertory, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and more.

A consummate storyteller and teaching artist, Reggie Harris’ music has regularly topped the folk charts. His skill and charm deliver a message of joy, unity, tolerance, and peace through the powerful medium of live music.

Hermitage Receives Over $220,000 in Regional and National Grants

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) has recently received seven significant grants totaling over $220,000 that will support a variety of programs and initiatives, including the impact of Hermitage Fellows in the region, program accessibility, and organizational communications. Grants were received from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Frank E. Duckwall Foundation, The Exchange, Florida Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Hermitage received $100,000 from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation in general operating funds to support community programming and artist impact. “We are incredibly grateful to the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation for believing in our mission and celebrating the work we are doing to both support artists and make an impact in our community,” notes Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “This gift is a powerful vote of confidence in our programming and community outreach – and this grant has already inspired others to support our efforts.”

The Hermitage was recently awarded a $50,000 Strategic Partnership Grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County (CFSC) to support the Hermitage’s core artist residency program and to once again serve as the Lead Community Sponsor for the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Weekend. This is the sixth year of CFSC’s support of this annual celebration, scheduled for April 14-16, 2023. CFSC previously awarded the Hermitage a $4,500 Capacity Building Grant in the spring to support organizational communications software and database infrastructure.

The Venice Endowment and Zoe Anderson Charitable Funds at Gulf Coast Community Foundation(GCCF)provided a $40,000 Arts Appreciation Grant in support of the Hermitage’s mission: to inspire and foster the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time. The Hermitage became one of Gulf Coast’s “Arts Appreciation” grantees in 2021, following multiple years of ongoing support and partnership.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) renewed its support for the Hermitage with a $10,000 grant. These funds are intended to support the Hermitage’s nationally renowned artist residency program.

Additional community program support came from The Exchange, which awarded $5,000 to support “Hermitage North” programming through programs such as “Hermitage @ The Bay.” Florida Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities, awarded the Hermitage a $4,850 Community Project Grant in support of its virtual programming series: “Artists and Thinkers: A Creative Conversation.”

Though Hermitage programs are hosted at venues throughout the Gulf Coast region, many of the Hermitage’s artist programs are held on the Hermitage Beach, and a $9,400 grant from the Frank E. Duckwall Foundation will be used to improve beach accessibility for members of the public.

The Hermitage is widely recognized for its national artist residency program and its rapidly expanding community programming, introducing area audiences to some of the world’s leading artists across all disciplines. “As our programs and collaborations continue to evolve and expand throughout our region, we are excited to build bridges to new audiences,” says Sandberg. “We are deeply appreciative for these generous grants from both new and longtime supporters, all of which will allow us to provide more support and resources to the diverse and accomplished Hermitage artists who are making a meaningful and lasting impact in our community.”

Hermitage Major Theater Award announced

Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, announced the establishment of the Hermitage Major Theater Award, a new annual prize that will recognize a playwright or theater artist with a commission of $35,000 to create an original piece of theater. In addition to the commission, the recipient of this annual award will receive a residency at the Hermitage to develop the new work and will also receive a reading or workshop in a leading arts and cultural center such as New York, London, Chicago, or Los Angeles. This initiative is made possible by a multi-year gift from Flora Major and the Kutya Major Foundation to the Hermitage, starting with a commitment of $800,000.

Like the Hermitage Greenfield Prize – which will soon be celebrating its 14th season and rotates annually between the disciplines of music, theater, and visual art – the winner of the Hermitage Major Theater Award (HMTA) will be nominated and selected by a jury of nationally recognized arts leaders in the field of theater. The new work will be developed and created in Sarasota at the Hermitage’s historic campus, and the commission will additionally receive a workshop or reading in a notable arts and cultural hub; it is anticipated that the first year will be in New York. The inaugural jury and HMTA recipient will be selected and announced in the coming months, and it is anticipated that the first commission will be completed in 2022.

In the spirit of the Hermitage’s commitment to the arts across multiple disciplines, finalists for the Hermitage Major Theater Award will be encouraged to create a commission that directly or indirectly represents the role and impact of art – musical, literary, theatrical, visual, or otherwise – in our culture and society. This distinguished recognition is not an award for an existing work, but rather it is designed as a commission that shall serve as a catalyst and inspiration to a theater artist to create a new, original, and impactful piece of theater.

Further, the prize is intended to bridge the connection between Sarasota County, where the original work is created, and other leading arts and culture centers around the world. This continued involvement in the creative development of its artists’ work beyond our region is a new step for the Hermitage, empowering this vital arts organization to strengthen relationships and build meaningful collaborations with leading cultural institutions in arts capitals worldwide.

“This award will be transformational for its recipients – providing not only significant funds and recognition, but also invaluable time, space, and inspiration at the Hermitage, as well as an opportunity to showcase their work,” says Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage. “Coming out of this period when the theater industry has been largely shut down, it is particularly exciting to be able to offer a gift and an opportunity like this to a theater artist. Moreover, it is a gift to the theatrical canon when you consider that each year, a brand-new work will be created as a result of this award.”

Additionally, in providing generous support for the Hermitage for its core operations and programs, Sandberg adds that this leadership gift by Flora Major and The Kutya Major Foundation is invaluable to building long-term, sustainable support for an organization committed to the creation and development of bold and impactful new works.

“It is exciting to support an organization that is so deeply committed to supporting new and original work,” adds Flora Major. “The Hermitage is reaching new heights under Andy’s leadership, and with a shared passion for the theater, I know that he will make something extraordinary out of this award. Anyone who values and appreciates the arts, across all disciplines, needs to invest in supporting artists in the earliest stages of their creative process – that is what the Hermitage does so well.”

Sandberg adds that the prize will build bridges between the Hermitage and Sarasota County, where the commissions will be born, and other leading arts and culture centers, including New York, London, and Chicago, where great theater is frequently developed and presented. “This award will offer the Gulf Coast community the chance to birth and introduce this new work of theater to the world, making a lasting impact on the broader artistic landscape, increasing the visibility of the Hermitage’s impact in other cultural centers, and emphasizing the global perspective of the bold new works being created on Manasota Key.”

Flora Major, founder and trustee of the Kutya Major Foundation, moved to Sarasota in 2005 and immediately became involved in the art and social life of the region. Originally from Hungary, Major was a successful entrepreneur in the telecommunication business in New York and in the textile industry in North Carolina. She has served on several not-for-profit boards through the years, including Duke University Eye Center, Duke University Museum of Art, North Carolina Museum of Art, the Advisory Board of Lenox Hill Hospital, Sarasota Orchestra, Asolo Repertory Theater, the Raoul Wallenberg Committee of the United States, and the Designing Women’s Boutique for Arts and Humanities. Major currently serves on the Foundation Board of Isothermal Community College, the board of the Ringling College of Art and Design, the advisory board of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and the Council for the Arts at MIT. She has chaired numerous charity events, and she served as co-chair of the Hermitage Artist Retreat’s 2020 Artful Lobster and the 2021 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner.

“I have been so inspired by the Hermitage Greenfield Prize and have seen the transformative effects of the Greenfield Foundation’s generous commitment to the Hermitage,” adds Major. “I hope this new initiative will inspire others who are passionate about the arts to recognize and support the important work that the Hermitage is doing.”

Top picture: Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg and Flora Major at announcement event for Hermitage Major Theater Award. Second picture: Flora Major. Photo credit: Bywater Collective/The Hermitage Artist Retreat

Hermitage receives $100,000 matching pledge in response to COVID-19 crisis

At a time when arts groups are facing financial challenges because of revenue losses triggered by the coronavirus, the Hermitage Artist Retreat is getting some extra support.

The Cook family, neighbors and supporters of the artist retreat on Manasota Key, have committed to matching all donations to the organization up to $100,000 through June 30.

“Rebecca Cook and her brother, Warren Cook and their family have been part of the Hermitage family and they really believe in the community and the mission of what we do on both the artistic side and the preservation of the land and nature,” said Andy Sandberg, the artistic director and CEO of the Hermitage.

The fundraising period for the matching grant covers this year’s 24-hour Giving Challenge, scheduled for noon April 28 to noon April 29, when the Patterson Foundation will also match the first $100 of every donation to any registered nonprofits.

“If someone gives $100, that gift will turn into $300 because it will be matched by both the Cooks and the Patterson Foundation,” Sandberg said. “We hope in a tricky time with the virus that this special gift will inspire people to get involved. If the creative process is stalled and isn’t allowed to find a way forward, it will be hard to find a way to production and performance and publication.”

The Hermitage owns several beachfront cottages where playwrights, composers, choreographers, painters and other artists are invited to spend six weeks over two years working on projects or just using the time to clear their minds. They are required to take part in two public programs during their residency.

The list of Hermitage fellows includes Pulitzer Prize winners, MacArthur Fellowship award winners, as well as winners and nominees of Tony, Emmy, Grammy and Academy awards.

The Hermitage also administers the annual Greenfield Prize, which provides a $30,000 commission to visual artists, playwrights and composers on a rotating basis. The virus forced the Hermitage to cancel this year’s Greenfield Prize weekend, which annually generates donations and attention.

“The visibility of our program is what inspires people to get behind the organization, and the Greenfield weekend is a big contributor to that,” Sandberg said.

Some past Hermitage fellows have reached out to the organization and offered testimonial videos of support.

Doug Wright, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of “I Am My Own Wife,” said the Hermitage afforded him “solace, hospitality, and natural beauty to write. I was able to sit with my thoughts and forge them like raw clay into something approximating art — that’s the great gift of the Hermitage.”

And director and playwright Emily Mann, longtime artistic director of the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, N.J., describes the Hermitage as “one of my favorite places on earth.” Mann said this is a time to reflect on why art matters and the Hermitage “lets artists dream and think deeply about the truth.”

Sandberg said the staff and board of the Hermitage is aware that the vital and impactful work of the artists who spend time at the retreat “may seem less urgent when compared to the matters of life and death amidst this horrible pandemic. Still, the arts and the creative spirit are part of what make our lives so meaningful and special.”

He said the staff is working on programming and residencies for artists to spend time on Manasota Key for the 2020-21 season.

“We are planning with the same momentum as other organizations that are announcing new seasons, and we are still strategizing for the future and how we can rise stronger than ever on the other side of this.”

This article appeared in the Herald-Tribune, April 12, 2020.

Category: Friends of the Hermitage

Hermitage Artists Respond to COVID-19.

Engage Creativity