Category: Hermitage in the News

Composer and Soprano Hannah Rice Wins 2024 Hermitage Prize in Composition 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat and the Aspen Music Festival and School (Aspen, Colorado) are pleased to announce that Hannah Rice, a composition student at AMFS, has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Hermitage Prize in Composition. Rice is the eleventh recipient of this annual award, which includes a residency at the Hermitage, along with a $1,000 cash stipend. Rice was selected by a jury that includes multiple Grammy Award winner Robert Spano, Music Director of the AMFS, Artistic Director Laureate of the Atlanta Symphony, and a past member of the Hermitage Curatorial Council; award-winning composer and celebrated arts administrator Alan Fletcher, AMFS President and CEO; and the composition faculty of the AMFS, including Grammy Award-winning Hermitage Fellow Christopher Theofanidis.

Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg presented the award to Rice at the Aspen Music Festival’s Klein Tent, alongside Spano, Fletcher, Theofanidis, and award-winning composer and Hermitage Fellow Nico Muhly. This unique initiative, launched in 2013, reflects an invaluable partnership between AMFS and the Hermitage, designed to champion new and original works and to recognize exceptional talent in the field of contemporary classical music. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of this award last year, the Hermitage and AMFS produced a retrospective video featuring exclusive interviews with past winners, distinguished AMFS faculty members, and renowned thought leaders in music, which can be seen here. With established composers like Spano, Fletcher, Theofanidis, Muhly and more having experienced memorable Hermitage Fellowships, the Hermitage Prize in Composition was created to offer the same experience to young, talented composers just beginning their professional careers.

“We are thrilled to recognize Hannah Rice as the winner of the eleventh Hermitage Prize. She is a brilliant young composer and vocalist, and a welcome addition to the Hermitage family,” noted Sandberg. “We were delighted that the weekend’s festivities could be celebrated alongside fellow Hermitage alumni including Robert Spano, Alan Fletcher, Nico Muhly, and Christopher Theofanidis.” Sandberg adds that the Hermitage Prize at AMFS is the only student residency awarded each year; all other Hermitage Fellows are accomplished working professionals and leaders in their field, selected by the Hermitage’s National Curatorial Council. “This provides the recipient of the annual Hermitage Prize in Composition the opportunity to share this unmatched Hermitage experience with leading artists from all around the world.” 

This year’s 75th Anniversary season of the Aspen Music Festival featured works and performances from Hermitage alumni including Alan Fletcher, Allison Loggins-Hull, Wang Lu, Missy Mazzoli, Jessie Montgomery, Nico Muhly, Robert Spano, Conrad Tao, and Christopher Theofanidis.

Hermitage Fellows have included 17 Pulitzer Prize winners, multiple Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, and Tony winners, Poets Laureate, MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellows, and more. Hermitage Fellows regularly describe their time at the Hermitage as “magical,” “transformative,” and “life-changing.”

“I am so honored and humbled to have received this year’s Hermitage Prize in Composition,” added Rice after learning the news of her recognition. “I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all those involved with the selection process and the Hermitage Artist Retreat. I feel so privileged and thrilled to get to work on my craft alongside so many outstanding creative thinkers. As artists, it is so rare to have this kind of time and space available to us to live in a ‘sound world’ and discover what our musical souls are yearning to say, and I feel incredibly lucky and excited to have been gifted this time at the Hermitage.” 

Hannah Rice is a composer and soprano who is drawn to extremes. A 2024 Composition Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival, she writes with dense textures and stark contrasts to highlight the experiences of women and queer folks through a feminist lens. Rice’s music has been performed at notable festivals and venues including Carnegie Hall, Cadogan Hall in London, New Music on the Point, the International Clarinet Festival, Atlantic Music Festival, and more. Her film music has also been featured on APM Music’s sound library, MPATH, and in 2021, her choral piece “To Fly a Plane” was published by Hal Leonard. Currently, Rice is pursuing a double M.M. at USC’s Thornton School of Music, where she was recently awarded the Peter David Faith Endowed Memorial Award. She holds a B.M. in Composition and Voice from LSU, where she was named a Presser Scholar and University Medalist. 

Previous residencies of AMFS Hermitage Prize recipients have led to exciting collaborations, lifelong friendships, and extraordinary new compositions. The first winner of this award in 2013 was Patrick Harlin. While in residence at the Hermitage, Harlin met acclaimed designer and visual artist Anne Patterson. The two sparked a decade-long collaboration that has led to the current world premiere exhibition, “The Truth of the Night Sky,” currently on view at the Sarasota Art Museum through September 29. Harlin and Patterson also spent time at the Hermitage with AMFS composer Christopher Theofanidis and celebrated poet Melissa Studdard; as a result, these four Hermitage alumni are now working on an oratorio adaptation of Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha, which will premiere at the Aspen Musical Festival in 2025.

Past winner David Clay Mettens (2021) said of winning the Hermitage Prize: “My time at the Hermitage was such a gift – I found the natural beauty of the grounds to be rejuvenating and my interactions with artists from other disciplines so artistically fulfilling. I can’t imagine a better opportunity for a young composer than to be in the presence of creative luminaries in their respective fields.” Sofía Rocha (2022) added, “Some of the most valuable experiences that I got out of my time at AMFS and the Hermitage were interacting with so many other wonderful artists. Aspen is filled with wonderful musicians, and Hermitage artists span so many different disciplines – and I find that incredibly fulfilling and inspiring.” Previous Hermitage Prize recipients include Patrick Harlin (2013), Thomas Kotcheff (2014), Phillip Sink (2015), Andrew Hsu (2016), Joel Thompson (2017), Sid Richardson (2018), Chelsea Komschlies (2019), David Clay Mettens (2021), Sofía Rocha (2022), and Matīss Čudars (2023).

Dates for Fifth Season of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” Announced

The Hermitage Artist Retreat’s popular series, “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens,” continues into its fifth anniversary as part of the Hermitage’s 2024-2025 season. The outdoor series — a celebrated collaboration between the Hermitage and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens — features performances and explorations of works-in-progress by Hermitage artists-in-residence and alumni.  “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” events are currently scheduled to take place at Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus and the Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey. 

The first of these events, “Let the Music Set You Free,” features Broadway veteran, Tony Award-winning co-founder of Broadway Advocacy Coalition, and 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalist Britton Smith. As the bandleader for the alternative soul band Britton and the Sting, this visionary artist and advocate is a force of nature determined to unite the world through a passion for music and theater. Britton’s vibrant work bears witness to the inspiration that can be found within and around us all. Catch this dynamic performer like never before in a stripped-down presentation surrounded by the beautiful sanctuary of Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus on Thursday October 17th at 5:30pm. 

The second of these events is “Solo Flute — Destiny of Density,” where award-winning flutist, composer, and returning Hermitage Fellow Claire Chase will share selections of her genre-defining work and discuss her innovative approach to music. This event will take place on Thursday, December 5th at 5:30pm, at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey. Chase is a world-renowned musician and composer who was also one of the inaugural artists in the “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” series, in addition to performing at two past Hermitage Artful Lobster events. A soloist, collaborative artist, curator, and advocate for new and experimental music, she has been described by The New York Times as “the most important flutist of our time.” Chase was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2012, and in 2017 was the first flutist to be awarded the Avery Fisher Prize from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A professor of music at Harvard University, she recently concluded her term as a member of the Hermitage National Curatorial Council. 

Confirmed dates for this fifth season of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” include:

• Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 5:30pm, Downtown Sarasota Campus
• Thursday December 5, 2024, at 5:30pm, Historic Spanish Point 
• Thursday January 30, 2025, at 5:30pm, Downtown Sarasota Campus
• Thursday February 20, 2025, at 5:30pm, Historic Spanish Point 
• Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 5:30pm, Downtown Sarasota Campus
• Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 6:30pm, Historic Spanish Point 

Admission for these events has no ticket cost, though availability is subject to capacity limitations; advance registration is required ($5/person) at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.   

Each program will feature a celebrated Hermitage artist (or artists) to be announced. Last year’s “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” spotlighted the works and talents of celebrated mime and storyteller Bill Bowers, who shared the stage with internationally renowned composer and singer Kavita Shah; Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg, fresh from his production of Operation Epsilon in London; Hermitage Curatorial Council member Nataki Garrett, Tony Award-winning Broadway producer Tom Kirdahy, and Manasota ASALH President David Wilkins, who offered an enlightening panel discussion about the State of the Arts in Florida; and award-winning flutist Emi Ferguson with classical composer Jim Stephenson, who delighted audiences with an original performance. Previous seasons of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” have included Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Michael R. Jackson, award-winning Chicago playwright Terry Guest; Kleban Prize winner César Alvarez, world-renowned violinist and Beyoncé collaborator Lady Jess; acclaimed classical harpist Ashley Jackson; interdisciplinary performance artist Ni’Ja Whitson, opera singer and Sarasota native Thea Lobo, composer Sofía Rocha, winner of the 2022 Hermitage Prize in Composition at the Aspen Music Festival; 2022 Hermitage Major Theater Award Winner Shariffa Ali; celebrated cellist Karen Patterson, and more.

“This fifth anniversary season of ‘Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens’ promises to be an unforgettable one,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Claire Chase and Britton Smith are two of the most dynamic artists and performers of their generation, and we are thrilled to invite audiences to share a magical evening with these Hermitage artists and more against the beautiful backdrop of these bayfront sanctuaries. This popular series has been a joyous collaboration with our friends at Selby Gardens, and we look forward welcoming new and returning audiences to experience a ‘sneak peek’ into the creative process of these extraordinary talents.” 

“We are so excited to celebrate five years of this wonderful collaboration with the Hermitage Artist Retreat,” says Selby Gardens President & CEO Jennifer Rominiecki. “Welcoming world-class Hermitage artists to our newly revitalized bayfront sanctuary in downtown Sarasota and our vibrant Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey is something we look forward to each year. Treating Gulf Coast patrons to these special programs has been such a joy, and we are thrilled that that the ‘Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens’ series continues to flourish.”

These outdoor events are one part of many ongoing programs and collaborations planned throughout the season, spanning Sarasota County and the surrounding region. The programs feature industry-leading playwrights, visual artists, musicians, poets, choreographers, and more — all free to the members of our community with a $5/person registration fee. 

Hermitage and Sarasota County Agree to Significant Lease Extension 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) has confirmed that the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved an amendment to the Hermitage lease on Manasota Key. Most notably, the amendment extends the lease term of the Hermitage, in addition to providing other safety and security protections for the internationally renowned arts organization that has deep roots in the local community. This vote on July 9, 2024 was a culmination of many months of dedicated work, communication, and negotiation among Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg, Sarasota County Commissioners and staff, as well as the Hermitage Board of Trustees, leadership staff, and outside consultation from community leaders and past government officials.

Among its notable changes, the newly approved lease amendment encompasses an extension of the lease through 2045, further extendable through 2055 upon the completion of planned improvements by the Hermitage and its campus facilities. Additionally, the lease confirms greater access to parking for the growing volume of community programs offered by the Hermitage, increased privacy and protection for Hermitage artists-in-residence, as well as other updates to reflect the County’s acknowledgment of the tremendous growth and expansion of the Hermitage’s impact in the greater Sarasota community. 

Each year, the Hermitage hosts nearly 100 acclaimed artists-in-residence on its historic beachfront campus. Hermitage Fellows, alumni, and curators are some of the leading artists and thinkers in their respective fields from across the globe. These award-winning and world-renowned creators share their artistic talents and insight into their creative process through more than 50 free community programs, hosted at the Hermitage and at partner arts, cultural, and educational venues throughout the region. These impactful and educational programs offer a wide variety of events to residents and tourists throughout Sarasota County. The original works created at the Hermitage regularly go on to renowned theaters, concert halls, publishing houses, museums, and galleries throughout the world; there are now over 800 Hermitage alumni creating and sharing work that traces its roots back to the Hermitage and Sarasota County.

“The Hermitage has proven to be exceptional stewards of this historic property and unique ecosystem,” noted former Sarasota County Commissioner Charles Hines, who has helped to facilitate conversations surrounding the lease amendment. “Under the impressive leadership of Andy Sandberg and an engaged Board of Trustees, the Hermitage has demonstrated they are deeply committed to their mission and to the community. Our friends on the Board of County Commissioners and their dedicated staff recognize that the programming offered by the Hermitage to Gulf Coast residents and visitors is an incredible asset to Sarasota County that must be celebrated, nourished, and supported.”

The amendment and lease extension by Sarasota County for the Hermitage has been approved in large part to the advocacy and care that has been demonstrated by the Hermitage in both protecting and enhancing this unique property over the past twenty-three years.

The Hermitage is recognized nationally and internationally for its acclaimed artist residency program, and the organization is appreciated by the greater Sarasota community for its rapidly expanding community programs, which introduce Gulf Coast audiences of all ages and backgrounds to some of the world’s leading artists across all disciplines. 

“We are excited to further our partnership with Sarasota County, and we are grateful to the County Commissioners and staff who recognize the special role the Hermitage plays in our region,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “For more than two decades, the Hermitage has proven its place as a leading nonprofit in the vibrant arts ecosystem of Sarasota County. Now, as we look to the future of the organization, we are planning a vision for the Hermitage that is looking many decades down the road. This lease amendment allows us to move forward with confidence in pursuing some exciting campus improvements and protections that will ensure the Hermitage is around for many generations, offering an enhanced experience for our distinguished Hermitage Fellows while offering enriching and accessible programs for Sarasota residents and visitors for many years to come.”

“These last few years have been an especially exciting period of growth for the Hermitage,” noted Board President Carole Crosby. “We are inspired by Andy’s ambitious vision for the Hermitage and the commitment of the extraordinary staff. Our partnership with Sarasota County is a unique and special one, which is only fitting considering the singular nature of what the Hermitage brings to Sarasota. I can think of no other organization that collaborates so successfully with such a wide range of arts and cultural institutions while offering a high volume of first-class arts and education experiences to our community.”

Hermitage Receives Over $238,000 in National and Regional Grants

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that the Hermitage has been awarded nearly a dozen grants totaling over $238,000 that will support a variety of programs and initiatives, including residencies for Hermitage Fellows, arts education support, and program accessibility. Grants were awarded by the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Amphion Foundation, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, The Exchange, Koski Family Foundation, Tourist Development Cultural/Arts Program, National Endowment for the Arts, and Plantation Community Foundation.

The Board of Sarasota County Commissioners recently approved the Tourist Development Cultural/Arts Program (TDC/A) funding, resulting in a grant award in excess of $52,000 for the Hermitage to facilitate artist residencies and programming that supports tourism to Sarasota County. Hermitage Fellows, alumni, and curators are some of the leading artists and thinkers in their respective fields from all over the world. These world-renowned creators share their artistic talents and insight into their creative process through free community programs held on the Hermitage campus, as well as at partner arts, cultural, and educational institutions throughout the region. These impactful and educational programs offer a wide variety of free events to tourists staying in all areas of Sarasota County.

The Welles Murphey Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation (GCCF) provided a $50,000 Empowering Arts 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, and this year’s grant marks a $10,000 increase from previous years; GCCF has additionally supported the Hermitage through other special programs and with pandemic/hurricane relief efforts in recent years.

The Hermitage was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County(CFSC) to once again serve as the Lead Community Sponsor for the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Weekend. This will be the eighth year of CFSC’s support of this annual celebration, which is presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation; this year’s events are scheduled for the first weekend in April of 2025. 

The Koski Family Foundation again awarded the Hermitage a $50,000 grant to support residencies for teaching artists, in addition to the continued support of the Hermitage’s Sarasota Cross Arts Collaborative initiative. This generous grant allows the Hermitage to foster the development of new work for teaching artists while providing local schools the benefit of these extraordinary artists’ insight and instruction. The Cross Arts Collaborative was designed to give performers who call local arts institutions “home” a chance to expand their artistic practice from ‘performer’ to ‘creator.’ Recipients receive two weeks of uninterrupted time at the Hermitage Artist Retreat to develop a new project and present a free public program for the greater Sarasota community. 

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) renewed its support for the Hermitage this year with a $15,000 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 $10,000 to support “Hermitage North” programming through series such as “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” and “Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park.” In addition, The Exchange awarded a $5,000 Elizabeth Lindsay Arts in Education grant to support the Hermitage’s “A Gift of Education to Sarasota County Schools” project that brings the world’s leading artists to Sarasota County public schools.

Grants from the Amphion Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and the Plantation Community Foundation will provide support for the organization’s music-focused initiatives, as well as specialized program equipment for events on the Hermitage Beach and other locations. 

The Hermitage is widely recognized for its international artist residency program and its rapidly expanding community programming, introducing Gulf Coast audiences to some of the world’s leading artists across all disciplines. “As our programs and collaborations continue to evolve and expand, we are excited to see the impact on audiences throughout our region and beyond,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “We are deeply appreciative for these generous grants from both new and longtime supporters, all of which will provide invaluable support and resources to the diverse and accomplished Hermitage artists who are making a meaningful impact in our community and with audiences around the world.”

Hermitage Board of Directors Announcement  

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that Alice Court (Boca Grande / Toronto), Tim Flood (Manasota Key), and Peter Offringa (Sarasota) have been elected to the Hermitage Board of Trustees. In addition, longtime Hermitage supporters and Sarasota arts philanthropists Charlie Huisking (Sarasota) and Flora Major (New York / Sarasota) have been unanimously elected as the Hermitage’s first Honorary Trustees. All five commenced their term on July 1, 2024. Earlier this season, past Hermitage trustees Larry Bold (Manasota Key), Tom Dignam (Englewood), and Andy Maass (Longboat Key) were recognized by the Hermitage as Emeritus Trustees.

These additions to the Hermitage Board follow a remarkable season that has included more than 55 live programs and events, dozens of new and expanded arts and education partnerships in the community, and another record-breaking fiscal year. 

“We are incredibly excited to be welcoming these distinguished individuals to the Hermitage Board,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “These are some of the Hermitage’s most vibrant champions, and their passion for the mission and future of the organization is truly inspiring. Their experience, intelligence, and thoughtful creativity will be invaluable to the organization’s continued growth and success.”

“It is truly an honor to welcome Alice, Tim, and Peter to our Board, as well as our distinguished new Honorary and Emeritus Trustees,” says Hermitage Board President Carole Crosby (pictured). “Andy’s vision for the Hermitage and the passionate team he has assembled are elevating the organization to new heights. I look forward to working with our new trustees to ensure a bright future for the organization, creating a lasting impact in our community and our culture.”

Splitting her time between Boca Grande, Florida and Toronto, Canada, Alice Court received her first degree in music and began her career as a writer and host of a children’s television show. After earning her Master of Business, Court joined the team at Procter & Gamble. She took a brief hiatus from the corporate world to work as a case writer and research associate for the Harvard Business School, returning to Procter & Gamble for an eleven-year career in corporate Brand management and advertising in both Canada and England, before relocating to Texas. Court has served on several boards, including St. Mark’s School of Texas, the Executive Board of the Dallas Opera, and the Council of Advisors for National Geographic. In Boca Grande, she has been a board member of The Friends of Boca Grande and most recently served as President of the Royal Palm Players.

Tim Flood, a retired doctor of ophthalmology and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, is a longtime resident of Manasota Key. Tim and his wife Suzette recently became full-time residents of Florida after many years between Chicago and Sarasota. Longtime supporters of the Hermitage, Tim and Suzette served as Co-Chairs for the 2023 Artful Lobster. He is a graduate of UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine and completed a residency at UC Irvine. A native of San Jose, California, Flood graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in psychology and then went on to study biomedical sciences at Dartmouth Medical School New Hampshire. He was a diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Peter Offringa is a graduate of Princeton University, where he earned his degree in computer science before spending four years in the Army as a Communications Specialist. He started a web development consultancy in Dallas and began building consumer internet websites as a software engineer. He subsequently spent eighteen years in San Francisco working with some of the world’s largest consumer internet brands, including roles as VP of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer within Comcast’s Spotlight Division, CBS Interactive, CNET Networks, and Catalina Marketing. After moving to Florida in 2015, he spent several years as the CTO for Boatsetter. He is on the Board and Executive Committee of Bridge Angel Investors in Sarasota, and he has served on the board of advisors and as an executive for many start-ups during his career. He is the current President of the Princeton Club of Sarasota, past President of the Ivy League Club, and Chair of the Ivy League Professionals networking group. 

Charlie Huisking and Flora Major were elected as the Hermitage Artist Retreat’s first Honorary Trustees. This designation was created to recognize distinguished ambassadors and advocates of the Hermitage – individuals who have gone above and beyond in their service to the organization and continue to champion its mission. 

Flora Major has been a longtime champion of the Hermitage, and through her Kutya Major Foundation, she worked with Andy Sandberg to launch the prestigious Hermitage Major Theater Award (HMTA) in 2021. Now celebrating its fourth year, the HMTA is one of the largest unrestricted nonprofit arts commissions in the United States, annually awarding a $35,000 cash prize to create an original work of theater, an extended Hermitage residency, and a workshop in a notable arts capital such as New York, London, or Chicago. Throughout her career, Major has served on many nonprofit boards in Sarasota and beyond. 

Charlie Huisking, a Sarasota native, has been involved with the local arts and cultural community for decades. After returning to Sarasota upon graduation from the University of Notre Dame, Huisking served as arts writer and columnist for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune for thirty-three years. Since his retirement, Huisking has been a proud supporter of a wide range of arts and social service organizations, including the Hermitage, and has served on the boards of several nonprofits in the region.  

The Hermitage’s Board Officers for the 2024-2025 season are Carole Crosby, President; David Green, Vice President; Steve Adler, Treasurer; and Sondra Biller, Secretary. The Hermitage Board of Trustees also includes Ellen Berman (Chair of Governance), Christine Boone, Terry Brackett, Maryann Casey, Robyn Citrin (Past President), Alice Court,* Marletta Darnall, Leslie Edwards (Past President),Tim Flood,* Stephanie Jones, Tina Shao Napoli, Peter Offringa,* Liz Richardson, Edward M. Swan,Jr., Mary Lou Winnick, Doug Wright, and Andy Sandberg, Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO (ex-officio). *Indicates New Trustee

Emeritus Trustees elected earlier this year include Larry Bold, Tom Dignam, and Andy Maass; these three longtime champions of the Hermitage join the previously elected Nelda Thompson. Honorary Trustees include Charlie Huisking and Flora Major. 

Hermitage 2024 STARs Announced

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that five Florida public school arts teachers will spend part of their summer on Manasota Key while working on their own artistic endeavors. They are the recipients of the 2024 State Teachers Artist Residency program (STARs) – now in its fourteenth year – presented by the Hermitage Artist Retreat in partnership with the Florida Alliance for Arts Education (FAAE). This year’s recipients were selected from dozens of impressive applicants, and the five teachers selected from across the State of Florida include three visual arts educators working in various mediums, a musician who leads the steel band at their high school, and a theater teacher recognized for his playwriting talents. The five receive a residency at the nationally renowned Hermitage Artist Retreat, where they can focus on their own work as creative artists. These five teaching artists will present a family-friendly showcase of their work on Friday, July 12 starting at 2pm. This special event will be held throughout the Hermitage’s beachfront campus on Manasota Key; entrance at 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood, FL 34223. 

The program is presented in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties and the Englewood YMCA. In addition to the students and families attending from the YMCA, this Hermitage community program will be free and open to the public with a $5/person registration fee. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

“These exceptional educators are also talented artists and creative minds in their own right,” says Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage. “During the academic year, their attention is devoted to their students, and this has been a particularly challenging few years for educators throughout the State of Florida. The STARs program offers five distinguished teachers the opportunity to experience what leading artists from around the world have come to the Hermitage for – to focus on their craft and their creative process. Over the years, the STARs have created some stunning works of art, music, theater, dance, and literature during their time at the Hermitage. Many Hermitage teaching artist alumni have shared that this program enables them to return to their students with a new fire and passion for arts education.” 

The five recipients of this honor, selected among dozens of impressive applicants, include: Greg Burdick, a theater arts educator, director, and playwright in Central Florida (Polk County); Dealey Dansby, a sculpture and ceramics visual artist currently teaching elementary and middle school art at Carrollwood K8 in Tampa (Hillsborough County); Shaun Fergus, a passionate art instructor at Fort White Middle School (Columbia County); Dr. Kayleen Justus, Director of Steel Bands at Leon High School in the Tallahassee area (Leon County); and Vanessa Watkins, a distinguished glass artist with a focus on restoration art at Markham Woods Middle School (Seminole County). Full bios are included below.

Since the start of the Hermitage STARs program in 2011, 67 teachers have represented over 30Florida counties. These prestigious residencies culminate with a free community program, this year hosted in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties and the Englewood YMCA. 

The STARs program is one of the only Hermitage residency programs open to application; arts educators from schools throughout the State of Florida are eligible, including music, theater, visual art, dance, and creative writing teachers. For more information about the Hermitage STARs program and how to apply, Florida arts educators are encouraged to visit FAAE.org/STAR.

Save the Dates for our 2024-2025 Benefit Events

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that its annual Artful Lobsterbenefit will be held on Saturday, November 9th, 2024, from 11:30am to 2pm. Now in its 16th year, this signature outdoor event raises valuable funds for the Hermitage’s renowned artist residency program. The Artful Lobster is the only Hermitage benefit to take place on the grounds of the historic Gulf front campus – outdoors beneath a large tent – located at 6660 Manasota Key Road in Englewood. Michael’s On East offers a delicious lobster feast, with performances from award-winning Hermitage Fellows. Past artists who have shared their talents at this popular event include acclaimed string quartet ETHEL, celebrated musical theater composer Adam Gwon, internationally renowned flutist Claire Chase, accomplished violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain and more.

The 17th annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner will be held on Sunday, April 6th, 2025, starting at 6pm at Michael’s On East in Sarasota. This elegant annual dinner heralds the jury-selected recipient of this prestigious prize, which will be awarded this season in the discipline of music. 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 music, theater, and visual art. The 2025 HGP winner’s newly commissioned work will have its first public presentation in Sarasota in the spring of 2027. Past performers at this event have included Tony Award-winning Hermitage Fellows Gavin Creel and Rachel Bay Jones, Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, renowned classical musicians, and more. 

Sponsorship information and additional details for both events will be announced at a later date. For early sponsorship inquiries, call (941) 475-2098, Ext. 2.

Past recipients of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize include: 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).

New Summer Events Feature Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, The Lazour Brothers, and More

The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced new programs throughout the months of June, July, and August. Continuing its commitment to innovative year-round arts programming, these events will be presented throughout Sarasota County, from the Hermitage’s beautiful beachfront campus on Manasota Key to the heart of Sarasota’s vibrant downtown arts scene. Hermitage programs introduce world-renowned artists to Florida’s Gulf Coast community for candid and engaging conversations, open rehearsals, play readings, and film screenings. 

Fresh from her 2024 Tony Award, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle nominations, Hermitage Fellow Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer returns to Manasota Key for “Stealing the Show: Broadway, Beach, and Beyond” on Wednesday, June 26 at 6:30pm on the Hermitage Beach. Leslie previously performed as part of the Hermitage’s 20th Anniversary Celebration alongside Andy Sandberg at the Van Wezel, then again at the 2023 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner. Kritzer is a 2024 Tony Award nomineefor her showstopping performance in Spamalot, where the New York Times noted that “she steals the show.”Broadway audiences have celebrated Kritzer for years thanks to her powerhouse voice, her pitch-perfect comic timing, and her iconic roles in Broadway’s Beetlejuice, Something Rotten!, Legally Blonde, The Robber Bridegroom, and more. TV audiences have also come to know her, notably through her memorable turn as Carol Burnett on the series finale of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Now, Hermitage audiences will get to know Leslie as a gifted writer, composer, and lyricist who has been developing her own original projects right here along the inspirational shores of the Hermitage. In this special beach program, this quadruple-plus threat will share some of her own original work as well as some of Broadway’s greatest hits.

“This year’s Hermitage summer season promises to be a memorable one,” notes Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Year-round Gulf Coast residents have been growing rapidly, and we are excited to be presenting some truly one-of-a-kind offerings throughout the summer. Pulitzer Prize winners, Tony Award nominees, and more are well worth a little summer heat!”

On Friday, June 28 at 6pm, celebrated author and Hermitage Fellow Kimberly King Parsons will read selections from her novel and dive into conversation about the writing process in Bookstore1’s intimate loft space. Her short story collection Black Light was long-listed for the National Book Award, and this Hermitage program will shed light on her highly anticipated debut novel, We Were the Universe. Parsons’ remarkable style has readers turning pages and discovering entirely new frames of mind; from trips to Oregon to acid trips, life, death, and rock ’n roll, Sarasota audiences will get to experience this exemplary writer’s work from the author herself. 

The “2024 Hermitage STARs” initiative continues into its fourteenth season with a culminating program on the Historic Hermitage campus on Friday, July 12 at 2pm. The State Teaching Artist Residencies (STARs) at the Hermitage Artist Retreat is designed to nourish the artist within Florida’s dedicated arts teachers and proudly serves educators from across the state in partnership with the Florida Alliance for Arts Education (FAAE). The STARs program is one of only a few programs in the United States that offers five educators an inspirational residency opportunity that culminates in a free public sharing with the Gulf Coast community. This public program is presented in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties as well as the Englewood YMCA. The selected teachers span multiple artistic disciplines and will be announced at a later date; this year’s STARs recipients will offer insights into their creative practice to an audience of all ages, in a program presented in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota & Desoto Counties and the Englewood YMCA.

On Thursday, July 25 at 6:30pm, Hermitage Fellows Jeffery Renard Allen and Yasi Alipour both work on paper to create narrative, but Allen uses letters while Alipour prefers lines and intricately folded patterns. In the original works created by these innovative Hermitage artists, time collapses and worlds expand; the future is present, and history is interrupted. Splitting time between New York and Johannesburg, Allen is an award-winning author of six books, including the critically acclaimed debut Song of the Shank. His latest work “Fat Time and Other Stories” is a collection of short works described by The New York Timesas a “fierce itching dazzle.” Alipour, a celebrated visual artist interested in paper, politics, and performance, explores systems of math and history in her work. Informed by her time studying at the University of Tehran, intricately folded pages take on three-dimensional presence when imbued with her intuitive and highly technical art. Hear from both artists about why they make the work they make, and what they hope an audience will see and hear when they encounter it with “Interrupted History” on the Hermitage Beach.

Hermitage programs continue into August with Hermitage Fellow Mónica Lavín and translator-collaborator D.P. Snyder for “Translation-Traducción” on the Hermitage Beach on Friday August 9 at 6:30pm presented in partnership with UnidosNow. When done right, two writers’ literary DNA recombine to create not mere reproductions but wholly new works. What is the alchemy by which this literary magic takes place? How does such an interchange enrich the work and its readers? In this age of A.I. and ever more present translation technology, these gifted writers offer audiences a chance to explore the Spanish-English literary dynamic and the deeply human activity of understanding another person’s voice as they share insight into the intimate, generous, and empathetic act of literary translation.

On Friday August 23 at 6:30pm, audiences will experience a truly dynamic duo as 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalists Daniel & Patrick Lazour present “The Lazour Brothers: A Lifelong Collabrotion.” Musical theater has a long history of storied collaborators: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Kander & Ebb, Ahrens & Flaherty, Pasek & Paul, and now Daniel & Patrick Lazour. The Lazour Brothers are already Jonathan Larson Grant and Richard Rodgers Award recipients, and their works have been recognized by such prestigious institutions as American Repertory Theater and Lincoln Center. Blending cultures and weaving stories as eloquently as they meld musical styles, the Lazour Brothers are two of the most innovative and evocative musical storytellers working in the American theater today. Hear selections of past and upcoming works and learn what’s next for this energetic duo on the Hermitage Beach.

Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

2024 Hermitage Major Theater Award Winner Chris Bush to Present Program on June 7 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat is pleased to announce “Standing at the Beach’s Edge: London to Sarasota” on Friday, June 7th at 6:30pm, presented on the Hermitage Beach. This newly added program features 2024 Hermitage Major Theater Award winner Chris Bush, an Olivier Award-winning playwright, lyricist, and theater maker based in the United Kingdom, in conversation with Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. 

Bush’s impressive body of work includes the hit musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge, which recently won her an Olivier Award and a UK Theatre Award for Best Musical. Following sold-out runs at the National Theatre and Sheffield Theatres, the acclaimed production transferred to the West End earlier this year and has been heralded as “the most exciting new British musical in years” (WhatsOnStage) and “a moving and resonant piece of popular entertainment — magnificent and meaningful.” (The Times) Bush has also received UK Theatre Awards for her shows Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World and The Assassination of Katie Hopkins, celebrated by The Guardian as “an intelligent, thoughtful, and often wryly enjoyable look at the polarization of public debate in the age of social media.” Raised in Sheffield, England, Chris Bush currently lives in London, and this will be her first trip to Sarasota.

Earlier this year, Chris Bush was announced as the winner of the 2024 Hermitage Major Theater Award; she is the fourth recipient of this distinguished international honor. Bush will receive a cash prize of $35,000 USD, an extended residency at the Hermitage, and a workshop presentation in London in 2025. Bush was selected by an Award Committee that included Michael Grandage, Tony and Olivier-Award winning director of stage and screen, former Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, and current Artistic Director of the Michael Grandage Company; Tessa Ross, CBE and BAFTA Award-winning Co-CEO of House Productions; and Indhu Rubasingham, an Olivier Award-winning director, longtime Artistic Director of the Kiln Theatre, and newly announced as the incoming Director of the National Theatre. The Hermitage Major Theater Award is made possible with a generous multi-year gift to the Hermitage from Flora Major and the Kutya Major Foundation. 

In this newly announced Hermitage Beach program on June 7th, Gulf Coast residents can enjoy a candid conversation with a celebrated UK playwright, librettist, and lyricist whom London theatergoers can’t get enough of — Chris Bush. This rising star of the UK theater scene and recent winner of the Hermitage Major Theater Award will share thoughts about her career, making theater in the UK, and how she plans to reimagine Virginia Woolf’s iconic novel Orlando for the 21st century. In describing her intended Hermitage commission, currently titled Orlando (FL), Bush has shared: “This original play will be a story of transformation, translation, and self-determination. The play will follow Lana, a trans woman living in Orlando, Florida, whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a fantastical stranger. Orlando (FL)aspires to be a queer fantasia – a gloriously funny, angry, and defiant testament to the power of literature and the resilience of LGBTQ+ communities.”

Hermitage programs like this one are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Composer Raven Chacon and Acclaimed Visual Artist Diana Al-Hadid to Present “Visualizing Culture” 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat is pleased to announce “Visualizing Culture” on Thursday, May 23 at 6:30pm, presented on the Hermitage Beach. This special program features returning Hermitage Fellow and internationally acclaimed visual artist Diana Al-Hadid, whose work is currently on display at the Sarasota Art Museum as part of Impact: Contemporary Artists at the Hermitage Artist Retreat. She will be joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning Hermitage Fellow Raven Chacon, a celebrated composer, performer, and installation artist from Fort Defiance, Navajo Nation, alongside Candice Hopkins, a citizen of Carcross/Tagish First Nation whose curated exhibitions have traveled across the country and around the world. All three of these impressive creators will share insights into their groundbreaking processes and perspectives on the contemporary arts landscape.  

Diana Al-Hadid‘s art “is a masterclass in duality… both ancient and modern, fierce and delicate, simultaneously growing and disintegrating — reminding us there is no such thing as a fixed state.” (Vogue) ­A Syrian-born American artist, Al–Hadid examines the historical frameworks and perspectives that continue to shape discourse on culture and materials today. With a practice spanning sculpture, wall reliefs, and works on paper, Al-Hadid weaves together enigmatic narratives that draw inspiration from both ancient and modern civilizations. Her work is currently on view through July 7 at the Sarasota Art Museum as part ofImpact: Contemporary Artists at the Hermitage Artist Retreat, featuring ten Hermitage Fellows, including Hermitage Greenfield Prize winners Sanford Biggers and Trenton Doyle Hancock, and curated by Hermitage National Curatorial Council member Dan Cameron. Impact is one of two Hermitage alumni exhibitions on display at the museum, with Hermitage collaborators Anne Patterson and Patrick Harlin’s The Truth of the Night Sky on view through September 29.

As a solo performer, collaborator, and a member of Postcommodity from 2009 to 2018, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and Hermitage Fellow Raven Chacon has exhibited, performed, or had works performed at venues, museums, and galleries around the world, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Borealis Festival in Seattle, Vancouver Art Gallery, Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Adding insight and nuance to the conversation is Hermitage Fellow Candice Hopkins, whose curated exhibitions have been on view in such prestigious venues as the Venice Biennale, Toronto Biennial, and the National Gallery of Canada.          

“Visualizing Culture” is a special hour-long program being offered in addition to the Hermitage’s existing May line-up. Engaging directly with this idea through her creative expression, Diana Al-Hadid discusses her work alongside Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Raven Chacon, whose unique graphic scores capture “a concentrated and powerful musical expression with a haunting visceral impact.” (The New York Times) Candice Hopkins bridges the visual and sonic elements of the program with her celebrated insights and personal experiences. Join these three remarkable Hermitage Fellows as they offer insight into their work as the sun sets on the Hermitage Beach. 

Hermitage programs like this one are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.