Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Advances Arts Access with Nearly $1 Million Investment
Sarasota, Florida – September 9, 2025 – Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation is committing nearly $1 million this year to deliver impactful arts and wellness, community engagement, and educational programming for tens of thousands of residents in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. These initiatives ensure the community can experience the transformative power of world-class performances and teachers have the resources to integrate the arts into their classrooms.
At its annual meeting, the Foundation’s Board of Directors approved $367,000 in support for the Foundation’s Mission & Impact programming. These programs, offered free to the public, utilize arts engagement to create a lasting impact for people of all ages and abilities. Current program offerings include ArtSELF, Mr. Stevey & Friends, Artist in Residence, Gulf Coast Florida Wolf Trap, and other special community programs.
The Board also approved $505,526 to sustain arts education initiatives, along with an additional $50,000 to support mainstage programming at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. A cornerstone of this funding supports the Hall’s Schooltime Performances program, which brings nationally and internationally recognized artists to perform for students during the school day. These performances are paired with lesson plans aligned to Florida’s BEST Standards, allowing teachers to connect the experience directly to classroom learning. Educators also have access to professional development opportunities, including modules and arts integration workshops, to enhance teaching strategies and student engagement.
In the most recent season, almost 17,000 local students from 109 schools attended Schooltime Performances at the Hall. Over 400 teachers participated in training sessions, gaining new approaches and creative tools to inspire their students through the arts.
Together, these programs bring the Foundation’s total investment in local arts education and wellness this fiscal year to $922,486.
“This commitment reflects our belief that every person deserves the opportunity to experience the transformative power of the arts,” said Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, CEO of Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation. “By supporting these programs today, the Foundation is helping nurture the next generation of artists, audiences, and leaders who will shape Sarasota’s cultural future. I am deeply grateful to our Board of Directors and our local philanthropists for their vision and leadership in making this investment possible.”
Support from donors, including members of the Foundation’s Friends Society, makes these programs possible.
“The ability to actively engage in the arts, whether as an audience member, an artist, or simply as a human being, is essential,” added Kelli Maldonado, Executive Director of Mission & Impact. “The arts help us understand and shape our society, and we can only do that when every voice is included. Together, we’re inspiring learning in new ways and opening doors that can change lives.”
For more information, visit PerformingArtsFoundation.org.
About Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation
Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation’s mission is to create and sustain a vibrant performing arts center, advance education, and enrich communities by inspiring minds through the power of the arts. Since 1987, the Foundation has partnered with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to bring arts education to more than 40,000 students annually across five counties.
Today, the Foundation continues this commitment while leading the vision for a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center in partnership with the City of Sarasota, the Bay Park Conservancy, and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.