Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Invests $1.5 Million in Arts Education, Wellness, and Community Programming
A young student excited for the Schooltime Performance at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall made possible by the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation
The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation will fund nearly $1.5 million this fiscal year in arts education and community programs that connect people throughout the region with meaningful arts experiences. Through programs offered by the Foundation and in partnership with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, this philanthropic investment will provide free opportunities for students, teachers, families, and community members across Sarasota and surrounding counties, expanding access to music, movement, creativity and live performance. This work is made possible through private support from donors, corporations, and foundations who invest in the Foundation. The investment advances the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring that people of all ages and abilities have meaningful opportunities to experience, participate in, and learn through the arts.
Funding will support the Foundation’s free Mission and Impact programs serving communities throughout Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties, including arts education, family and community programming, and arts and wellness initiatives. The investment also continues the Foundation’s longstanding support of arts education and programming at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, connecting students and teachers with professional artists and the transformative experience of live performance.
“Investing in the arts is an investment in the strength and vitality of our community,” said Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, CEO of Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation. “Because of the generosity of our donors, thousands of people across our region experience the power of the arts in meaningful ways. We see it in the child discovering the magic of a live performance for the first time, in the teacher using the arts to unlock a new way of learning, and in the connections created when people of all ages come together through shared experiences. These investments allow us to reach more people, deepen our impact, and ensure the arts continue to enrich our community for generations to come.”
A significant portion of the arts education investment supports Schooltime Performances at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, which gives students the opportunity to experience performances from nationally and internationally recognized artists. Performances are accompanied by lesson plans aligned with Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards, helping teachers extend the experience into the classroom. Professional development opportunities, including arts integration workshops and educational modules, provide teachers with additional tools to incorporate the arts into their instruction.
During the 2025-26 season, over 40,000 people benefited from the combined programming.
“This support allows us to make the arts accessible to everyone,” said Kelli Maldonado, Executive Director of Mission and Impact. “Sometimes that means bringing an artist into a classroom. Sometimes it means providing a free opportunity for a family to explore the arts together. Sometimes it is learning new ways the arts can make us healthier. The goal is always the same: to make the arts part of everyday life and ensure more people have an opportunity to participate, create, and connect.”