Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Recognizes Jim and Susan Travers with Patron of the Arts Award
Susan and Jim Travers at the 2025 Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Annual Gala.
The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation has named Jim and Susan Travers as the recipients of the 2026 Patron of the Arts Award, honoring their extraordinary leadership, generosity, and enduring commitment to expanding access to the arts across the Sarasota community. The award will be presented on Friday, March 6, during the Foundation’s annual gala at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
“Jim and Susan embody the very best of philanthropic leadership,” said Foundation CEO Tania Castroverde Moskalenko. “Through years of dedicated service, transformational giving, and hands-on volunteerism, they have strengthened our organization and helped ensure that the arts remain accessible to everyone in our community. They truly represent what the Patron of the Arts Award was created to celebrate.”
Since relocating to the Suncoast in 2011, the Travers have become deeply woven into Sarasota’s cultural life, supporting initiatives that broaden arts education, remove barriers to participation, and inspire the next generation of audiences and artists.
Jim has served on the Foundation’s Board of Directors for over a decade, including stepping in as Interim CEO during a pivotal leadership transition. Susan has chaired multiple Foundation galas, helping raise critical funds for education and community outreach programs that provide immersive arts experiences, scholarships, and creative opportunities throughout the region.
“Jim and Susan lead with both heart and action,” said Foundation Board Member and 2026 Gala Co-Chair Jim Matras. “They set the standard for service and generosity, and they inspire all of us to do more for the arts.”
Vern Chalfant, who served as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee during Jim’s tenure as Chairman of the Board, reflected on the couple’s steady leadership and lasting impact. “Jim and Susan lead with integrity, discipline, and an unwavering belief in the power of the arts,” Chalfant said. “During a period of significant growth and change for the Foundation, Jim provided thoughtful governance and financial stewardship, while Susan rallied the community in support of our mission. Together, they helped strengthen the organization and position it for the future, including the vision for a new Performing Arts Center that will serve this region for generations.”
The Patron of the Arts award will be presented during the Foundation Gala, Defying Expectations: An Evening in Three Acts, on March 6. The evening will feature a one-night-only performance by Tony Award®-winning star of Wicked, Rent, and Frozen, Idina Menzel, bringing her iconic voice to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
The Gala raises critical funds to sustain arts education and wellness programs across the Suncoast. Proceeds directly support the Foundation’s mission and ensure that programs serving more than 40,000 local students, educators, and families each year continue to thrive and make the arts accessible to all.
Gala tickets, which include both the performance and gala festivities, are available exclusively through the Foundation at PerformingArtsFoundation.org/Gala.
For information about purchasing a table or sponsoring the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Gala, email Gala@PerformingArtsFoundation.org or call 941-271-4177. Golden Circle seating is reserved with gala attendance. The evening will include cocktails overlooking Sarasota Bay, an elegant dinner by Michael’s On East, a headline performance, and a post-show after-party with music and dancing.
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 and families 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. PerformingArtsFoundation.org