“Vice & Virtue” fills all four galleries at Art Center Sarasota with two and 3D pieces that delve into the dualities of the human condition. Some shock. Some bemuse. All challenge viewers to reassess the shifting boundaries between moral, amoral and immoral in contemporary society.
Executive Director Kathryn Ceaser also notes that “Vice & Virtue” is also one of the final exhibitions of Art center Sarasota’s 99th season.
“Art Center Sarasota was founded as the Sarasota Art Association in 1926,” Ceaser noted. “So we are celebrating our centennial season from October 2025 all the way through September 2026.”
While much has changed, including the name, Art Center Sarasota remains ground zero for Sarasota’s Cultural Coast designation.
“Our mission is to connect creatives in the larger community for an understanding of the human condition and wellbeing,” Ceaser added. “We take that seriously. So all of the activities we have planned for this centennial season, whether they’re exhibitions or free member events or a speaker series, they’re all designed to highlight the community aspect of the work we do.”
While all eyes are turning to the exhibitions and events that will mark Art Center Sarasota’s 100th anniversary season, there’s still time to view “Vice & Virtue.” It will remain on display through August 2.
MORE INFORMATION:
“Vice & Virtue” is the title that Art Center Sarasota gave to its annual juried regional show, which is the Center’s most prestigious juried exhibition.
It was curated by Jessica Todd.
Todd is a curator, artist and writer. She is passionate about building the creative infrastructures that support artists as well as studying and addressing issues of equity, access and inclusion in the arts.
Todd has worked with a number of arts organizations, including Tempus Projects, Artspace Tampa Initiative, Crab Devil and the Morean Arts Center. In 2022,
Todd opened Parachute Gallery in Ybor City, first serving as an exhibition space for national artists and later a retail gallery representing local artists.
Todd has published articles, curated exhibitions, and exhibited her own artwork locally and nationally. She holds a BA in Art from Penn State University, a Diploma in Hispanic Studies from the University of Barcelona and an MFA in Jewelry/Metals/Enameling from Kent State University.
The Sarasota Art Association was established in 1926 as the first arts organization in Sarasota. Founder Marcia Rader, Art Supervisor of the Sarasota School System, was the driving force behind the initial meetings of local art supporters who formed the association. In the early years, the group met monthly and sponsored exhibits in rented facilities.
In 1941, the Association incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. At that time, the stated mission was “to promote the educational and cultural advantages of Sarasota in the field of contemporary art." Many renowned local artists like Jerry Farnsworth, Elden Rowland, Syd Solomon and Hilton Leech were instrumental in establishing the center as the focal point for Sarasota's visual arts.
The City of Sarasota provided the Art Association, with a lease of land near the downtown area and in 1948, after the war, the association broke ground for its present building which was designed in the then-popular style of the Sarasota School of Architecture. The building opened in 1949 with only one gallery which is now known as Gallery 3.
The Atrium (Gallery 4) or “Patio Gallery” as it was called was later erected with donations from members and was enclosed in 1961. Several more additions were made to the building adding on the front two galleries, the classroom and the back kitchen and class area.
The association's philosophy during the 1960’s, stated that “while the gallery is important to display the works of local artists, one-man shows and traveling exhibitions, there is a social aspect of the association that bears heavy fruit. It is a meeting place for all who are interested in the many phases of art; it is a place to make friends and see what is going on in Sarasota…” This philosophy is still the inherent mission of Art Center Sarasota today.
The “Cultural Coast” is comprised of Sarasota, Siesta Key, Bradenton, Anna Maria & Longboat Key. The area has become known as the Cultural Coast because it is home to a rich mix of artists, performers, museums, galleries, theater, music, film, architecture and art schools.
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To read more stories about the arts in Southwest Florida visit Tom Hall's website: SWFL Art in the News.