The Sarasota Ballet Receives Arts Appreciation Grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation

The Sarasota Ballet announced today the receipt of an Arts Appreciation grant award from Gulf Coast Community Foundation in support of The Sarasota Ballet’s Emergency Fund, created help the Company react to and withstand the dramatic economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis. In response to the pandemic, The Sarasota Ballet committed to paying their dancers’ salaries and medical insurance through the end of the Season even with the financial loss from cancelled performances. Likewise, the Company has continued to provide education offerings for its over 300 students with over 50 free online classes a week, and beginning in the coming weeks, The Sarasota Ballet will begin specialized classes for the over 150 students of the drop-out prevention program, Dance – The Next Generation.

“The Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s generous Arts Appreciation grant in support of our Emergency Fund will make a vital difference to The Sarasota Ballet,” stated Iain Webb, Director of The Sarasota Ballet. “Not only must we ensure the future of this important artistic institution, but we must protect and strengthen the future of our many dancers and students. Through this grant, we can continue to support our Company members, Studio Company dancers, Trainees, and students—making sure that when theaters and studios re-open, we are ready to bring this extraordinary art-form to life for this incredible community.”

In addition to providing for dancers’ salaries and medical insurance, The Sarasota Ballet has been focusing on the wellbeing on the several Company dancers of international origin who cannot depart the United States or seek additional work. In these cases, the Emergency Fund will assist the Company with providing financial support to those dancers to pay for their rent and additional health insurance costs—as these costs to the dancers would have been unanticipated and, for many, insurmountable. The Emergency Fund has also allowed The Sarasota Ballet to offer free online classes to students of The Sarasota Ballet School, Trainees of the Margaret Barbieri Conservatory, and members of the School’s Adult Program. It has also served as a substantial boon for Dance – The Next Generation, The Sarasota Ballet’s drop-out prevention program that includes over 150 students, by funding the production of recorded classes and content to engage these students during this difficult time.

“For this essential act of generosity, I want to personally thank Mark Pritchett, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Coast Community Foundation,” says Joseph Volpe, Executive Director of The Sarasota Ballet. “His organizational leadership and quick response to this ever-evolving crisis has been crucial in effectively addressing the needs of Sarasota’s performing arts community. We are truly grateful.”