Education Matters | Art Center Sarasota: Helping Our Community Get Creative

By Ryan G. Van Cleave | September 2021

Established as The Sarasota Art Association in 1926—the first arts organization in Sarasota—what’s now known as Art Center Sarasota is a member-supported organization with a vital mission: to provide Sarasota with opportunities for creative expression and art appreciation through art education, exhibitions, cultural programs, and community engagement. That includes presenting contemporary work in its three curated galleries and offering juried competitions. But it’s so much more than that, notes Elizabeth Goodwill, who has served as their Education Director for nearly a decade.

One of the most popular offerings is their youth summer camp, which has been going for more than 15 years now. “This summer,” Goodwill reports, “we were sold out. The kids wanted to be in camp.” This summer’s camps were held in person, which was a welcome change for families who spent so much time online this past year. “We make sure our camps are a fun summer experience. The campers are free to explore and try new materials. The sky is the limit for their creativity.”

During the school year, Art Center Sarasota offers Saturday programming for kids aged 6 to 15 who are interested in everything from fashion design to portfolio development. “We’re working toward building an afterschool program, but it’s still in the development stage,” explains Goodwill. “It’s something that I and our Youth Program Coordinator, Barbara Gerdeman, feel strongly about.” 

They also offer Slice of Art, a grant-funded program for public school classes to visit the galleries and create work connected to their own STEAM courses. While this was on hold last year due to COVID-19, it’s been a popular program that expands on what is being taught in the classroom.

When it comes to adult education, Art Center Sarasota has become known as a nationwide destination for high-quality workshops. People come from all over to learn directly from internationally known artists who are invited to teach in person in Sarasota. These workshops and classes start up again in October and will be held in person. “Currently, we mainly host mixed media and watercolor visiting artists,” Goodwill says. “That’s what our adult students have expressed interest in, so that’s what we bring. Five years from now, we might need to focus more on artists working in pastel or oil. The trends are always changing.”

There’s also a program called ArtVentures that came about when adults realized how much fun the kids were having with their art projects during summer camps. “We’ve been calling this ‘camp for adults,’” jokes Goodwill. “It’s perfect for adults of any skill level. They come in for a three-hour session in the morning, afternoon, or evening, and they’ll know exactly what they’ll be making. Three hours later, the project will be completed.”

All the classes, workshops, and visiting artist demonstrations require a fee to participate, but the Appleby’s Foundation has been very generous with its support, providing scholarship opportunities for the educational offerings. For those who worry about their skills or lack thereof? “I only hire nice people,” Goodwill promises with a laugh. “Our teachers are here to help, not intimidate. We have a class and skill level that works for everyone.”

To get a sense of what they’ve been up to during the pandemic, join Goodwill every Thursday at 6pm via Zoom for Artist Happy Hour, which is “casual talk about the week, current art events, and the ups and downs in-between.” Or there’s the ongoing monthly Art Salon series that hosts art history talks and discussions, or the How to Be an Artist Book Club, which is also hosted online by Goodwill. “There are many ways to be part of what we do at Art Center Sarasota,” she says. “We’d love to have you join us.” These online activities are free of charge, but donations of support are always welcome.

Going forward, Goodwill plans to continue offering Facebook Live and Zoom events since they’ve been so well received. “We’re not going to stop just because people are vaccinated. Online forums are an added component, a great outreach tool that gives people flexibility. We see it as an opportunity to cater to the needs of people who are outside of our area or who can’t come to our site.”

Situated right at the heart of the historic Sarasota Bayfront, Art Center Sarasota has become the center of Sarasota’s impressive visual arts community. Check them out—they have something for everyone. 

“You don’t have to be an artist to appreciate what we do here,” says Goodwill. “And you’re never too old to learn!”

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Art Center Sarasota, please visit www.artsarasota.org or call 941.365.2032.