People everywhere are pulling themselves away from their chat boards, dropping their excuses and scratching their interests off of their “someday” lists. Boredom and depression are a thing of the past. It’s time to wake up and live your dreams awake with perfect strangers.

Social networking organizer Debbie Wolford motivates you to get out of your house and office. She brilliantly encourages ‘perfect strangers’ to meet up, create memories and bond uniquely. Debbie shares her own experiences of being lonely, bored and depressed, as well as hesitant to join social networking groups. You will not only relate to her, but you will trust her tips as she takes you along on adventures that most people only dream about.

Debbie delivers a strong message that we allow our dreams and interests to die because we are our own worst enemies. Most of us have put that wine tasting event, fishing trip, cruise, or historical tour on the back burner, because we don’t have anyone else to share the experience with. Some people have been sedentary for so long, they can’t remember what their interests are. Eventually, some of us begin to blame someone else for our boredom, which isn’t healthy for any relationship. When that happens, it’s time to pick ourselves up and fix that problem.

Take your first step, read her tips and RSVP for an event in your local community. You’ll soon find out that something as simple as a Sunday brunch may lead to your first skydiving experience or a hot air balloon ride.

Book Title: Adventure Mantra, Living My Dreams Awake
Author: Debbie Wolford
Order: Can be ordered on Amazon.com or AdventureMantra.com

About the Author:

Debbie Wolford has dedicated her career over the last 30 years to Mortgage Banking, Real Estate, Financial Investments and Global Banking. She consults independently as a Business Analyst under her corporation, D.A. Wolford Inc. Debbie also enjoys marketing and collecting gold and silver coins.

Raised in Falls Church, VA, she moved to Las Vegas, NV in 1990. Currently she lives in the Tampa Bay area where she’s been since 1995. Debbie spends most of her time networking socially, enjoying one new adventure after another. She is also known by her closest friends and family as a patriotic flag waving American.

Follow Debbie on Twitter: AventureMantra

Adventure Group Organizer: http://www.meetup.com/LetsJumpOutOfaPerfectlyGoodAirplaneandMore/

Vickery states, “My Chinese brush stroke paintings rely upon the use of traditional implements, ink stick, ink stone, oriental color pigments and Zhuan, or rice paper. My painting has been influenced by a long history of art interest which includes the study of Western water colorists to pop art, hard-edge work and collage. This eclectic background has exerted a powerful influence on my current pursuit of the art of Chinese brush painting and the ancient art of calligraphy.”

Please join ComCenter and Renee on Thursday, September 9th from 5-7pm at ComCenter Lakewood Ranch for an artist reception. This will be free to the public and complimentary light hors d’oeuvres and wine will be provided. For more information about Renee, please visit her website at www.ren-ahchineseart.com.

“It’s a win-win proposition,” states George Ann Bissett, the Dunedin Fine Art Center’s Executive Director.  “This is just an incredible location for our students… and for the community!”

The location Ms. Bissett is talking about is Dunedin’s new Weaver Park, on the waterfront of St. Joseph sound. The building is a 1921 bungalow that DFAC is referring to as it’s “Cottage Campus.”  The new facility which the Kiwanis Club of Dunedin helped prepare, will house the DFAC print studio, stone carving and wood turning as well as plein air drawing and painting programs. “It’s just such a wonderful location for the drawing from nature that happens in plein air classes,” notes Catherine Bergmann, DFAC’s Director of Adult Education.  “Actually, everyone is pretty thrilled to be here right across from the water” she added.

DFAC’s Cottage Campus adds to their Stirling Campus as offsite venues adding much needed classroom space for DFAC’s growing programs.  “We have an ongoing need for space, especially during our expansion/renovation project,” explained Ms. Bissett.

The Dunedin Fine Art Center’s Gladys Douglas School of the Arts is currently registering for Fall classes at ALL of its locations. Instruction is available for both children and adults, with discounted tuition rates for Art Center Members.  Daytime, evening and weekend classes are available as well as one day to week-long workshops in a variety of media. Register now for the Fall I session: September 13^th – October 24^th or Fall II session November 8^th – December 19^th. Please call 727.298.DFAC to register or visit the Dunedin Fine Art Center at 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin, Florida 34698. Class information and registration  is available on the web at: www.dfac.org.

All Florida K-12 teachers presenting valid school identification will receive one free regular-price admission to the Tampa Bay History Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the month of September.

This month-long opportunity allows educators to explore the History Center and familiarize themselves with the unique historical educational opportunities that are offered.

But teachers will find that the Tampa Bay History Center is more than a mere repository for historical facts. They will follow in the footsteps of the first native inhabitants, Spanish conquistadors, pioneers, sports legends and railroad tycoons. They will also explore exhibits about the places and people who shaped the Tampa Bay area. During their journey, they will stroll through a 1920s-era cigar store, row up the Hillsborough River, ride along with a cattle drive, and learn about the early exploration of Florida in a dramatic theater presentation.

This offer is limited to Florida’s K-12 teachers with valid school identification and excludes support personnel and home school groups. For more information, visit www.tampabayhistorycenter.org or contact the History Center’s Curator of Education, Julie Matus, at (813) 675-8981.

About the Tampa Bay History Center
The Tampa Bay History Center includes three floors of permanent and temporary exhibition space focusing on 12,000 years of Florida history. The History Center also features a Museum Store, the Witt Research Center (a branch of the Hillsborough County Public Library System), a map gallery, an event hall and the Columbia Cafe. One of Tampa’s premier cultural venues, the History Center’s hands-on, kid-friendly activities, together with cutting-edge interactive exhibits and theaters provide a unique educational experience. For more information, visit www.tampabayhistorycenter.org.

Last year, the 1st Super Boat National Championships were held in Downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach and attracted 60,000 people and made an economic splash of an estimated $5-6 million without spending a penny of taxpayers’ money. This year, with the addition of new activities and an available VIP race experience, even more people are expected to come to and watch boats equipped with F-16 jet canopies reaching extreme speeds of up to 200 mph vie for the title of national champions during the Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championship Festival. However, the race committee says they are prepared to handle throngs of crowds migrating out to the beach to view the spectacle of “NASCAR on Water”.

“We should have as many if not more than last year. We had 60,000 total over the three days which included 25,000 on the water in boats,” says race co-chair Brian Aungst. “We feel confident we will easily surpass last year’s total attendance. We are light years ahead of last year. We have more help, more sponsors, more time to implement our plans and an outstanding group of committee members and volunteers ready to make this ‘the event’ annually in the City of Clearwater.”

The festival will be held October 1st – 3rd in Downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach.  The event is family friendly and free, but passes for a VIP Race Experience can be purchased through the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce, for $100 per person.

For a schedule of race events and details, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com

About the Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championships:
When Super Boat International (SBI) founder and 30-year veteran, John Carbonell, wanted to produce Clearwater’s 1st Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival two local area businessmen made it happen: Restaurateur Frank Chivas and Former Mayor of Clearwater Brian Aungst Sr.

The Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championships will be produced by Super Boat International and presented by Bright House Networks.  To see the full list of sponsors, partners and sponsor hotels, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com.
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Saturday, Nov 6th at 2 PM: Added to the excitement is Satya Winkelman, M.A., C. P., Psychotherapist, artist, author of “Through the Fire: A Woman’s Guide To Transformation”,  there on First Friday and on First Saturday will present a lecture in the Gallery Gardens. Satya’s inspirational clay figures will be part of the show.
Barbara Schicitano in Gallery 4. Selected artists in the Sunroom Gallery.
Hours: Thurs-Sat 10-4. First Fridays 6-9. 1019 10th Ave W, Bradenton FL 34205. 941.744.1333 www.dancing-crane.com.

Sarasota, FL – August 2010 – The Sarasota County Film and  Entertainment Office (SCFEO), a division of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County,  has launched “TV ME!” a new,  innovative writers competition seeking creative content ideas for television programming.  The contest is open to U.S. citizens over the age of 18.  Entries will be accepted through Nov. 30, 2010.

“We’re excited to launch this contest to connect creatives with the decision-makers who can make their TV concepts into realities,” says Jeanne Corcoran, SCFEO director. “This competition also includes a scoring bonus for Florida-based themes and locations, which could result in an economic boost if winning concepts are produced in the Sunshine State.”

The Grand Prize for the best entry across all categories will include a trip to Los Angeles, California, to “pitch” the concept in person to a select group of industry professionals. Category winners will receive the opportunity for their concepts to be reviewed and considered by executives and decision-makers in the television industry. Additional prizes include cash awards and gifts from sponsors, as well as publicity and a winners’ luncheon.

“There is no other contest quite like this,” says Corcoran. “Unlike ordinary competitions that require full-length scripts for television, screenplays for movies, or manuscripts for novels, our competition accepts only short (five-to-15-page) ‘pitches’ of a concept for television programming.  It’s like a fast and forceful ‘elevator pitch’ where you give the most powerful and concise summary possible.”

Partnering with the SCFEO to administer the competition is Charles Meyer, executive director of The Scriptwriters Network, a Los Angeles-based organization with a 24- year history in the television and film industry.

“The ‘TV ME!’ contest promises to be a dynamic experience for creative contestants who believe they have the next new, bold, bright or off-beat idea for television,” Meyer says.  “This opens up a myriad of opportunities for great ideas without the necessity of a trunk-load of scripts.”

Individuals as well as creative teams may compete for awards and prizes in three categories:
•         scripted series (from comedy to drama, animated to children’s programs, science fiction to hybrids and other genres of recurring and/or series television),
•         unscripted/partially scripted (reality programs, game shows, demonstration/training programs such as cooking, crafts, skills, documentary, interview and investigative programs, etc.), and
•         one-offs (single standalone programs such as an award or sporting event, a movie-of-the-week, a special televised gala, benefit, tribute,  fundraiser, concert, staged performance, etc.).

Contestants will pay for entries via an online form and then submit concepts via email. No hard copies of submissions will be accepted. Entry fees range from $15 to $30 per concept, depending on date of submittal. Information: http://www.filmsarasota.com.

The Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office (SCFEO) is a division of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.  It seeks to attract film, television, commercial, documentary and other media production to create content, produce and shoot on location in Sarasota County, as well as  to serve the region’s resident production community, improve and expand its resources, provide intergovernmental liaison and proactively market and promote Sarasota County’s assets to the entertainment industry as a whole. The SCFEO is a member in good standing of the Association of Film Commissioners International, Film Florida and other industry organizations. www.filmsarasota.com.

Goodwill Industries-Suncoast and The Florida Aquarium are joining forces in a unique partnership.

Now through Sept. 30, each person who drops off clothing or household items at any Goodwill-Suncoast location will receive a coupon good for one free admission to the Aquarium with each paid adult admission (up to three free tickets). The coupons are redeemable until Oct. 31.

That’s a savings of up to $59.85, just for getting rid of unwanted clutter. In addition, Goodwill-Suncoast will offer donors a Goodwill shopping coupon now through September.

The incentive is timed for the months following the back-to-school season, which are typically slow for both organizations. The two nonprofit organizations are also linked by their mutual commitment to the environment, which is impacted every time someone discards an item that will end up in a landfill instead of being “repurposed” by Goodwill.

The Tampa Bay Goodwill donations campaign is tied to the national launch of the “Donate Movement” by Goodwill industries International. A cornerstone of the national campaign is a donation impact calculator, an innovative, online calculator developed by Goodwill International.

The calculator helps donors understand how their unwanted household items fund Goodwill services. For example, four pairs of donated jeans could pay for about 30 minutes of Goodwill career counseling for someone in need of a job, or 30 minutes of job training for someone with a disability.

Quite an impact for items that may have gone ignored, or worse yet, thrown in the garbage and later a landfill.

To use the calculator go to www.donate.goodwill.org.

A second component of Goodwill’s “Donate Movement” is its new “Donate” icon, designed to raise consumer awareness of the power of donated goods. The “D” graphic will soon appear on everyday products, comparable to the well-known symbol for recycling. Goodwill hopes the icon will ultimately become the universal symbol for earth-friendly donating.

One of the first partners is Levi Strauss & Co. The company changed the product care tags in Levi’s® jeans to a new “Care Tag for Our Planet” that includes the donate icon and encourages consumers to wash in cold water, line dry when possible and donate when no longer needed. Donating jeans would keep as much as 6.7 billion pounds of clothing and textiles out of landfills.

“We’re thrilled that Goodwill is now expanding the ‘Donate Movement’ nationally so even more companies and consumers join the conversation about reuse through donation,” said Michael Kobori, vice president for social and environmental sustainability, Levi Strauss & Co.

About Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc.

Goodwill Industries-Suncoast was founded in St. Petersburg, Fla. in 1954, and is one of the largest and most effective Goodwill organizations in the world. Its mission is to help people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work. The organization’s successful donated goods retail operation helps support its human services in 10 counties, including employment and training services, training centers for people with disabilities, affordable apartment communities, and community corrections programs. Goodwill is consistently ranked among the nonprofits most deserving of support based on the high percentage of revenue funneled to its programs.  For more information, visit www.goodwill-suncoast.org.

About the Florida Aquarium

The Florida Aquarium is a destination for people who truly want to discover the magic found in water. From underwater encounters with sea turtles, moray eels or sharks to feeding penguins behind the scenes, aquarium guests have the opportunity to see life from a unique perspective!

Florida Aquarium biologists, divers and educators help with underwater clean-up projects, take animals to underserved children and care for aquatic animals in need. For more information, visit www.flaquarium.org.

About Goodwill Industries International

Goodwill Industries International, headquartered in Rockville, Md., is a network of 166 community-based Goodwill agencies in the United States and Canada with 14 affiliates in 13 other countries. Goodwill is one of North America’s top five most valuable and recognized nonprofit brands as well as a leading social services enterprise (Source: Cone Nonprofit Power Brand 100, 2009). Goodwill agencies are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that fund job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 2,400 retail stores. Visit www.goodwill.org for more information.

About Levi Strauss & Co.

Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world’s largest branded apparel companies and the global leader in jeanswear, marketing its products in more than 110 countries worldwide.  The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi’s®, Dockers® and Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ brands.  Levi Strauss & Co. reported fiscal 2009 net revenues of $4.1 billion.  For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com or visit the new company blog, Unzipped, at http://levistrauss.com/blogs.

TAMPA, FL – August 2010 — Feld Entertainment, the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences, has announced a special military appreciation performance of Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey on September 11 at 7 p.m. Beginning today, all Tampa Bay military personnel (retired and active) may now purchase up to four tickets to the action-packed, ice adventure for only $10 at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office (while supplies last) by presenting a valid military ID at the time of purchase.

The evening full of music and magic will follow Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy who have their bags all packed and will transport audiences straight from their seats into the magical worlds of best friends Lilo and Stitch as they hula in Hawaii; Simba and Nala as they explore the African Pride Lands; Ariel and Sebastian as they experience an aquatic adventure in their undersea kingdom; and Peter Pan and Tinker Bell as they soar through the starry skies.

Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey features an international team of award-winning figure skaters, high-energy choreography and a colorful set that captures all four unique worlds. Audiences will be entranced as they experience this exciting excursion — one that will fill the arena with magic, music, and best of all, Mickey and Minnie!

Tickets for all other performances of Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey, which skates into the St. Pete Times Forum from September 9 through the 12 are also on sale now – $38 VIP, $30 (Lower Level), $25 and $15. Rinkside dining seats are also available for $75 and in clued a view of the show from one of the best seats in the house with floor level rinkside seating and a food and beverage package served in the XO VIP Club upon your arrival that is available through the first intermission. (Ticketmaster service charges and facility fees not included.) All Tickets are reserved. Tickets are available at www.DisneyOnIce.com or www.ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 1-800-745-3000, or at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office. For group ticket sales and information, call 866-248-8740, or e-mail groupsales@feldinc.com. To learn more about Disney On Ice, visit www.disneyonice.com.

# # #

ABOUT FELD ENTERTAINMENT
Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment’s productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

VIP Race Experience parties and events will be graced by the Super Boat drivers, throttle men and other sporting execs and celebrities, mixing and mingling with the FANS.  The VIP Experience Schedule includes:

Friday, October 1st

·         Concert at BayStar Race Village – VIP Seating

·         Baystar Race Village Party at the Promenade on the Bay – Hosted by Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce

Saturday, October 2nd

·         Shepard’s Beach Party – Hosted by Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce

Sunday, October 3rd

·         Hilton Deck Party – Hosted by Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort

·         Hyatt Patio Party – Hosted by Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach

·         Miss Clearwater Super Boat Trophy Girl Pageant – Hosted by Shepard’s Beach Resort Clearwater Beach

The VIP Race Experience also includes VIP race viewing from the Hilton Deck Party and the Hyatt Patio Party, so VIPs can avoid the throngs of crowds migrating out to the beach to view the spectacle of “NASCAR on Water”.  The three-day festival will culminate with boats equipped with F-16 jet canopies reaching extreme speeds of up to 200 mph while vying for the National Championship title just off the shore of Clearwater Beach.

VIP Passes can be purchased through the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce, for $100 per person.
The festival will be held October 1st – 3rd in Downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach.

Tourism on the Gulf Coast of Florida has been harmed by the misconception that Florida is covered in oil.  Last year, Super Boat brought an estimated 60,000-plus people to Clearwater, and made an estimated impact of $5-6 million on the local economy, without spending a penny of taxpayer’s money.

For a schedule of race events and details, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com
About the Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championship Festival:

When Super Boat International (SBI) founder and 30-year veteran, John Carbonell, wanted to produce Clearwater’s 1st Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival two local area businessmen made it happen: Restaurateur Frank Chivas and Former Mayor of Clearwater Brian Aungst Sr.

The Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championship Festival will be produced by Super Boat International and presented by Bright House Networks.  To see the full list of sponsors, partners and sponsor hotels, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com.

Center Hours:  Thursday – Saturday   9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Preserve & Hiking Trails:  Open 7days per week   7:00 am – 15 minutes before sunset
The Center is located at 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
Or visit our website at www.weedonislandpreserve.org

Saturday Guided Hike
Saturday, September   4, 2010          9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, September 11, 2010          9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, September 18, 2010          9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, September 25, 2010          9:00 am – 11:00 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Guided hikes through coastal mangrove and upland ecosystems of the Preserve are held each Saturday of the month.  Join us to learn about the coastal environment and the early residents of Weedon Island Preserve.  Be sure to bring water and a snack.  A hat and closed-toe shoes are also recommended.  Please register by 2:00 pm on the Friday prior to the hike of your choice.  Free.  All ages welcome – children younger than 6 may find this hike challenging.

Wee-time at Weedon: The Creek, the Kazoo and What You Can Do!
Thursday, September 9, 2010            10:30 am – 11:15 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
This program is designed to introduce pre-school children to the wonders of the natural and cultural world. Every second and fourth Thursday of each month, children are treated to a variety of stories and hands-on activities that connect them to their environment.  This week’s story features Pinellas County’s very own Booker Creek in the book entitled The Creek, the Kazoo and What You Can Do! by Elaine Fantle Shimberg. Children learn how watersheds play an important role in our everyday lives and how to keep our waterways clean from trash.  Pre-registration is required. Free. Recommended ages: 3 – 5.

The Great Weedon Bird Quest
Friday, September 10, 2010              8:00 am – 10:00 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Join us on a quest to find Weedon Island Preserve birds! Learn the identifying marks and behaviors of our feathered year-round residents and seasonal visitors while helping us compile an annual checklist of the Preserve’s birds. These hikes are designed to take advantage of all levels of birding experience. Binoculars and bird guides are available. Hikes are scheduled for the second Friday of each month. Please join us for a relaxing morning outing led by experienced birders. Pre-registration is required for this free event. Recommended for adults.

No Such Place as Away
Saturday, September 11, 2010          10:00 am – 11:00 am
Pinellas County Utilities/Solid Waste
Ever wonder what happens to your garbage when you throw it away? This presentation covers Pinellas County’s integrated solid waste management system that includes a waste-to-energy facility, sanitary landfills and recycling programs.  Participants learn how to reduce, reuse, and recycle their wastes and techniques for “closing the loop” by shopping for items made with post-consumer recycled content.  Pre-registration is required for this free event. Recommended for elementary children through adults.

Sweet Cane: Florida Sugar Prior to the Civil War
Thursday, September 16, 2010          7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Lucy B. Wayne, Ph.D., SouthArc, Inc., Gainesville, FL
Prior to the Civil War, Florida sugar plantations were an important industry. Archaeologist Dr. Lucy Wayne explores the history and architectural remains of this past agricultural industry and relates the historic events that first created the plantations and then their demise. This program, co-sponsored by the Central Gulf Coast Archaeological Society, is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is requested.  Recommended for adults.

National Estuaries Day Photography Contest: “Tampa Bay Estuary Photo Moments”
Submittal Due Date:
Friday, September 17, 2010               9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Awards Event:
Saturday, September 25, 2010          2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Education Services Staff and Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Help celebrate National Estuaries Day with a photography contest that captures the beauty of Tampa Bay, the largest open water estuary in Florida.  Amateur photographers are encouraged to submit, on or before September 17, a matted or framed print depicting the wonder of the estuary.  Each entry, which remains on display at Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, has an opportunity to win one of several donated prizes ranging from eco-tours to guided kayak trips.  Join us on National Estuaries Day on Saturday, September 25, 2010, for a chance to cast your vote for the “Viewer’s Choice” award and for the unveiling of contest winners.  The contest and awards event is free and open to the public.   Recommended for all ages.

Photography Hike

Saturday, September 18, 2010          8:30 am – 10:30 am

Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division

This program provides great opportunities for photographers of all levels to hone their skills. After a brief classroom session, participants hike the Preserve in search of that perfect shot. Center volunteers highlight seasonal features of the Preserve, as well as specific wildlife behaviors that help participants capture the natural beauty of Weedon Island Preserve. Free. Pre-registration is required.  Recommended for adults.

Nautical Exhibit and Lecture: “Historic Marine Lanterns and Buoy Lights”
Saturday, September 18, 2010          2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Harry Cunningham III, Tampa Bay Estuary Program Volunteer
Come join us for a presentation by Harry Cunningham III, collector of historic marine lanterns and buoy lights, about their use and history. Mr. Cunningham, a 5th generation Floridian, is an avid student of local history who has spent the past 30 years collecting nautical lanterns.  He is also the 2010 Volunteer of the Year for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.  Many items from his nautical collection will be on display at Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center beginning September 2, 2010 through September 30, 2010.

Wee-time at Weedon: The Sea, The Storm, and The Mangrove Tangle
Thursday, September 23, 2010          10:30 am – 11:15 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
This program is designed to introduce pre-school children to the wonders of the natural and cultural world. Every second and fourth Thursday of each month, children are treated to a variety of stories and hands-on activities that connect them to their environment. This book presents The Sea, The Storm, and The Mangrove Tangle by Lynne Cherry. Children learn about the life of a mangrove tree and its special place in the ecosystem. Pre-registration is required. Free. Recommended ages: 3 – 5.

The State of Tampa Bay – National Estuaries Day 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010          1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Nanette O’Hara, St. Petersburg, FL and
Chris Anderson, Florida Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL
Come celebrate National Estuaries Day and learn more about our own Tampa Bay. Hear from experts Nanette O’Hara and Chris Anderson as they discuss the state of Tampa Bay and how the oil spill in the Gulf may affect the health of our most precious environmental asset.  Learn how to obtain your digital copy of Boating and Angling Guide to Tampa Bay, a must for local boaters.  Winners of the National Estuaries Day Photography Contest: “Tampa Bay Estuary Photo Moments” will be announced, including a “Viewers Choice” award. This program is free and open to the public.  Recommended for all ages.

We encourage everyone to attend this event and also participate in our contest to interpret the featured painting  “New Blackboard”  for a chance to win an original artwork by artist Bosko Curich. The details about the contest and the Artwork picture are posted on the Facebook The Image Forum Fan Group http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=122162617804614&ref=ts or visit our website www.theimageforum.com , the winner of the original artwork prize will be mentioned and awarded the night of the event.

This unique combination of talent keeps audiences singing, dancing and laughing. Ricky is a high energy entertainer who will leave every audience in awe with his lead vocals and signature acrobatic dancing. Franky adds soulful harmonies, rhythmic percussion and an infectious stage charisma.  Definitely a must see show!

Saturday:      5:00 pm – doors open at 4:30.
7:30 pm – doors open at 7:00

Tickets are only $12.00 per person.  Reservations are required, call early! All proceeds from the shows will go directly to the 501 (c) 3 non profit car museum.

Sarasota Classic Car Museum is the second oldest continuously operating car museum in the nation!

Mainly Art is an arts, crafts and antiques bazaar for local artisans that join with the weekly Downtown Bradenton Farmers’ Markets. The public is welcome to browse the dozens of booths featuring a variety of local works from 9-2 p.m. every third Saturday on Old Main Street. There is no charge to attend.

Mainly Art is looking for vendors and demonstrators, including consignments and recyclables. To obtain an application to participate in the event with a space of your own, contact Anna Pohl, Downtown Events Manager, at (941) 704-4366 or annap@realizebradenton.com.

The weekly Farmers’ Markets will resume Oct. 2 and run from 9-2 p.m. every Saturday.

Mainly Art and the Farmers’ Market are both Realize Bradenton events.

Visit www.bradentonfarmersmarket.com or www.realizebradenton.com for more information.

TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 2010) – Science-fiction blockbusters like Blade Runner, The Matrix, Batman, The 5th Element and  Dark City can all trace their lineage to the 1927 silent film classic Metropolis.  One of the world’s first science fiction epics, it employed 36,000 extras, boasted extraordinary special effects, and ran for an unprecedented two-and-a-half hours at its premiere. Tampa Bay audiences will be able to enjoy a newly-restored print of the rarely seen full version of the film at the Tampa Theatre Aug. 29, at 3 p.m., and a University of South Florida professor is helping to make sure this event receives the appreciation it deserves.

The subject of plenty of hype, it was not a critical hit in its day, but Metropolis became recognized as a masterpiece of early German cinema in the decades after its release.  The film was admitted as the first film into the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2001 and continues to serve as a touchstone for filmmakers and film students today.

“The film tapped into the German Zeitgeist of that era, featuring in its narrative and highlighting in its visuals a dystopian vision of dehumanizing machines, a transgressive fembot (gynoid), class warfare, and a generational conflict transposed from the Expressionistic theater onto the screen,” says Margit Grieb, a professor in the Department of World Languages, who regularly teaches a course on silent German film at USF.  “Metropolis was neither the first nor last of the great films of the era popularly known as the ‘Golden Age of German Cinema,’ but it is certainly one of the most important, visually impressive, technologically avant-garde, and critically controversial films of its time.”

The Tampa Theatre is one of a select few in the United States that is screening the film and will have live accompaniment by renowned film organist Steven Ball.

“I think this speaks to the quality of our local art theater and the professional competence of programming directors, such as Tara Schroeder at Tampa Theatre, to have a film of Metropolis’s statute playing here,” said Grieb.  “In addition to Metropolis being a seminal viewing experience, due to its age and visual uniqueness, it is also a testament to the importance of taking care of our film heritage. Although restoration technologies are evolving into ever more sophisticated tools, it is also important to keep old films in safe locations and to invest money, time and effort to preserve them for future generations of film viewers.”

Grieb says that the film’s history of preservation and restoration ultimately turned into a multifaceted epic tale unto itself.

“It reads like fiction replete with mysterious discoveries, economic and political twists, and visionaries – a.k.a. preservationists – who make it all come together to form the happy end audiences have come to expect from entertainment cinema,” she said. “Of the many classic German films restored and available today, Metropolis probably has the most complex reception and exhibition history, and there exist numerous versions of the ‘same’ film which serves as a testament to the film’s enduring popularity and its value as a work of art.”

She explains that although the film ran approximately 153 minutes when it premiered in Berlin, it was cut to approximately 90 minutes for its international release.

“Between 1927 and the 1990s, an assortment of versions of various lengths, all derived from the cut version, circulated the globe. But in 2001, the film restoration specialist Martin Koerber, in conjunction with the F. W. Murnau Foundation in Wiesbaden, Germany, restored and reassembled Metropolis to bring it closer to its original version, but 25 minutes of footage were thought to be forever lost. In the summer of 2008, the curator of Buenos Aires’ Museo del Cine recovered a 16mm negative of Metropolis which included these 25 additional minutes of the film. Another restoration project was launched and the final product is what audiences will now get to see.”

For more information visit: http://tampatheatre.org/comingAttractions.php or call (813)274-8981.

The University of South Florida is one of the nation’s top 63 public research universities and one of only 25 public research universities nationwide with very high research activity that is designated as community engaged by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.  USF was awarded $380.4 million in research contracts and grants in FY 2008/2009. The university offers 232 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. The USF System has a $1.8 billion annual budget, an annual economic impact of $3.2 billion, and serves more than 47,000 students on institutions/campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference.
– USF –

In keeping with the theme of “bigger, faster, louder,” the Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championships, taking place October 1st – 3rd in Downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach, will offer a wide variety of new activities.

The three day family friendly festival will take place in Downtown Clearwater’s Coachman Park and Cleveland Street and on Clearwater Beach.

“We set the bar high last year with the first Super Boat National Championship in Clearwater, said event Co-Chair Frank Chivas. “This year we are planning a number of new family friendly activities to keep everyone excited the entire weekend”.

New activities and events will include:

·         Super Boat Trophy Girl Pageant with a $5,000 grand prize

·         Poker run featuring boats “galore”

·         A Motorcycle poker run

·         Cleveland Street block party where everyone can meet the drivers, see the boats up close and enjoy a street carnival atmosphere with entertainment

·         Friday evening concert in Coachman Park

·         VIP events

“We want to make sure there is always something for everyone to enjoy the entire weekend. By adding the Friday block party on Cleveland Street and Concerts both Friday and Saturday, with the multitude of other activities we feel this festival will be much bigger and better than last year,” said event Co-Chair Brian Aungst.

Of course, the activities that made Super Boat a success last year will be back as well. Returning activities include:

·         Loads of food and libations

·         “Bay Star Race Village” activities in Coachman Park

·         Concert and Firework display on Pier 60

·         Make a Difference Fishing Tournament benefitting handicapped children

·         Search and Rescue demonstration from the US Coast Guards

·         Awards ceremony after the races

Of course the three day festival will culminate with boats racing just off the shore of Clearwater Beach at speeds reaching up to 200 mph while vying for the national champion title.

Super Boat, which is the longest running offshore power boat racing in the United States, again hopes to bring in tourists and pump up the local economy during a crucial time for the Gulf Coast of Florida. Tourism on the Gulf Coast of Florida has been harmed by the misconception that Florida is covered in oil.

Last year, Super Boat brought an estimated 60,000-plus people to Clearwater, and made an estimated impact of $5-6 million on the local economy, without spending a penny of taxpayer’s money.

For a schedule of race events and details, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com

About the Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championships:

When Super Boat International (SBI) founder and 30-year veteran, John Carbonell, wanted to produce Clearwater’s 1st Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival two local area businessmen made it happen: Restaurateur Frank Chivas and Former Mayor of Clearwater Brian Aungst Sr.

The Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championships will be produced by Super Boat International and presented by Bright House Networks.  To see the full list of sponsors, partners and sponsor hotels, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com.

The Clearwater Downtown Development Board, The Cleveland Street District, The Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the Capitol Theatre are hosting the screening of JAWS in the Historic Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland Street in Downtown Clearwater.

Clearwater, FL, August 2010 — The Clearwater Downtown Development Board, in cooperation with the Capitol Theatre and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium will host a 35th anniversary screening of Universal’s film adaptation of Peter Benchley’s book, Jaws, starring Richard Dreyfus and Robert Shaw, Friday, Aug. 27 at the historic Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

The event kicks off at 6 p.m. in the Cleveland Street District just outside the theatre. Phinley, the Clearwater Threshers mascot will be on hand for photos and animal experts will hold a discussion of the delicate relationship between dolphins and sharks in the wild.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium personnel will offer a presentation about Winter, the world famous dolphin in their care who lost her tail in a crab trap. Warner Bros. and Alcon Films are planning a feature length movie loosely based on her life and there will be a chance drawing to be an extra in that film, Dolphin Tale, to be shot in Clearwater this fall. In addition, there will be chance drawings for admission tickets to the aquarium.

Proceeds from the event, after expenses, will benefit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Theatre doors open at 7 p.m. and the film screening will be at 7:45 p.m. Tickets are $2, a nod to the price of a movie ticket when Jaws was released in 1975. They will be available at the Ruth Eckerd Hall box office, 1111 N. McMullen-Booth Rd., Clearwater or at the theatre just prior to the show. A donation for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium of $8 is also suggested and refreshments will be available for sale.

Media Contact: Courtney Orr, Courtney.orr@myclearwater.com,
City of Clearwater Downtown Manager
City of Clearwater Web site – http://www.myclearwater.com

This celebrated program provides mentoring and performance opportunities for young musicians and a unique opportunity for the community to experience acclaimed faculty and students perform at a series of free events

(Sarasota, FL) The Perlman Music Program/Suncoast presents the seventh annual return of The Perlman Music Program Sarasota Winter Residency, December 28, 2010, through January 8, 2011. This intensive two-week program was founded by Toby Perlman, wife of internationally acclaimed concert violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman, and offers unparalleled musical training for students, ages 12 to 20+, who play the violin, viola, cello, and bass. With a faculty led by Itzhak Perlman and comprising some of the most gifted musical talents of our time, the PMP Sarasota Winter Residency offers an artistic and personal experience that changes students’ lives forever.

PMP Sarasota Winter Residency is hosted in partnership with the University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee. The public is invited to attend nearly 20 free events, including orchestra and chorus rehearsals, master classes, and works-in-progress recitals. These events take place in a heated outdoor performance tent on the grounds of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The general public is invited to pick up free tickets in person at the USF Sarasota-Manatee Rotunda beginning December 1. Advance tickets are available for PMP/Suncoast members and sponsors; more information about membership and sponsorship opportunities can be found at www.PerlmanMusicProgramSuncoast.org.

The program culminates with the “Celebration Concert and Gala” at the Sarasota Opera House, January 8, 2011. Tickets are $35 $55, $75 for the concert; $500 for the concert and gala dinner. Tickets for the concert only are on sale to the general public starting October 15 at the Sarasota Opera House’s box office at (941) 366-8450, Ext 1. Times for the concert and gala will be announced in September. For gala tickets and information, call 941-350-2338. For more information about The Perlman Music Program/Suncoast, call 941-955-4942.

The Perlman Music Program Sarasota Winter Residency is only one part of a year-round New York-based music education program providing mentoring, coaching and guidance for an exclusive group of string musicians of unique and special talent chosen from applicants from around the world. Each summer, PMP students convene on Shelter Island, New York, to participate in the six-week Summer Music School and two-week Chamber Music Workshop under the guidance of the Perlmans and an equally exceptional faculty roster. Regular mentorship opportunities are offered throughout the school year for students and alumni including concert series at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Neue Galerie.

For more information about The Perlman Music Program/Suncoast, visit www.PerlmanMusicProgramSuncoast.org or contact Elizabeth Power, executive director, 941-955-4942.

ABOUT THE PERLMAN MUSIC PROGRAM/SUNCOAST
The Perlman Music Program/Suncoast was established in June 2008 as an independent non-profit organization with the mission to provide operational stability and funding support for a permanent Sarasota Winter Residency for the Perlman Music Program. Founded by Toby Perlman, and with world-renowned faculty members led by her husband, internationally acclaimed violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman, The Perlman Music Program augments its six-week summer program in Shelter Island, NY, with a two-week intensive Winter Residency each December in Sarasota, FL. The residency provides valuable enrichment and performance opportunities for the young musicians (ages 12-20) being nurtured in this unique experience, and a rich opportunity for community audiences to experience the magic of musical mentoring through free public events on the University of South Florida Sarasota/Manatee campus. The program culminates with a “Celebration Concert,” featuring Itzhak Perlman directing the international PMP Chamber Orchestra.

The Perlman Music Program/Suncoast recently expanded its program offerings to serve Sarasota and Manatee county schools by bringing PMP alumni to Southwest Florida during the academic school year for in-school residencies. Under the name of The PMP/S Education Outreach program, PMP alumni serve as teaching and performing artists to support recruitment, training, and inspiration in school orchestra programs and present free recitals for the public in the newly created Performance Series. For more information, visit www.PerlmanMusicProgramSuncoast.org.

ABOUT THE PERLMAN MUSIC PROGRAM

Since 1994, The Perlman Music Program has been recognized as a world-class program that brings together exceptionally talented young musicians to study in a rigorous, but non-competitive, atmosphere. This program is the realization of Toby Perlman’s long-time dream to offer a nurturing environment to young musicians as a way to help them develop not only musically, but personally—to enrich their talent, build confidence, and strengthen respect for themselves and others. This unique music program combines educational and performance opportunities while fostering the individuality of each student’s talents in support of the development of the whole person. For more than 15 years, The Perlman Music Program has drawn students from all over the world. Students participating in the PMP Sarasota Winter Residency previously participated in a six-week summer Perlman Music Program on Shelter Island in New York, and many have performed in multiple concert appearances. Past residencies have included Israel and China and a variety of concert engagements, including performances for the Kennedy Center Honors, Live from Lincoln Center (TV broadcast), Mostly Mozart Festival at Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For more information, visit www.perlmanmusicprogram.org.

Chillounge Night will overlook the waterfront from beautiful Straub Park.  Hundreds of chic daybeds and other outdoor furnishings will be set up to create a cozy, comfortable setting for an evening of food, drink and entertainment that will be held from 6 – 11 p.m.

Admission to the elegant outdoor area, complete with lights, sound system, and a stage that will be filled with musical entertainment, dance performances, fashion models and more, is $25 per person at the door (must be 21 or older).  Advance tickets are on sale now for $20 and are available at www.chilloungenight.com.   A limited number of VIP tickets, which include complimentary food and beverages served in an exclusive VIP section, are available for $80.  Ceviche will provide al fresco dining for the VIP area and will also offer a variety of signature items cooked on-site and offered for sale to the general public throughout the night.

The exciting line-up of live musical entertainment includes the great sounds performed by sax phenom BK Jackson and vibrant nuevo flamenco sounds of world music ensemble, Cabal.  Brandi Kamenar with Icon B Marketing  & Publicity Group will organize and be the presenting sponsor of this year’s Chillounge Night Runway Fashion Show highlighting designs by Saks Fifth Avenue and Urban Body; models by Tampa’s Benz Model & Talent Agency; hair designs by Roy Naccour of J.Joseph Salon. Dona Crowley of Vocess Magazine will produce Chillounge Night’s one-of-a-kind Daybed Parade.  Creative Pyrotechnic’s fireworks display will once again highlight the skies and Chillounge Night’s signature Brazilian Samba Parade by Paulo Gualano will cap off the evening.

The upscale event is the creation of founder Rainer Scheer, a Sarasota resident and gallery owner.   Last year’s St. Petersburg Chillounge Night attracted 3,200 attendees.

“We create a beautiful atmosphere and provide an experience that combines music, fashion, dance and great food, all within an elegant setting that offers a perfect place to have fun, meet people and chill,” said Scheer.

The St. Petersburg event will benefit two local organizations, Creative Clay and The Woodson Museum.

Chillounge Night is a division of Design O’Fresco Corp., a Florida corporation that was incorporated in 2002.  Design O’Fresco Corp. is owned by Scheer.

For additional information, contact Rainer Scheer at rainerscheer@yahoo.com or call 941-448-0995.  For more information, to see all our sponsors, or to purchase tickets, go to www.chilloungenight.com.

Chillounge Night – licensed to chill!

Chillounge Night – the coolest outdoor lounge party!

Chillounge Night – changing Florida’s Nightlife!

Halloween Ghost Ship Raw offers a stripped-down, bare-to-the-bones night aboard what professional ghost investigators claim to be an authentic haunted ship. In 1952, the AmVic returned from the Korean War carrying 134 deceased soldiers. Many people, including professional ghost investigators, have experienced and confirmed actual paranormal activity on board.  Throughout the 2 nights of Halloween Ghost Ship Raw, there will be no sets and no actors.  Guests will be allowed to tour the ship in near darkness to see what they may encounter.

Tickets, priced at just $10, will go on sale Monday, August 16th at 10am by visiting www.ticketweb.com, by calling TicketWeb at 866.468.7630, or in person aboard the AmVic located directly behind the Florida Aquarium at 705 Channelside Drive in Tampa.  The AmVic is open Sundays and Mondays from noon to 5pm, and Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10am to 5pm.  For more information, log onto www.americanvictory.org.

Bright House Networks has recently signed on as the title sponsor of the Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championship Festival. Bright House Networks is giving back to the community by donating to a creative endeavor which will strengthen the area’s number-one industry. The Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championship Festival will be held in Downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach October 1st – 3rd.

“Bright House Networks is proud to be the title sponsor of the Super Boat National Championship Festival, which was a great success last year,” says Joe Durkin, the Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Bright House Networks. “With crowds estimated to surpass the 60,000-plus visitors from last year, it will have a tremendous economic impact on the local economy during a traditionally-slow tourist month.”

Tourism on the Gulf Coast of Florida has been harmed by the misconception that Florida is covered in oil. This could mean potential disaster for those who stake their livelihoods on a constant influx of visitors.

This type of sporting event, which is the longest running offshore power boat racing in the United States, again hopes to bring in tourists and pump up the local economy during a crucial time for the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Last year, Super Boat brought an estimated 60,000-plus people to Clearwater, and made an estimated impact of $5-6 million on the local economy, without spending a penny of taxpayer’s money.

The schedule for the Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championship Festival is now available online at www.clearwatersuperboat.com.

About the Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championships:

When Super Boat International (SBI) founder and 30-year veteran, John Carbonell, wanted to produce Clearwater’s 1st Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival two local area businessmen made it happen: Restaurateur Frank Chivas and Former Mayor of Clearwater Brian Aungst Sr.

The Bright House 2010 Clearwater Super Boat National Championships will be produced by Super Boat International and presented by Bright House Networks.  To see the full list of sponsors, partners and sponsor hotels, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com

(Sarasota, FL) Calling all canines, doggie divas and Shakespeare hounds! Does your pooch have star quality? Is he or she a fan of Shakespeare? The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, in collaboration with The Animal Rescue Coalition, is holding auditions on Saturday, September 18, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., for the role of Crab the dog in Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The winning dog will need to be available for rehearsals beginning October 28. The production runs November 2-21, 2010. Auditions will be held at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. An audition is required. To schedule your audition, please call 941-359-5700, Option 1, Ext. 3636, or email Debi.Schalch@conservatory.fsu.edu.  The deadline for audition reservations is September 13.

What kind of star qualities does your pooch need to play Crab? “We’re looking for older dogs with a wizened and deadpan sense of humor,” says Greg Leaming, director of FSU/Asolo Conservatory and also director of this production.

“They should be docile and responsive to commands,” says Leaming. “Some knowledge of tricks is a plus but all dogs will be considered. Any interesting dog can and should audition; my thoughts on the right dog can be swayed by a really good audition!”

Leaming reminds doggie parents that their canine must have proof of vaccination and be dog- and people-friendly. All dogs will need to be on leash during the audition process. FSU/Asolo Conservatory students will be on hand to meet and greet humans and pet canines—and to ensure enough fresh water and doggie treats are available.
This event is a collaboration between the FSU/Asolo Conservatory and The Animal Rescue Coalition (ARC). ARC is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to end the killing of adoptable dogs and cats in Sarasota and Manatee counties by means of a proactive spay/neuter program, comprehensive adoption effort, and various other initiatives designed to recognize the profound benefits to people of animal companionship. The Conservatory will direct a portion of proceeds of season subscriptions sold that day to ARC. A special subscription offer of $100 for all four Conservatory plays will be offered to anyone who shows up that day.

“ARC is delighted to collaborate with the Asolo Conservatory in an effort to find the perfect canine star for this Shakespeare play,” says Ed Sarbey, ARC’s founder and board president. “We’ll have representatives from ARC and other animal groups onsite, as well as dogs who need adoption. We hope anyone who cares about finding companion homes for needy dogs and cats will come out that day and show their support for ARC and the Asolo Conservatory.” For more information about ARC, visit www.animalrescuecoalition.org.

The FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s 2010-2011 season includes Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare (Nov. 2-21, 2010); Reasons To Be Pretty by Neil La Butte (Jan. 4-23, 2011); The Lady from the Sea by Henrik Ibsen (Feb. 22-March 13, 2011); and Tartuffe by Moliere (April 12-May 1, 2011).

TICKET INFORMATION
The first three productions are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 p.m., at the Jane B. Cook Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. The fourth and final production, Tartuffe, is at the Historic Asolo Theater. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Asolo Repertory Theatre box office at the FSU Center for Performing Arts; 941-351-8000. A special subscription offer of $100 for all four plays is being offered. The 2010-2011 season subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now.

ABOUT THE CONSERVATORY
The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training is a celebrated three-year graduate program culminating in a master of fine arts degree. For more than 30 years, tens of thousands of actors from across the continent have auditioned for admission. A maximum of 12 students are admitted each year. In their second year, the students perform in the Cook Theatre, a 161-seat space designed to create an intimate experience for the audience and actors. Third-year students are seen on the Mertz Stage working with the Asolo Repertory Theatre’s professional actors in exciting and significant roles. For more information, visit www.asolorep.org.

“It became apparent to us after some initial research that we needed to implement a consistent and cohesive brand identity for the Florida State Fair,” said Rip Stalvey, Director of Marketing for the Florida State Fair Authority.  He added that, “Some of the most recognizable brands in the world do not change their logo or slogan every year, otherwise customers would not be able to remember them as easily.  By branding this new slogan consistently year after year, we will position the Florida State Fair in the mind of our customers as a once a year, MUST SEE event, that should not be missed.  They will also come to remember fondly that experience and want to come back every year.”

The Florida State Fair plans to get back to basics by emphasizing the things people know and love about the annual event.  According to a 2010 on-site survey, fair visitors indicated that they were influenced to attend the Florida State Fair by these factors:
1. Food
2. Entertainment
3. Livestock
4. Cracker Country — a rural Florida Living History Museum
5. Rides

The Florida State Fair’s marketing campaign will engage people with fun and creative promotions to emphasize these core elements.  The marketing campaign will kick start in December with the announcement of the Florida State Fair’s entertainment line-up and early discount ticket sales available for purchase online and at the Fair’s Box Office.

The 107th annual Florida State Fair will take place on February 10-21, 2011.  The Florida State Fair – always in Tampa and always in February – is organized by the Florida State Fair Authority under the leadership of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson leads the Fair Authority, which oversees the Florida State Fairgrounds and the annual Florida State Fair.  The Florida State Fair Authority is a non-profit organization which operates primarily from revenues generated from the annual State Fair and other ongoing events during the year.  Presently, the Fair Authority does not receive any state tax appropriations from Hillsborough County, City of Tampa, nor the State of Florida.  For more information about the Florida State Fair or the Fairgrounds, visit online www.floridastatefair.com, call toll-free (800) 345-FAIR or (813) 621-7821.

August 9, 2010 (Tampa, FL)  Saturday, August 14th is the 65th anniversary of the end of WWII and the American Victory Ship will commemorate it with a day of special offers.

Admission will be half price for everyone ($5/adults, $2.50/youths 4-12, $4/veterans, and $4/seniors 65+. No double discounts).  Docents will be on hand to provide tours to those interested.  Additionally, a special arts & crafts area will be available for children who will also receive complimentary freeze pops.  The AmVic will be open from 10am to 5pm.  Tickets will be available at the door.

Normally closed on Mondays, the AmVic has revamped its hours, which will now be open 7 days per week. New hours are Sundays and Mondays noon to 5pm, and Tuesdays through Saturdays 10am to 5pm.  The AmVic is conveniently located directly behind the Florida Aquarium at 705 Channelside Drive in Tampa.  Free parking is available on the pier.

Glass Studio & Hot Shop
Visit the Morean Arts Center Glass Studio & Hot Shop where you can watch glassblowers create one-of-a-kind pieces. There are opportunities to work with one of the Morean instructors to make your own blown-glass piece. Don’t forget to end your experience by visiting the Hot Shop store which carries artwork, books, DVD’s and more!

Summer Art Camp featuring Glass Classes inspired by the Chihuly Collection and our New Clay Camp
Final weeks of summer art camp! Space is still available! Visit MoreanArtsCenter.org for more information.

Summer Camp for Grown-ups at the Morean
Arts Center for Clay
Grown Ups…Join us for this fun filled week!  August 9th-13th Call Valerie Scott Knaust for details 727.821.7162

Ricky Bernstein: Kitchen Dreams
Now on view through August 22nd

Ricky Bernstein, Voila, 2005
What Ricky Bernstein does best is tell visual stories. His oversized cartoon graphics pull us into domestic dramas that humanely poke fun at our past and present lives. Using a variety of materials, Ricky composes narrative, collage-style wall reliefs with a distinct pop-art flavor. In a delightful way, common stories take on larger than life proportion—a compelling slice of Americana in still life sit-com. This exhibition is made possible in part by a grant from the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass.

This Woman’s Work
Now on view through August 22nd

Amy Hill, Two Women Inside, 2009

From female hunters to overwhelmed housewives, artists convey their view of the woman’s role in the home. Giving us their unique interpretations are photographer Margaret LeJeune, painter Amy Hill, mixed media artist Candice Smith Corby, glass artist Lisabeth Sterling and performance artist Venia Bechrakis.

August Events

Saturdays @ the Morean
Every Saturday from 1-4pm
Drop-in family art studio open to all ages. No reservations required. Cost is $10 per family (up to five) and $2 per each additional family or friend.

Gallery Walk and Featured Artist Gallery Sale
with Neverne Covington
Saturday, August 14th from 5-8:30pm
Cost: Free admission to galleries In combination with the Morean Arts Center’s Featured Artist website page, the featured artist in August, Neverne Covington, will have a gallery sale during Gallery Walk.

Create your own paint-splattered shoes
August 14th from 5:30-7:30pm
Cost: $5

Thursdays @ the Morean: Early Art Adventures
August 12 & August 19 10am – 11:30am
This series of workshops are designed for preschoolers, ages 2 to 4 and their parents or caregivers. Join Miss. Barbara on an adventure in art, story telling, music, and games. Cost: $6 per child, includes parents or caregiver Pre-registration required.

Kids Night Out!
Friday, August 20th 6pm – 9pm
Enjoy a night out and we’ll take care of the kids! A fun evening of artistic adventures for kids ages 4 to 9 in the Children’s Learning Center. We’ll enjoy pizza, a movie, and some antics in art while you enjoy a well-deserved evening out! Cost: $20 per child Pre-registration required.

Workshops Fusing with Powders, Paints & Frit
Steve Schramek
Saturday, August 7 1pm – 5pm
Cost: Member $180 Non-Member $210

Landscapes with Randy Van Duinen
Saturday and Sunday, August 7 and 8
10am – 4pm
Cost: Member $95 Non-Member $125

Art Quilting with Dara Vance
Saturdays, August 21, 28, and September 4
10am – 1pm Cost: Member $85 Non-Member $100

Fritography with Steve Schramek
Saturday, August 21 1pm – 5pm
Cost: Member $180 Non-Member $210

Portrait Retouching with Chuck Vosburgh
Saturday, August 21 10am – 4pm
Cost: Member $65 Non-Member $95

Flash Boot Camp with Bryan Leighty
Saturday, August 28 10am – 4pm
Cost: Member $65 Non-Member $95

Morean Arts Center
719 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727.822.7872

Glass Studio & Hot Shop
719 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727.827.4527

The pulse of this community flows from the creative heart of its artists and its children. Summer of Art celebrates three special summer outreach programs in downtown St. Petersburg that offer educational, artistic, and professional experiences to students and adults with disabilities. The Florida International Museum at St. Petersburg College is pleased to collaborate with the Pier Aquarium, Florida Holocaust Museum and Creative Clay Cultural Art Center to celebrate this community and offer a unique opportunity for students and artists to exhibit their work in a museum setting.  The community and especially families are invited to attend this fun showcase of art.

Associate Curator Christine Renc Carter said “The artwork represented in this exhibition speaks volumes about the intelligence and creativity in today’s youth and adults with disabilities.  These programs have instilled consciousness into their students who create art with a message.  They have become proactive citizens in their own right, learning how self-expression through creative outlets can be a fundamental part of understanding science, social awareness and activism in the community and that art can also be created into a viable business”.

Pier Aquarium Summer Marine Adventures camp programs are held annually at the Roy G. Harrell, Jr. Education Station at Spa Beach. Funded by Southwest Florida Water Management District, three of this year’s camps focused on messages of water conservation, watershed, and marine science. Students ages 5-11 from Let’s Get Fresh, Go with the Flow, and Worlds of Water illustrated their experiences through field trips and hands-on activities. Students also participated in projects to better understand the devastating environmental effects of the recent Gulf oil spill and interpreted it through art. The Aquarium also collaborated with the Family Center on Deafness to create a special program, Explore the Bay, for deaf and hard of hearing students.  They have contributed their art work for this collaborative show.

SPEAK UP SPEAK NOW! is a Florida Holocaust Museum community outreach project that includes an eight-week summer camp, traveling art exhibit, and public awareness campaign. It was created in response to a 2009 drive by shooting that killed 8-year old Paris Whitehead Hamilton in St. Petersburg. During camp, middle school students explore the connection between historical bystander behavior and modern challenges with school bullying, gun violence and a code of no snitching. Artwork created during summer camp is used in a traveling exhibit meant to raise awareness among all ages about the timeless and devastating effects of prejudice and silence. This exhibit is a celebration of the obligation these young artists feel toward their community. It is their expression of how they will speak up for themselves and others.

ARTLINK 2010 is a Creative Clay Cultural Art Center program that provides member artists with disabilities the opportunity to work one-on-one with professional artists in the community. Member artists learn to collaborate and master artistic skills, build their portfolio and develop business skills. Although ARTLINK has always been an arts mentoring/training program, 2009 was the first year that the project was designed specifically as an arts focused, Support Employment initiative in which both partners were compensated for their efforts. This year’s exhibition marks the 10th Anniversary of the ARTLINK program and features a special multimedia event that encompasses several avenues of artistic expression, including visual art, a fashion show, video and performance art.

Florida International Museum at St. Petersburg College is pleased to host the Summer of Art  exhibit, showcasing the student art of these three organizations.  The exhibit runs from Saturday, August 7th thru Saturday, August 28th – Tuesday thru Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and admission is FREE for the entire exhibit.

“Merlin Entertainments Group is confident that PCL is the right company for this enormous job,” said John Ussher, LEGOLAND General Manager of Development. “PCL’s quality standards, along with their attention to detail and incredible safety record make them our company of choice.”

“We are committed to the success of LEGOLAND Florida, and appreciate the confidence Merlin Entertainments Group has placed in our firm,” said Deron Brown, Vice President and District Manager. Once finished, LEGOLAND Florida will be transformed into Florida’s newest family theme park with a mix of rides, shows, attractions, restaurants and shops – the perfect full-day experience for families with children. “PCL is thrilled to be awarded such a unique project,” said Bob Hopfenberg, PCL’s Director of Business Development.

PCL is one of the top entertainment builders in the country according to Engineering News Record Magazine. With over 200 entertainment projects completed by the Orlando district, PCL has a diverse and extensive design build and fast track entertainment background that includes rides, roller coasters, simulators, aquariums, restaurants, retail and support facilities for numerous major Orlando theme parks. PCL is a 104-year-old firm with 27 office locations throughout North America and an annual construction volume exceeding $6 billion.

PCL’s design-build partner for LEGOLAND Florida is Morris Architects, a leader in entertainment design. PCL and Morris have a long and successful history of working together on entertainment projects throughout Central Florida. Founded in 1938, Morris Architects has established itself as an award-winning, planning, and full-service architectural design practice with offices in Orlando, Houston, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Hong Kong.

Due to the high-volume of interested sub-contractors, PCL has created a specific email address to collect proposals. All sub-contracting queries should be sent to PCL via legolandinfo@pcl.com.

TAMPA, Fla. – Business and the arts past and present will be the focal point of the Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts (TBBCA) 16^th Annual Gala and Save the Arts Benefit on October 21, at The RITZ Ybor.  The event will raise funds for the TBBCA’s Save the Arts initiative and celebrate local businesses and individuals who have made a significant impact on the arts and cultural scene in Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay’s arts and cultural community has experienced severe funding cuts from local and state governments but the TBBCA says businesses and professionals are the ones who have traditionally made the most impact by partnering and supporting cultural organizations and individual artists.

“We selected Ybor City as the setting of this year’s event to take a look back at Tampa Bay’s arts and cultural roots that were established in partnership with businesses and passionate professionals,” says Christina Campbell, general manager of the TBBCA.  “Looking ahead into the future we still see businesses and professionals as key partners of the development and sustainability of Tampa Bay’s arts and cultural scene.”

The gala will be held at The RITZ Ybor, a historic cultural landmark in the heart of Ybor City.  The RITZ Ybor was originally built in 1917, as the Rivoli Theatre and later became The RITZ Theatre.  The Capitano family purchased the building in 1988, to ensure it remained a historic landmark and have recently fully restored it as The RITZ Ybor.

Attendees of the gala will experience a local collection of historical and contemporary art retelling the story of Ybor, during a hosted cocktail hour.  Special live entertainment will feature one of Florida’s top modern dance companies currently in residence at the University of South Florida, Moving Current Dance Collective and Tampa-based Cuban band, Orquesta Infinidad, known for their original blending of Cuban sound mixed with today’s salsa and Latin jazz arrangements.

Emmy award winning journalist and director of community affairs for WFTS TV ABC Action News, Lissette Campos, has been named the host of the event.  Campos is well known for covering a wide variety of arts and cultural stories on her “Positively Tampa Bay” segments and leads the station’s community outreach efforts including the annual Hispanic Heritage Month Campaign.  Dinner for the event will be provided by Olympia Catering & Events, a family business that has been part of Tampa’s cuisine scene and Ybor’s history since 1924.

The fundraising portion of the gala will feature an art-themed silent and live auction that will benefit the TBBCA’s Save the Arts initiative that provides funding for: High School Art Stars, which annually provides $15,000 in scholarships to six Bay Area students based on artistic ability in the fields of instrumental music, literary arts, vocal music, visual arts, theater and dance; Chalk Walk, a three-day art festival that exposes thousands of people in the community to art, artists and culture in an nonthreatening environment; and Cultural Encounters, which financially benefits area cultural institutions and gives members of the community a unique behind-the-scenes experience.

The TBBCA will also honor businesses and individual professionals whose support has had a significant impact on Tampa Bay’s arts and cultural community. Award recipients will receive a commissioned work of art from Ybor City-based artist Joe Griffith.  The artist is well known in the Bay Area for his Lotus Fire Sculptures commissioned by the City of St. Petersburg and for Flight 19, a curatorial laboratory in partnership with the City of Tampa.

The TBBCA 16^th Annual Gala is open to the public and ticket prices start at $85 per person and $75 for nonprofits or artists.  Sponsors for this year’s event include Premier Eye Care, St. Petersburg Times and tbt*, University Area Community Development Corp., Pitch Inc., Cox Media, ChappellRoberts, Gunn Printing, Impulse Entertainment and The RITZ Ybor.  For more information about sponsorship opportunities or tickets visit: www.TBBCA.org.

SAVE THE DATE

SAVE THE ARTS BENEFIT

Celebrate local businesses and professionals who have made a significant impact on Tampa Bay’s arts and cultural community.  Experience historic and contemporary music, dancing and visual art.  Support local artists and cultural organizations through TBBCA’s Save the Arts initiatives.

When: October 21, 2010

6:30-9:30 p.m.

Where: The Ritz Ybor

(1503 East 7th Avenue, Tampa)

Cost:

$85 individuals (advance purchase)

$105 individuals (after 9/15/10)

$75 nonprofits/artists (advance purchase)

$95 nonprofits/artists (after 9/15/10)

For sponsorship opportunities or tickets call 813-221-2787 or go to www.TBBCA.org.

Advance registration is $10 at www.edcsarasotacounty.com/calendar.asp. Admission is $12 at the door. For more information, call (941) 309-1200 ext. 104.

Stargate Studios is one of the world’s leading digital effects companies with credits including “Heroes”, “24”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Ugly Betty”, “ER”, “CSI NY”, “Defying Gravity”, “Trauma” and many more.

“At the mixer, Frankel will discuss his views on this revolutionary, expanding business model of ‘virtual’ production,” Corcoran said. “Will ‘real locations’ become less and less a part of the movies and television programs you watch, without you even knowing it? In the present and future, how much will be real and how much will be illusion over green screen?  Most importantly, can Sarasota County lay claim to a healthy share of this rapidly growing ‘virtual’ industry?”

The Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office (SCFEO) is a division of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.  It seeks to attract film, television, commercial, documentary and other media production to create content, produce and shoot on location in Sarasota County, as well as  to serve the region’s resident production community, improve and expand its resources, provide intergovernmental liaison and proactively market and promote Sarasota County’s assets to the entertainment industry as a whole.  The SCFEO is a member in good standing of the Association of Film Commissioners International, Film Florida and other industry organizations. www.filmsarasota.com.

(Sarasota, FL) The exhibit, “Avatar to Art: 3D Work by Jeff Hazelton,” has been extended due to popular demand through September 19, 2010, at G.WIZ Science Museum in Sarasota. New works will be added to the collection of large-scale, 3D canvases on Aug. 19 during museum hours. Tickets to the exhibit are included in the general admission prices to the museum. G.WIZ is located at 1001 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota. For more information, call 941-309-4949 or visit www.gwiz.org.
Hazelton says that the additional work is “dedicated to the research and understanding of cancer” and “a result of my long-time ambition to provide empowering 3D visual imagery directly to people affected by serious disease.” For the past 12 years, Hazleton has blended his love of art and science with the latest technology to create 3D animations describing how disease affects the body and visualizing the latest novel treatments offered by science to fight them.
The artist says his desire is “to empower patients with compelling visual imagery to help them to cope, fight, and heal from disease. By allowing the viewer to become immersed in a large-scale, 3D environment depicting the disease and its destruction, I aspire to help facilitate more positive outcomes.” Hazelton’s company, BioLucid, has been a leading innovator in the medical animation industry since 2001, producing 3D movies and interactive educators for use by physicians.
The exhibit, which opened at the museum on July 2, blends the artist’s “love of vibrant colorful abstraction and his expertise in the science of stereoscopy to create an experience that is entirely unique,” says Molly Morgan, director of the museum.
Morgan explains that “viewers should wear 3D glasses to enjoy the full effect of the artwork. The 3D environments extend the walls of the exhibit space and are designed to immerse the observer into the art.”
The compositions consist of bold colors and geometric patterns, mixed with microscopic anatomy and “automatic drawings” taken from Hazelton’s sketch book, penciled during his two-year sailing voyage around the world. The artist explains: “I want people to feel like they are part of the artwork, like they have been transported to a new place or are sharing a room with interesting objects that are purely a product of their mind’s innate comprehension of 3D space, and it is my privilege to place them there.”
For more information about the artist, please visit www.3Dfineartist.com.
These three high-res images are available to download:

“Vagabond Wake”: http://www.3dfineartist.com/press/vb_wake.jpg
“Disruption”: http://www.3dfineartist.com/press/disruption.jpg
The artist: http://www.3dfineartist.com/press/2.jpg
For more information about this press release, call Amy Fordyce, at 941-309-4949, Ext. 120, or email her at AmyF@gwiz.org or visit www.GWIZ.org.

About G.WIZ
G.WIZ, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1990 and moved into its current facility in 2000. The organization’s mission is to serve as a gateway for lifelong adventures in science G.WIZ is a champion for science education in Sarasota County and the entire state of Florida. The museum serves 125,000 people each year; 50,000 of these are school-age children. G.WIZ is a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers, the Florida Association of Museums, and the Science and Environment Council of Sarasota County. The museum is located in Sarasota’s bayfront cultural district at The Blivas Science & Technology Center, 1001 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, Florida 34236. For more information, visit www.gwiz.org or call 941-309-4949.

Thirty-one of these grants, totaling $3 million, were awarded for projects in
17 states and one Tribe. With these funds, communities and agencies support
preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education, and historic
preservation planning. Through these grant projects, the U.S. gains a greater
shared knowledge about the nation’s past, strengthened regional identities and
local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country’s
cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of
our communities.

Seven consultant groups, featuring experience in Cultural Landscape Reports
and garden Master Plans, applied and competed for this coveted project.
Following a rigorous, competitive process of past experience and concept
presentations, a team has been selected.  The consultants selected to research
and compile a Cultural Landscape Report, and to create the Master Plan for
Historic Sunken Gardens, will be announced, pending final approval by NPS.

For more information on this project please contact Bill O’Grady, Sunken
Gardens’ Supervisor, and Master Plan Project Manager, at 727-551-3148. For
questions regarding the PA grant program, or to comment on this or any other
proposed PA project, please contact Hampton Tucker, Chief, Historic
Preservation Grants, NPS, at 202-354-2067.

Direct from the Crescent City and New Orleans’ famous Maple Leaf Bar, don’t miss funk and R&B legends and Jazz and Heritage Festival favorites, the Joe Krown Trio, Saturday, August 21 at 8 p.m. This show will be their only Tampa Bay appearance. Joining them are John “Papa” Gros, of Papa Grows Funk and Dave McCracken of Donna The Buffalo. The Joe Krown Trio includes Walter “Wolfman” Washington on guitar, Russell Batiste on drums and Joe Krown on the Hammond B3 and keyboards.

Davy Jones of the Monkees pop-rocks the house on Saturday, August 14 and Air Supply wraps up the successful Up-Up Close summer series with their inimitable brand of soft rock on Saturday, August 28. Both shows are at 8 p.m.

Appearing in the Palladium’s intimate club, the Side Door Cabaret on Friday, August 13, 8 p.m., are local jazz and blues favorites, Vincent Sims and the SideWinders in a Tribute to Blue Note Records. Becca McCoy brings Love with the Lights On, Broadway’s best anthems of modern love to the Side Door Cabaret on Sunday, August 15.

For tickets and information call the Palladium at (727) 822-3590 or visit www.mypalladium.org.

The August shows are as follows:

Fri, 8/13, 8 p.m.           Vincent Sims and the SideWinders: A Tribute to Blue Note Records

Sat, 8/14, 8 p.m.         Davy Jones of the Monkees

Sun, 8/15, 6 p.m.        Becca McCoy: Love with the Lights On

Sat, 8/21, 8 p.m.         B3 Showdown, N’awlins Style! With the Joe Krown Trio, John “Papa” Gros and  Dave McCracken

Sat, 8/28, 8 p.m.         Air Supply, original group members Graham Russell & Russell Hitchcock

Coming in September

9/17, 18, 19     St. Petersburg Opera Presents Mozart’s A Little Night Music

9/24                 St. Pete Blues Allstars

9/25, 26, 27     Freedom Found, World Premiere, Musical Drama

10/1-10/10       New American Theatre Presents Tony Award-nominated Pump Boys & Dinettes

10/17              Bombay Bellywood, An extravaganza featuring world dance, music, costumes

Among his many accomplishments, Billy (Elvis) Lindsey was the Top 10 Finalist in The International Images of the KING contest in Memphis!  He was also the WINNER of The International ELVIS Extravaganza Contest at the Florida State Fair 2009!! Winning 3 out of 4 classes…Peoples Choice; Best Look a Like…and Over All Champion!!

Billy (ELVIS) Lindsey is performing two shows on Friday and two shows on Saturday night at the Sarasota Classic Car Museum, located at 5500 N. Tamiami Trail Sarasota Florida 34243.

Friday:       August 13 ~ 5:00 to 6:00 and 7:30 to 8:30
Saturday:   August 14 ~ 5:00 to 6:00 and 7:30 to 8:30

Tickets are only $12.00 per person.  Reservations are required, call early!  All proceeds from the two shows will go directly to the 501 c 3 non profit car museum.

Sarasota Classic Car Museum is the second oldest continuously operating car museum in the nation

Artists and designers are invited to submit designs for sculpture-racks to the Public Art Advisory Board for consideration. The sculpture-racks should exhibit quality design and artistic value but will also have to meet the specifications of a functional bike rack.

All ideas are welcome. Designers do not have to be able to build their design. Selected artists will receive a $1000 honorarium.

For details on how to apply, bike rack specifications and pictures of some locations on Old Main Street where the bike racks might go, visit www.ddabradenton.com.

The deadline to submit applications is September 15.

For more information, call Ann Wykell, Director, Bradenton Downtown Development Authority Public Art Advisory Board, at (727) 743-8134.

Andréa Keys Connell:  Ceramic Sculptures
Through Sat., Aug. 15, 2010
The exhibition includes the artist’s (dis)Placement installation.  In this work and her other installations, Connell deals with the burden of her Holocaust survivor grandparents’ memories and how their trauma manifested itself in subsequent generations.  The burden is so heavy that Connell’s figures appear to sink into the walls and floors of the gallery.  They have an unfinished appearance – almost as though they are still wet clay.

In addition to teaching and exhibiting her work, she presents lectures that correlate with her interests in the study of intergenerational trauma and third generation Holocaust survivors.  Her sculptures and writings are driven by a desire to investigate how an individual’s personal history affects their identity, behaviors and actions.

Community Partners are Mindy Solomon and the Jewish Federation of Pinellas and Pasco Counties.

On the Edge of the Abyss
Ella Liebermann-Shiber
Through Sun., Sept. 12, 2010

Ella Liebermann-Shiber was liberated from Nazi captivity in May 1945 near Hamburg, Germany.  On the Edge of the Abyss features her ninety-three drawings, which she drew in reaction to the aftermath of trauma.

Perpetrators
Sid Chafetz
Through Sun., Aug. 8, 2010

Sid Chafetz, an artist and master printmaker who dedicated his professional career to creating works of profound social significance, created a series of portraits of what might be called “ordinary people” who executed Hitler’s ghoulish plans.  The artwork depicts the complicity of industrialists, businessmen, professionals, soldiers, churchmen, physicians, lawyers and bureaucrats who implemented and executed the Nazi’s diabolical schemes. For this subject, he chose monotone lithographs as his predominate medium.

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

Speak Up Speak Now!
Sat., Aug. 14 – Sun., Oct. 10, 2010

This exhibit will include art created in a variety of media (clay, mosaic, etc.) by middle school age children who attended the 2010 summer outreach program – Speak Up Speak Now!  Art is one of the vehicles used to elicit response from the children after they’ve learned about becoming upstanders in their communities.

The Opening Reception will be Sun., Aug. 22, 2 p.m.  Please RSVP by calling (727) 820-0100, ext. 236, by Wed., Aug. 18.

Community Partners:  Coordinated Child Care of Pinellas, Inc. and the Rays Baseball Foundation
Media Sponsor:  WUSF Public Broadcasting

Art & Autobiography
Portraits by Nava Mentkow
Wed., Aug. 25 – Sun., Oct. 21, 2010

The Florida Holocaust Museum partnered with the University of South Florida to create this exhibition comprised of original painting of Holocaust survivors who live in the Tampa Bay area.  The artist Nava Mentkow is a grandchild of Holocaust survivors.  The paintings are accompanied by brief biographies of the survivors; an audio tour provides a portion of the survivors’ stories told in their own words.

The Opening Reception, including the opportunity to meet the artist, will be Thurs., Aug.26, 6:30 p.m.
Please RSVP by calling (727) 820-0100, ext. 236, by Fri., Aug. 20.

Faith Under Fire:  Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Holocaust
Sat., Oct. 16 – Sun., Jan. 2, 2011

Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian community of 35,000 in German and occupied lands, refused to conform to the Nazi ideology of hate.  They suffered severely for their belief in nonviolence and their utter rejection of racism.  Thrown into Nazi camps, they became eyewitnesses of Nazi genocide.  As historian John Toland wrote, this is a story of human courage that must be heard.

A gallery guide for Faith Under Fire is included with Museum admission.

Resistance and Rescue
Photography of Judy Ellis Glickman
Sun., Sept. 26 – Sun., Feb. 13, 2011

Through images and symbols, the horrors of the Holocaust are familiar to us all.  Yet, too few of us are aware of the remarkable story of the flight of the Jews out of Denmark to safety in Sweden in the fall of 1943.  This exhibition of photographs by Judy Ellis Glickman reopens a time in our history when the bravery of a few overcame the brutality of so many.

Images from all the exhibitions are available.  Please send your request to jsherman@flholocaustmuseum.org.

Admission to the Florida Holocaust Museum (FHM) is $14 for adults; discounted admission is offered to seniors, students, adult and student groups and AAA members.  Admission is free to active duty Military, FHM members and children 6 and under.  Museum hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Mon. through Sun.; the last admission is 3:30 pm.  NEW HOURS:  Sept.1, 2010 – May 31, 2011, the FHM will be open Thurs. evenings until 8 p.m.; the last admission is 7 p.m.  Please call (727) 820-0100, or visit the Museum’s web-site, www.flholocaustmuseum.org, for directions and further details including holiday closures.

The Florida Holocaust Museum honors the memory of millions of innocent men, women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust.  The Museum is dedicated to teaching members of all races and cultures to recognize the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides.

Cosme Herrera, through a vibrant graphic style utilizing patterned vinyl contact paper, aims to create a universal language using a system of logos, signs and symbols that manifest the use of metaphors and parables. His narratives explore life and death through the various relationships the characters and objects share ecologically, industrially, and spiritually. “I am very interested in the landscape. New technologies and contemporary materials have broadened our ideas of utility for our lands, virtually and physically, blending artifice with nature to create a neovista.” He resides and works in Brooklyn, New York.

David Hick’s accumulated sculptural forms are informed, in part, by his attraction to agricultural environments, machinery, structures and natural vegetation. The mystery of his objects, lie in part, in the interpretive possibilities of associating his sculptures to objects hanging from trees, buried in the dirt or rusting in an abandoned shed. The understandings of organic and manmade mechanical forms explain the natural processes of agricultural and seasonal cycles; growth and decay.

Jo Milic, an artist/designer, incorporates his architectural training to design and construct dynamic, functional custom furnishings. He takes pleasure in the nuanced textures and colors of wood grains along with manmade materials such as stainless steel and glass. He has an inherent sense of unifying a home environment with the furniture he fabricates specific to the space.

A vivid glaze palette coupled with a sensuous design/pop sensibility is the hallmark of Raymond Gonzalez’s art. He explores the interrelation of childhood and adult play coupled with desire. This interaction reflects the importance-and intrigue-of male and female relationships.

The Collectibles series confronts ideas of beauty in the surfaces and ornamentation of the art object.  The concept behind Collectibles is an approach to making toys that reference the obsessive desire to collect. The lush surfaces transcend their use as playthings.  The objects provide a sense of escapism, allowing the viewer to drift back to an earlier time.

The artists featured in Art Spaces create work that is visually exciting as well as unified through form, surface and texture. Each object is physically arresting in beauty as well as providing narrative content to stimulate ones imagination.

– Mindy Solomon, Curator

August 21 – September 25, 2010

Art Spaces:
Cosme Herrera, Jo Milic, Raymond Gonzalez and David Hicks

OPENING RECEPTION:

August 21, 2010

Artist’s Talk 6:00 pm

Reception 6:30-8:30 pm

Mindy Solomon Gallery
124 2nd Ave NE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Wednesday – Saturday: 11 am – 5 pm
Sunday & Monday: Closed
Tuesday: By appointment

www.mindysolomon.com – 727.502.0852 – info@mindysolomon.com

When the Clearwater Super Boat National Championships return to Clearwater for the second year in a row, it is expected to return bigger, faster, and louder than the year before thanks to the addition of another key organization to the event.

John Carbonell and Super Boat International have teamed up with Offshore Super Series for this year’s event.  What does this mean for Super Boat fans? More boats, more speed, more “thunder”, and more entertainment.

October is traditionally a slow season for tourism, despite the area’s mild and pleasant weather. But when added to the decline in tourism from false perceptions caused by the oil spill, it makes the Super Boat races especially important to Clearwater’s number one industry.  The plan of adding OSS to the event is to help attract even more people to Clearwater.

“We are grateful for OSS joining John Carbonell and SBI for this National Championship Festival, “said Frank Chivas, the race co-chairman and Founder of BayStar Restaurant Group. “This means more super boats than last year which will add even more to the outstanding experience our visitors enjoyed last year”.

Added Brian Aungst, the race co-chairman and Former Mayor or Clearwater, “SBI getting OSS to join forces for the National Championship Festival in Clearwater proves that after only one year Clearwater has become known as ‘the premiere race site’ for offshore power boat racing”.

The sporting event, which is the longest running offshore power boat racing in the United States, again hopes to bring in tourists and pump up a local economy during a crucial time for the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Last year, Super Boat picked up the dry season by attracting over 60,000 people to the event without spending a penny of tax payer money. This year, the races are expected to do the same, and will hopefully surpass last year.

“It’s a great time of year to support the tourism industry,” says Aungst.

The race will take please at Downtown Clearwater’s Coachman Park and Clearwater Beach October 1st – 3rd.

About Super Boat:

When Super Boat International (SBI) founder and 30-year veteran, John Carbonell, wanted to produce Clearwater’s 2nd Annual Super Boat National Championship Festival two local area businessmen made it happen: Restaurateur Frank Chivas and Former Mayor of Clearwater Brian Aungst Sr.

Carbonell has been producing the World Championship Races in Key West every year for 3 decades as well as the races in Sarasota held every 4th of July.  Now Clearwater, the next “new great location” will have something Key West doesn’t have…the absence of cruise ships obstructing the race sight lines.  “It’s a great time of year to support the tourism industry,” says Aungst. “[SBI] needed another spot and Clearwater Beach is one of the prettiest beaches in the world.”

Clearwater’s 2nd Annual Super Boat National Championship Festival will be produced by Super Boat International and presented by Brighthouse Networks.  To see the full list of sponsors, partners and sponsor hotels, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com

Better and more exciting is hard to imagine after a year shows that have featured raw meat as body adornment, alarming breasts and sell-out after sell-out, but Jill promises that and more. “We have new designers, and some repeating favorites with more new and exciting work.  Along with the enhanced venue, there’s live music at an after-party that will feature Have Gun, Will Travel,” explained Jill. “We expect another sell-out and just an incredible show!  You’re seeing more and more fashion shows now around town. We consider that the greatest compliment.”

Wearable ART was indeed one of the first in the area 6 years ago to showcase a growing contingent of artists working in fashion related ways. It continues that tradition in its sixth year featuring Kim & Rick Brinklow, Patti Coleman, Marsha Goins, Candy Barnette & Deborah Kynes, Joseph Mastropaolo & Vicki Rich and Donna Mason Sweigart as well as bringing back Sheree Lorraine, Ivana Ska and perennial crowd pleasers Frank Strunk III and Rogerio Martins with new and exciting work.

Apparently DFAC means it when they say, BIGGER and BETTER! Tickets this year are $15 general admission, with reserved seating going for $50 or $75. If past years are any indication, you’ll want to score your tickets early, while they’re still available.

Wearable ART 6 – August 14^th, 2010 at 7:30 pm – Runway Show starts at 9:00 pm. After- party to follow.

for more info visit  www.dfac.org, call 727-298-DFAC, or email kaya@dfac.org

Dunedin Fine Art Center – 1143 Michigan Blvd. -  Dunedin, FL 34698

TAMPA BAY – The St. Pete Times Forum will host a backpack and school supply drive on behalf of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA on Friday, July 30.  The collection is part of the “Community Friendly Friday” program.

The Times Forum will be collecting backpacks and school supplies at the Box Office from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Each year, the YMCA provides backpacks filled with school supplies to hundreds of children in the community without financial resources. The collected backpacks will be distributed at a YMCA back-to-school event in Riverview on August 14, 2010. Examples of needed supplies include pencils, notebook paper, scissors and glue. For a full list of items, please visit www.sptimesforum.com.

“We are here to ‘help our neighbors,’” said Cindy Sofarelli of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA. “It is one of the foundations of our organization and our social responsibility. Brandon area YMCA’s are reaching out to the greater southeast Hillsborough community to help kids start school on the right foot with backpacks and school supplies. The needs are so very great this year and we thank the community for stepping up to support our mission. We couldn’t do it without you!”

Donors are encouraged to arrive early, as the first 75 participants will receive a voucher good for one complimentary ticket to the opening night of Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey at the St. Pete Times Forum on September 9 (limit one per person). A special prize wheel will also be available, in which all participating community members will have the opportunity to win additional prizes, including Tampa Bay Storm seat upgrades, Lightning merchandise, tickets to select concerts, and Lightning autographed items.

“Community Friendly Friday” is a program created to help drive donation campaigns orchestrated by local non-profit organizations across the Tampa Bay area. On select Fridays throughout the summer, the St. Pete Times Forum will host a special community initiative on behalf of these groups. Those contributing to the cause will receive a voucher redeemable for four tickets to a Tampa Bay Storm home game, plus additional ticket offers throughout the campaign.

Ticket discounts and special offers will be honored at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office on Friday, July 30 from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. only. This offer is not valid through Ticketmaster. For more information, please call 813.301.2500, or visit www.sptimesforum.com

This fundraiser for the 501 c 3 non profit museum will be held on July 30 and 31 2010.

Sit back and relax to some great live country music by THE GATOR CREEK BAND at the Sarasota Classic Car Museum.

Tickets are only $12.00 per person.  Reservations are required, call early!

July 30 & 31 (Friday and Saturday) there will be two shows each night
5:00 (doors open at 4:30) and 7:30 (doors open at 7:00)

Appearing at the Sarasota Classic Car Museum Event Center
5500 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota Fl 34243

Admission is only $12.00 per person; all seats are assigned on a first come first served basis.

For reservations and information call 941-355-6228

The Sarasota Classic Car Museum, the second oldest Museum in the Country, has been a part of Florida history since 1953!  All proceeds from this event go directly to fund the continuing operation of the Museum.

The exhibit, called Summer of Art, is a collaboration of four organizations with three exhibits under one roof created by the summer campers, children participating in the Florida Holocaust Museum’s (FHM) SPEAK UP SPEAK NOW! Community Outreach Project and Creative Clay’s ARTLINK 2010.

Three of the 11 aquarium camps, Let’s Get Fresh, Go with the Flow and Worlds of Water emphasized water art, but the show features projects from the other camps as well. Much of the art work on display conveys the young campers’ wonder of the ocean and other water habitats, their love of aquatic animals and their thoughts and dismay over the Gulf oil and its effect on the environment.

A joint art opening reception will be held at FIM, 244 Second Ave. N, St. Petersburg for friends of The Pier Aquarium and the Florida Holocaust Museum from 6-8pm Friday, Aug. 6. Invited are the artist campers, their families, aquarium members, SMA sponsors, SPEAK UP SPEAK NOW artists, their families, FHM members and other guests.

An RSVP is requested and should be made to:

Summer Marine Adventures, (727) 895-7437, ext. 205
SPEAK UP SPEAK NOW, (727) 475-0287

The Summer of Art exhibition in the Florida International Museum gallery at St. Petersburg College’s Downtown Center is open through Aug. 28. Hours are 10am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday. Admission is free.

The Pier Aquarium’s 2010 Summer Marine Adventures camps were sponsored by: the Community Foundation of Greater St. Petersburg, Family Center on Deafness, Inc., Pinellas Comunity Foundation, Pinellas County Cultural Affairs, Publix Super Market Charities, SnookZ Graphics, Southwest Florida Water Management District, St. Petersburg Times Fund, Inc. and Tampa Bay Estuary Program.

July 22, 2010 (Tampa, FL)   The American Victory Ship is honored to announce that Gov. Charlie Crist has named Tuesday, July 27th as SS American Victory Recognition Day.  The AmVic will receive a proclamation at a 10am.  Further details surrounding the ceremony are forthcoming.

July 27 is Korean War Armistice Day.  To commemorate the end of the Korean War with the signing of the cease-fire, Gov. Crist deemed it important to raise the awareness of the SS American Victory, which supplied American and United Nations troops on the Korean peninsula from ports in the United States and Japan.

The general public is invited to join the celebration on Saturday, July 30th from 10am to 5pm.  Admission will be half price all day ($5/adults; $4/veterans; $4/seniors 65+; and $2.50/youths 4-12).  Complimentary freeze pops, cake and coffee will be available.  Children are invited to participate in take-home arts and crafts projects.  Tickets will be available at the door.

About the American Victory Ship
The world-class SS American Victory served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.  The ship went through a $2.5 million restoration in June 1985.  In October 1996, Captain John C. Timmel learned the SS American Victory was earmarked for scrap if not acquired for memorial purposes. Feeling that a museum would be feasible in Tampa, FL, the ship was towed from Texas to its permanent location in Channelside in downtown Tampa behind the Florida Aquarium in September 1999.

Aboard the American Victory Ship, visitors experience an unforgettable voyage of discovery by witnessing virtually the entire ship, including cavernous three-level cargo holds, radio and gyro rooms, hospital, galley, weaponry, reefers, steering stations, flying bridge, signaling equipment, wheelhouse, officer and crew messes, engine room, crew cabins, chartroom, lifeboats and cargo equipment. The developing museum contains photographs of the American Victory and other period merchant ships, U.S. Merchant Marine uniforms, medals and documents, personal recollections of life at sea as well as navigational equipment, hands-on displays and weaponry. Currently the AmVic is hosting the Shipwreck Technology Display presented by Odyssey Marine Exploration.  The display features a life-size replica of ZEUS, Odyssey’s Remotely Operative Vehicle (ROV).

The American Victory Ship is located directly behind the Florida Aquarium at 705 Channelside Drive in Tampa and offers memberships, volunteer and docent training, educational programs, group sales, and special events.  The AmVic is open Sundays and Mondays from 12pm to 5pm and Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10am to 5pm.  For more information, please visit americanvictory.org or call 813.228.8766.

The event sponsored by Ocean Imports LLC and The Hooker Tea Company is scheduled for Saturday, July 31st from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.   An RSVP is required, contact Tuesdi Dyer at Casa, telephone number 727-895-4912 or email Tdyer@casa-stpete.org .

Guests should gather at the Crislip Arcade,  641 Central Avenue,  St Petersburg,  Florida 33701 for gallery assignments.

The Clearwater Super Boat National Championship and Festival will return to Clearwater Beach for its second year October 1st – 3rd. The sporting event, which is the longest running offshore power boat racing in the United States, again hopes to bring in tourists and pump up a local economy during a crucial time for the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Tourism on the Gulf Coast of Florida has been harmed by the misconception that Florida is covered in oil. Tourism brings in an approximate $60 billion to Florida annually, and is the state’s number one industry. However, since the April 20th Deepwater Horizon oil spill, hotel bookings have been down.

BP has managed to taint the entire Gulf Coast of Florida without a drop of oil hitting it. “It (the spill) hits a Florida beach anywhere, it’s like when we have a hurricane or wild fire,” said D.T. Minich, the executive director of Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater. “A lot of people don’t understand how big Florida is.” Last year, when speaking out against offshore drilling, Minich correctly predicted an oil spill in one area of Florida would affect the entire state’s tourism.

Additionally, October is traditionally a dry season for tourism, despite the area’s mild and pleasant weather. When added to the decline in tourism from false perceptions caused by the oil spill, this could mean potential disaster for those who stake their livelihoods on a constant influx of visitors.

Fortunately, it’s Super Boat to the rescue. Last year, Super Boat picked up the dry season by attracting over 60,000 people to the event without spending a penny of tax payer money. This year, the races are expected to do the same, and add a strong boost to Clearwater right when she needs it most. As the boats speed through the Gulf at 200 mph, they leave badly needed tourism dollars in their wake again.

Super Boat will show off the destination of Clearwater Beach, allowing out-of- towners to see for themselves the pristine white sands on our clean and inviting beaches, as well as the unparalleled vista of Beach Walk.

Activities during the four day event will take place both on Clearwater Beach and in Downtown Clearwater, helping out the economies of both districts.
The St. Petersburg Times said that last year’s Super Boat showed “Creative ideas from the business community can help beat back the impacts of a slow economy on Clearwater’s tourism industry.”

The “creative idea” to bring in Super Boat was led by Frank Chivas of the Bay Star Restaurant Group, and Former Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst of Bright House Networks. Understanding the private sector has the responsibility to play a key role in the community, Chivas and Aungst took the initiative to make Super Boat happen.

About Clearwater’s 2nd Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival:

When Super Boat International (SBI) founder and 30-year veteran, John Carbonell, wanted to produce Clearwater’s 1st Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival two local area businessmen made it happen: Restaurateur Frank Chivas and Former Mayor of Clearwater Brian Aungst Sr.

Clearwater’s 2nd Annual Super Boat National Championship and Festival will be produced by Super Boat International and presented by Brighthouse Networks.  To see the full list of sponsors, partners and sponsor hotels, visit www.clearwatersuperboat.com

Tampa Bay – The St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida has been ranked fourth in the United States and twelfth in the world on the Top 100 Worldwide Arena Venues list by Pollstar in its 2010 Mid-Year Special Edition. The award was based on tickets sold worldwide as reported to Pollstar for shows played in the first half of 2010 (1/1/10 – 6/30/10).

Pollstar is a publication that gets its information primarily from the agents, managers and promoters who are producing concerts. In its mid-year recap, Pollstar reported that the St. Pete Times Forum sold over 231,000 tickets from January through June of 2010.

Pollstar also compiled a list of the Top 100 North American Tours. Of the top 10 concert tours on the list, six were hosted by the St. Pete Times Forum, including Bon Jovi, Carole King & James Taylor, Taylor Swift, Black Eyed Peas, John Mayer and Michael Bublé. The St. Pete Times Forum was also noted for its sold-out April 17, 2010 Bon Jovi concert, which was named as one of the Top 100 Concert Grosses worldwide. Acts scheduled for the remainder of 2010 include American Idol Live!, Tom Petty, Carrie Underwood, Roger Waters, Justin Bieber and Andre Rieu with many more great shows still to be announced.

‘We always take great pride in our rankings amongst the nation’s busiest venues,” said Elmer Straub, the Times Forum’s Vice President of Event Booking. “Our employees work hard to maintain that status and it’s important to be able to provide great entertainment options for consumers in Tampa Bay and from all around the state of Florida. Additionally, we need to thank the performers, along with their promoters and agents for making Tampa Bay and the St. Pete Times Forum a priority on their national tours.”

In addition to its national and international recognition, the St. Pete Times Forum leads the state of Florida as the highest ranked venue in ticket sales. Earlier this year, the arena was named as the site of the 2012 Republican National Convention. The 21,500-seat arena will serve as the venue for the 2011 NCAA Men’s First and Second Rounds, 2012 Frozen Four and 2015 NCAA Women’s Final Four. The arena will also host a preseason National Basketball Association (NBA) game between the Miami HEAT and Orlando Magic. The in-state matchup will feature league superstars LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard. The game is scheduled for October 22, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.

Although not included in the aforementioned compiling, the St. Pete Times Forum is home to the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team and five-time World Champion Tampa Bay Storm arena football team.  The playoff-bound Tampa Bay Storm will conclude their regular season against the Orlando Predators on July 31, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.

– sptimesforum.com –

“First, we’re excited to bring leading novel-to-film industry executives to speak at the Mystery Florida conference Aug. 13-14 about how authors can leverage their books into feature films or TV movies,” said Jeanne Corcoran, SCFEO director. “This is the second year we have brought in film studio literary scouts to the writers’ conference, and we think the attendees will be even more pleased and eager to hear from these experts in the book-to-movie business this year.”

Film Office guests scheduled to speak at the Mystery Florida conference at Hyatt Regency Sarasota include:

Riley Katherine Ellis, 20th Century Fox executive literary consultant in charge, helps the studio select and turn novels into films. Current projects include “Shadow Divers” (action/mystery/thriller) and “The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society” (drama). A sampling of Ellis’ credits include “Percy Jackson & the Olympians”, “The Lightning Thief”, “Eragon”, “Marley & Me”, “Because of Winn Dixie”, “Last of the Mohicans”, “Die Hard”, “Powder”, “Road House” and “Action Jackson”.

David Gerson, Hollywood development executive for Nick Wechsler Productions, is currently producing/executive producing movies such as “Long Lost”, starring Hugh Jackman, which is being adapted from the Harlan Coben novel of the same name, and “Consent to Kill” for Di Bonaventura Pictures and CBS Films, an adaptation of the Vince Flynn novel. Gerson was formerly vice president of Focus Features in New York. His credits include films such as “Reservation Road” and Tim Burton’s animated film “9”, to name just a few.

Erin Hennicke leads the film department for Franklin and Siegal, the largest literary scouting agency in New York. She is also the East Coast literary scout for Universal Pictures and Universal Studios. Formerly, she was story editor at Barbra Streisand’s Barwood Films. A few of the projects Universal has optioned in recent years include the New York Magazine article that became “American Gangster”, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, directed by Ridley Scott, and “Seabiscuit”, starring Tobey Maguire, directed by Gary Ross, and based on Lauren Hillenbrand’s book. Some upcoming novels in development include “The Creed of Violence “by Boston Teran, “Juliet” by Anne Fortier, and “Drood” by Dan Simmons.

In what is being referred to as its “Sixth Chapter”, Mystery Florida: the Conference to Die For, expands its author line-up this year with agents and representatives from both the literary and film industries. The two-day event features panel discussions on the art, craft and business of writing successful books in the genre, as well as an opportunity for aspiring authors to submit their work for a critique by a conference author. Information on the Mystery Florida conference is available online at http://mysteryflorida.com.

“Following closely on the heels of the writers’ conference, the Aug. 17 SCFEO mixer will feature Darren Frankel, president of Stargate Studios, one of the world’s leading digital effects companies,” Corcoran said. Stargate’s credits include “Heroes”, “24”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Ugly Betty”, “ER”, “CSI NY”, “Defying Gravity”, “Trauma” and many more.

“At the mixer, Frankel will discuss his views on this revolutionary, expanding business model of ‘virtual’ production,” Corcoran said. “Will ‘real locations’ become less and less a part of the movies and television programs you watch, without you even knowing it? In the present and future, how much will be real and how much will be illusion over green screen?  Most importantly, can Sarasota County lay claim to a healthy share of this rapidly growing ‘virtual’ industry?”

The mixer will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. hosted by the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee in the Selby Auditorium, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Advance registration is $10 at www.edcsarasotacounty.com/calendar.asp. Admission is $12 at the door. For more information, call (941) 309-1200 ext. 104.

The Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office (SCFEO) is a division of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.  It seeks to attract film, television, commercial, documentary and other media production to create content, produce and shoot on location in Sarasota County, as well as  to serve the region’s resident production community, improve and expand its resources, provide intergovernmental liaison and proactively market and promote Sarasota County’s assets to the entertainment industry as a whole.  The SCFEO is a member in good standing of the Association of Film Commissioners International, Film Florida and other industry organizations. www.filmsarasota.com.

López’s family history in Tampa tells two stories of Ybor’s cigar industry, both portrayed in “El Lector.”  His Cuban maternal grandfather was Wilfredo Rodriguez, who has been documented as the last surviving lector, one of the most symbolic icons and coveted positions in the cigar industry.  Lectors were hired directly by cigar workers to read aloud in the factories and disseminate international news, radical ideologies and important pieces of literature much to the frustration of cigar factory management and elected officials who constantly battled to abolish the system of reading in order to gain more control of the workforce and workplace.

López’s paternal grandfather, Servando López, a Spaniard, was a master cigar maker in Tampa who hand-rolled cigars for such luminaries as Red Skelton and Winston Churchill.  Servando was politically active and known for leading the charge to organize laborers and create the first unionization in Ybor City’s cigar factories.

“Part of Servando’s agreement with management for unionizing the cigar factories was that the lectors had to go; so in essence one grandfather’s victory was a loss for the other” says López.  “However, time has shown that neither was an actual loss and that’s the story I wanted to evoke with the ‘El Lector’ piece.”

Known for his invention of the resist painting technique, López’s “El Lector” is part of a new collection marking a major shift in style and approach for the artist that expresses emotions rather than illustrating thoughts, while the work itself is freer and more symbolic.  And while López’s wood cut look of resist paintings is gone, the use of resins and chemicals continues as does the experimentation with materials and forms.

“The difficulty with ‘El Lector’ was finding the balance between maintaining a topical Ybor message without getting too literal,” says López.  “Every time I could see the piece going in a definite direction, I did something drastic to force it elsewhere.  I like to work with materials that I have on hand and what’s available to me at that moment because it eliminates limitations and opens the method up to more possibilities.”

Three dimensional segments of “El Lector” meld into two dimensional planes as López probes and questions the way we see things and challenges how we think about art.  The partially abstract work celebrates the future of literacy and art, but takes more than just a passing nod to the past and the struggles the common man had to endure just to win that right.

“Both my grandfathers actually did something for the good of the people, but like many other leaders during that time they received very little or no credit for their influence,” says López.  “Politicians were the ones who were always taking credit for the advances of hardworking members of the community.”

López hopes the cryptic symbols in “El Lector” challenges how the viewer sees history unfold and evokes an emotion that dives deeper than the photographic documentation of Ybor City’s cigar industry.

A special artist reception, hosted by Friends of the John F. Germany Public Library, for the unveiling of López’s “El Lector” will be held on September 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kotler Art Gallery, the oldest continuing art-space in downtown Tampa, located in the John F. Germany Public Library.  After the exhibition, the work will tour throughout Florida’s public buildings, universities and centers.  For updates on the event and the tour visit: http://www.arteespanol.us.

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: “El Lector” Unveiling & Artist Reception

WHO: Artist, Elio López

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 8

WHERE: The Louise & Arnold Kotler Art Gallery
John F. Germany Public Library
(900 North Ashley Drive, Tampa)

HOW MUCH: Free & Open to the Public

CHECK-OUT BOOK: “The Immigrant World of Ybor City,” by Gary R. Mormino, Professor of History at Tampa’s University of South Florida.

###

More about the Artist:
Elio López is an American artist of Northern Spanish decent, born in Tampa, and a graduate of The University of South Florida. Using the latest technology and tools, López’s art is best described as a mix of Postmodernism combined with Modernism, making him one of the foremost Integral Artists that is truly breaking new ground and attracting the next generation of art lovers.  The artist can be contacted directly through his website: http://www.arteespanol.us.

Museum of Fine Arts achieves $300,000 fundraising goal enabling the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to award $100,000 in matching funds.

Tampa, FL - July 2010 The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay congratulates the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg for achieving their $300,000 fundraising goal. This achievement qualifies the Museum for a $100,000 match as part of the Community Foundation’s Challenge Grant Program.

“We were delighted for the opportunity to apply for the Challenge Grant Program,” said Director, Dr. John E. Schloder. “Fundraising is difficult in the present economy as individuals have to rethink their giving, and it takes a larger number of donors to make the fundraising campaign work. We are especially pleased that the Community Foundation was willing to partner with us in this endeavor.”

The Museum of Fine Arts is one of 37 agencies to receive matching funds from the Community Foundation’s Challenge Grant Program since the its inception in 2000.  “This three-to-one challenge was established by Community Foundation donors to assist nonprofit organizations to build permanent endowments that provide an income stream regardless of the economic climate,” explained Foundation President and CEO Dave Fischer.

About the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay

The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay was established in 1990 to build a better community through creative philanthropy, vision, and leadership. It is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization which administers funds established by individuals, corporations, private foundations and nonprofit organizations to support the charitable needs of the Tampa Bay area.

The work of the Foundation is enhanced through its divisions in Greater Sun City Center, Pasco County, Greater St. Petersburg, and Hernando County. Under the leadership of President and CEO David Fischer, former mayor of St. Petersburg, the Foundation has been recognized by Charity Navigator for its fiscal efficiency with its highest rating, four stars, for four consecutive years. It currently administers approximately $130 million in assets, placing it in the top 75 of more than 700 community foundations nationwide.

Labauvie’s work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe. He has been commissioned large-scale public works in France for the cities of Paris, Draveil, Valence, Dijon, Livry-Gargan and Reims among others and for the Vandenberg Airport in Tampa, Florida. In 2009, he was the recipient of an Individual Support Grant from the prestigious Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation.  His work is included in many private and public collections nationally and internationally. Mr. Labauvie was born in 1948 in Strasbourg, France, worked in Paris from 1969 and moved to Tampa in 1998.

Organized around the introduction of a new site-specific work for the museum’s gallery titled Suspended Skylines that will command the 30 ft. wall on which it will be installed in the Farish Gallery, this exhibition is complemented by approximately seven interior works and three outdoor works exhibited on the adjacent Bretta B. Sullivan Sculpture Terrace.  In addition, the exhibition will include a site-specific wall drawing on the Doug and Maureen Cohn Promenade.  Finally, a small video presentation of the artist in his studio will be presented in the gallery.  The museum plans on documenting this exhibition through a published catalogue that will record the collaboration and the exhibition. It will be available for purchase later this year.

The title of the show Musical Lines in My Hand refers to the numerous allusions that the artist makes to music and sound when talking about the work. The reading of the line through its height, density, expansion and speed will create visual variations marking its area just as different sounds rhythm an environment. The lines of the sculpture react to the surroundings, similar to musical notes of a composition; creating a temporal sequence, leading to a time/space relationship. For Labauvie, the act of forging and shaping metal harkens back to the origins of the relationship between the sculptor and his material. The differentiation between the marks on a musical score and the subsequent sound that is made when these marks are performed and received provide a complex system of form and interpretation. This system is parallel to the resonance created by the relationship of the artist to his material and process.

According to Todd Smith, the Tampa Museum of Art’s executive director and curator for this exhibition, “this is more than an occasion to showcase Dominique’s elegant sculpture in our new building; instead, it is a unique opportunity to work with the artist in a collaborative manner on both the site specific installation for the museum and on the inclusion of works within the gallery space. We are excited to be able to offer this world-renowned local artist an opportunity to exhibit in the new museum.  Dominique’s approach to sculpture, his use of a limited palette of material and expression and his modernist sensibility will find a perfect partner in our building. From the beginning we wanted this exhibition to be collaboration between the artist and the museum to underscore how each participant must rely on the other. The end result will be an experience for the viewer that will focus their attention on materials, fabrication, form and space.”

HOURS AND ADMISSION
The museum opens daily at 11 a.m. Hours of operation are: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Thursday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. General admission prices are: adult $10; seniors, groups, military plus one guest $7.50; students $5; and children ages 6 and under free-of-charge. A “pay what you will” fee structure will be offered every second Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., and every Thursday from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

ABOUT THE TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART

The new Tampa Museum of Art recently opened in downtown Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. The museum provides the region with a variety of world-class traveling exhibitions, a growing collection of contemporary and classical art, expanded educational programs and access to scenic outdoor events along Tampa’s Riverwalk. The museum is home to Sono Café and a gift store.
Visit www.tampamuseum.org for more information.

Microcosm: noun – a small representative system having analogies to a larger system in constitution, configuration or development.

Microcosm a new series of paintings by DS Frutko will open with an artist’s reception on Saturday July 24th, 2010, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm,  at The Sebastian Thomas Gallery 635 Central Avenue St Petersburg Florida 33701.  Reservations are not necessary.

The Sebastian Thomas Gallery opened in early April 2010 as one of a number of artist’s studios and galleries in the 600 block of Central Avenue St Petersburg Florida.  Originally slated to be demolished to make way for condominiums these 600 Block buildings were repurposed when Leslie Curran St Petersburg city council chair presented the suggestion to the current buildings owner Tom Gaffney.

DS Frutko, the artist, recently relocated to St Petersburg from New York, no stranger to pioneering in an inner city having done the same in Baltimore Maryland’s inner city $1 housing program, saw an opportunity to contribute to the redevelopment of a section in St Petersburg where Art Shines Here and renovated the 635 Central Avenue location as a showcase for his and other artists work.   Retaining the original floor tiles and installing glass block walls to separate the exhibition space from the artist’s studio,  the Sebastian Thomas Gallery is a testament to repurposing derelict buildings for innovative uses.  DS Frutko quickly became ingrained in the fabric of the St Pete arts community and was appointed by Mayor Bill Foster to an unexpired three year term to the St Petersburg Arts Advisory Committee.

View fine arts displays from more than a dozen participating Village galleries including co-founder Herbie Rose. Enjoy magic tricks throughout the evening courtesy of Cigam House of Magic, a new Village of the Arts shop located at 1222 12th Street West. Free food and beverages will also be available.

Admission to this event is free.

Also attending will be Catherine Woods, the artist selected for the Village gateway sculpture planned for Ninth Avenue West and 12th Street. She plans to bring a model of her winning piece, “Chrysalis Launcher,” for its first public showing.

Realize Bradenton representatives also will be in attendance. Visit their website at www.realizebadenton.com.

For more information, contact Dennis Carrasquillo at 818-428-5722 or dennis@ungatoloco.com.

Bradenton, Fla – The Bradenton Marauders today announced the club will host a bridal show called Brides and Baseball during the Saturday, July 24, 2010 Marauders game. Prospective brides will be eligible to win a diamond ring valued at $2,400 courtesy of presenting sponsor Suncoast Gem Labs.

Brides will compete in a scavenger hunt during the ballgame to try and win the gorgeous, custom-set ring. One hundred prospective brides can register for the scavenger hunt that will take place inside McKechnie Field that evening. Contestants will be narrowed down to four with the finalists “digging for the diamond” immediately following the conclusion of the game.

The bridal show will take place throughout the ballpark during the game. Over twenty of the top bridal vendors in the area from all categories will be on hand to talk with brides and assist with their wedding plans.

“This is the perfect situation for any bride-to-be,” said Sales & Marketing Coordinator Stacy Morgan. “The ladies can shop for the wedding and the grooms can take in the game. When there’s a stop in play, the bride can get his approval right then and there.”

Scavenger hunt participants will need to pre-register for the event, and only the first 100 will be accepted. Registration forms are available at Suncoast Gem Labs located at 4016 Cortez Road West or on the Bradenton Marauders Web site at www.BradentonMarauders.com. Those registered by July 16, 2010 will receive a free Brides & Baseball t-shirt to commemorate the experience.

Booth space is still available for Brides & Baseball in select categories.

For more information or vendor registration, contact Stacy Morgan or Tanya Cox at 941-747-3031 or by e-mail at stacy.morgan@pirates.com or Tanya.cox@pirates.com. Regular office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Event information can also be found at www.BradentonMarauders.com.

Morean Arts Center Unveils Art

St. Petersburg, FL (July 2010) The Chihuly Collection opened to the public the weekend of July 10.  At a media event on the 10th, the media were given a private tour of the new Chihuly Collection presented by the Morean Arts Center.  Following the tour, Katee Tully, Executive Director of the Morean Arts Center and Mayor Bill Foster, along with many long term supporters of the Morean Arts Center, cut the ribbon and symbolically opened the new Chihuly Collection.

“The opening of the Chihuly Collection is truly one of the proudest moments of my career,” said Dale Chihuly, “granting me this incredible opportunity to share my work with the people of St. Petersburg, with the State of Florida and with the people who will visit here from around the world. The Chihuly Collection would not be the spectacular space that it is today without the hard work, vision and dedication of my friend and architect Albert Alfonso, who transformed the space into a spectacular architectural environment to showcase my work.”

“The Morean Arts Center articulated a vision to bring a permanent collection of Dale Chihuly’s work to St. Petersburg to enrich the arts community, and we are thrilled to see our vision finally become a reality,” said Katee Tully, Executive Director of the Morean Arts Center.

With the opening of the Chihuly Collection, another jewel has been added to the St. Petersburg arts and culture scene.  The Chihuly Collection is a stunning permanent collection of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly’s unique artwork in a magnificent 10,000 square foot setting designed by award winning architect Albert Alfonso.  Alfonso’s creative renovation of the space was carefully realized to best showcase the Chihuly artwork.  An iconic 20 foot sculpture created specifically for the site will welcome visitors to the Collection.

The Chihuly Collection includes Chihuly’s spectacular large-scale installations such as Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier created specifically for the Collection along with several popular series work including Macchia, Niijima  Floats, Persians, and Tumbleweeds which have thrilled audiences around the globe.  Each space has been designed individually to complement each installation producing unique visual experiences.

A pioneer of the studio glass movement, Chihuly is credited with transforming the methods of creating glass art and thereby leading the development of complex, multi-part glass sculptures and environmental art. However, his contributions extend well beyond the boundaries of the studio glass movement and even the field of glass: his achievements have influenced contemporary art in general.

The Chihuly Collection also includes a retail store carrying a wide range of merchandise and glass by Dale Chihuly, as well as a 30 seat theater. The Morean Arts Center recently opened a Glass Studio & Hot Shop and at their Central Avenue location, offering guests the opportunity to see live glass blowing demonstrations.

Morean Arts Center:  With roots dating back to 1917, the Morean Arts Center has focused on an innovative community-oriented approach to art and arts education. The Morean is known as one of the most successful visual arts organizations in the region, offering studio classes in virtually every visual medium; mounting 15-20 contemporary arts exhibitions a year in its galleries; creating a robust clay program offered at the Historic Train Station; and providing a wide variety of family and children’s programming, school tours, the highly-praised Word & Image program, summer camp, and other special events.  To buy timed tickets to either the Chihuly Collection or Hot Shop, or for more information about the Morean Arts Center and the Chihuly Collection, visit www.ChihulyCollectionStPete.com, or MoreanArtsCenter.org.
For additional information about Dale Chihuly, visit www.Chihuly.com.

The group will host a special private reception for members of the press on Thursday, July 15^th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. There will be an open bar, appetizers and entertainment. All attendees receive complimentary comedy passes for show afterwards. you may meet and interview and photograph all artists at this time. rsvp only to Penfield Hondros: e-mail  skattique@yahoo.com or telephone direct to (727) 234-5305

The exhibit runs from July 6th through August 1. The actual reception to meet the artist(s) is being held on Thursday July 29th, starting at 9:30pm. The headliner at the improve is Thomas “Nephew Tommy” Miles, and there should be a really big crowd as he is an accomplished comedian with a huge following. Last time he was there they had to open two more shows because of the sell-outs.

Tampa Improv is located in historic Centro Ybor:

1600 East 8th Ave C-112
Tampa, FL 33605

phone: 813-864-4000

St. Petersburg, FL (July 2010) – Bring your imagination and put yourself in the shoes of a CSI in training and discover for yourself if what you see on the popular CSI shows is, in fact, reality at the next Science Café.

The Pier Aquarium’s July 20 science café will take you behind the doors of the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) in Largo. There, visitors will rotate through (at their own pace) several activity stations to learn about the exacting process of crime scene investigation, and be able to ask the questions they’ve always wanted to ask CSI Las Vegas heroes Katherine Willows, Nick Stokes or Greg Sanders. This interactive experience will demonstrate how the NFSTC staff supports the justice community through innovative research, programs, evaluation of the latest technologies and laboratory quality reviews.

The evening concludes with a panel discussion with a crime scene investigator, DNA specialist and chemist and Q&A session moderated by Kevin Lothridge, NFSTC CEO.

“NFSTC is pleased to host this event with The Pier Aquarium to enhance science discussions and general knowledge,” says Lothridge.  “Science is central to our mission and is the basis for all the work we do.”

SciCafé St. Petersburg ’10 is a free, informal quarterly discussion series presented by The Pier Aquarium, the American Chemical Society and NOVAscienceNOW (WGBH Educational Foundation). It was created in 2009 “to raise awareness and satisfy a person’s curiosity about things scientific” according to E. Howard Rutherford, President & CEO, The Pier Aquarium.

The science café is in international program that brings the discussion of science in the mainstream. No one organization “controls” or claims credit for creating the science café concept in the United States, but many science cafés were inspired by Café Scientifique based in the United Kingdom and informally hosted at a local restaurant, bar or pub.

SciCafé St. Petersburg, the first science café created in the Greater Tampa Bay area, has brought the topics of caffeine, green chemistry, nanotechnology, photovoltaics and the Gulf Oil Disaster to a community forum. This CSI presentation is the first not held at a restaurant because of the unusual, participatory nature of the discussion topic.

The National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Largo, Florida. NFSTC provides training, assessment, technology assistance and evaluation to the justice and forensic communities to ensure quality forensic services nationwide. The organization receives funding from the National Institute of Justice and other federal agencies.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

WHAT: SciCafé St. Petersburg ‘10

TOPIC: CSI Forensic Science: Fact or Fiction

When: 6-7:30pm Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Where: National Forensic Science Technology Cetner (NFSTC)

7881 114th Ave. N, Largo

RSVP Requested: www.pieraquarium.org/event/csiscicafe

CSI Agenda

6pm                 Welcome
6:05pm-7pm    Activity Stations
7-7:30pm         Panel discussion and Q& A moderated by Kevin Lothridge, CEO, NFSTC

The FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s 39th season, under the leadership of director Greg Leaming, includes a modern take on a Shakespeare classic; a biting commentary on friendship and romance by a celebrated contemporary playwright; a masterful drama about a woman’s search for spiritual and emotional freedom; and a 17th-century French comedy about a religious con artist. Leaming says that this season’s energetic line-up reflects the FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s mission to present a high-caliber, creative mix of theater for the dual purpose of training acting students—and engaging audiences. Students in their second year perform the roles in this season’s four performances.
“Our selection always includes works from classical dramatic literature, as well as modern masterpieces,” explains Leaming. “I select each production with the talents of the company in mind. Our second-year students get to stretch their muscles, push themselves creatively, and explore a stimulating mix of roles and situations. At the same time, our audiences get the rare opportunity to see works not often performed.”
Leaming says the 2010-2011 season continues the Conservatory’s celebrated tradition of presenting edgy, progressive and demanding theatrical productions. “Our audience expects to be challenged, entertained and educated,” he says.
Leaming adds that this season the Conservatory is featuring a special $100 subscription price for all four plays. “While we’re very eager to raise much-needed funds for the Conservatory, we also want to ensure that our ticket prices are affordable.”
The FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s 2010-2011 season includes Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare (Nov. 2-21, 2010); Reasons To Be Pretty by Neil La Bute (Jan. 4-23, 2011); The Lady from the Sea by Henrik Ibsen (Feb. 22-March 13, 2011); and Tartuffe by Moliere (April 12-May 1, 2011).

November 2-21, 2010
Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare
What’s more important—love or friendship? In a world full of adolescence angst and hormones, the outcome is inevitable! A bright, sparkling comedy about romance, passion, music and fickleness of youth. A contemporary look at Shakespeare by the entire second-year Conservatory class. Directed by Greg Leaming.

January 4–January 23, 2011
Reasons To Be Pretty by Neil LaBute
A passing comment about a female coworker’s pretty face threatens to unravel the relationships between four friends. This scathing, dark comedy about our culture’s fixation on surface beauty is by the author of Fat Pig. Directed by Barbara Redmond.

February 22–March 13, 2011
The Lady from the Sea by Henrik Ibsen
A dark and brooding tale of mystery and the psyche by one of the titans of contemporary drama. A young woman must choose between her relationship with her husband and a mysterious stranger in this classic psychological drama. Directed by Andrei Malaev-Babel.

April 12–May 1, 2011
Tartuffe by Moliere
The classic comedy of religious hypocrisy by one of the world’s great comic playwrights. Orgon falls under the power of the dark and lascivious religious leader Tartuffe, and his family goes to outrageous lengths to show him the truth about this treacherous zealot. A classic French comedy performed in the Historic Asolo Theatre. Directed by guest artist Wes Grantom.

TICKET INFORMATION
The first three productions are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 p.m., at the Jane B. Cook Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. The fourth and final production, Tartuffe, is at the Historic Asolo Theater. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Asolo Repertory Theatre box office at the FSU Center for Performing Arts; 941-351-8000. A special subscription offer of $100 for all four plays is being offered. The 2010-2011 season subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now.

ABOUT THE CONSERVATORY
The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training is a celebrated three-year graduate program culminating in a master of fine arts degree. For more than 30 years, tens of thousands of actors from across the continent have auditioned for admission. A maximum of 12 students are admitted each year. In their second year, the students perform in the Cook Theatre, a 161-seat space designed to create an intimate experience for the audience and actors. Third-year students are seen on the Mertz Stage working with the Asolo Repertory Theatre’s professional actors in exciting and significant roles. For more information, visit www.asolorep.org.

Southbound Beach Drive will be closed to traffic for one block at Fifth Ave. N from approximately 5:30 to 11 p.m. to accommodate patrons attending the Collection’s gala events; the closure will not affect northbound traffic. Traffic officials anticipate additional traffic during those hours, which may cause moderate congestion in the immediate area. Motorists traveling from the north may consider using detours depending on their final destination. The most direct route from the north is Fourth St. N to Second Ave. N to Beach Drive.

Adequate parking and accessibility is assured for everyone visiting one of the many events going on downtown this weekend. On Friday:

· the summer season kicks off with Surreal Fridays at The Dali, 1000 Third St. S., from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Enjoy complimentary tapas, libations, and live music from The Jim Morey Band, silent films, and a cigar bar for only $8.50;

· forty-six titleholders from across the state take to the Mahaffey Theater stage as they compete in the final Miss Florida preliminary pageant at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www.mahaffeytheater.com;

· the Tampa Bay Rays take on the Cleveland Indians at the Trop with the first pitch crossing the mound at 7:10 p.m. Tickets are still available at www.raysbaseball.com or 1-888-FAN-RAYS; parking and shuttle information can be found at http://www.stpete.org/BaseballParking;

· local blues artist Sandy Atkinson hosts a live CD recording at The Palladium’s Side Door Cafe, 253 Fifth Ave. N., from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door and are available at www.mypalladium.org.

On Saturday evening, you can:

· find out why St. Petersburg ranks number one the list of Top 25 Arts Destinations for mid-sized cities as you go on a Gallery Walk. Tour St. Petersburg’s galleries, meet the artists and view their works in a variety of mediums showcased from 30th St. N to the waterfront from 5:30 to 9 p.m.;

· take an evening stroll into St. Petersburg’s past starting from the NW corner of Central Ave. and Second St. during a special edition of the Original Downtown Walking Tour at 6:30 p.m.;

· see beauty, brains and talent showcased onstage as 46 lovely contestants are narrowed to 10 as they compete to represent the state as the next Miss Florida at 7 p.m. at the Mahaffey Theater. Tickets are available at www.mahaffeytheater.com

· view a breathtaking “Carnivale of Glass” at The Chihuly Collection and 400 Beach Seafood and Tap House from 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $200 per person and, if still available, may be purchased from http://moreanartscenter.org/chihuly/page.php?cat_id=9.;

· watch the Rays battle the Cleveland Indians as they wind up a four-game home stand at the Trop. Tickets are available at www.raysbaseball.com or 1-888-FAN-RAYS; parking and shuttle information can be found at http://www.stpete.org/BaseballParking;

· hear the Battle of the B3’s Blues vs. Jazz at The Palladium’s Side Door Cafe, 253 Fifth Ave. N, when The Organic Trio takes on The Voodoo Blues Trio in an organ-driven battle of the bands. Tickets for the 8 p.m. performance are available at www.mypalladium.org.

For a complete listing of St. Petersburg events, visit www.stpete.org or call 727-893-7465.

Both the Gloria and the Capitan Miranda will be docked at the Tampa Convention Center, while the U.S.C.G. Eagle will be docked at the Yacht Starship dock at Channelside Bay Plaza. Attendees will have the opportunity to see the ships as they arrive in Tampa Bay for the spectacular Parade of Sail, as well as board each of the ships, interact with crew, and experience daily life on a sailing ship.

Schedule at a glance:
Saturday, July 10
11am to 1pm – “Parade of Sail” at the Tampa Convention Center
2pm to 9pm – Ships open for tours

Sunday, July 11 through Tuesday, July 13
11am to 7pm – Ships open for tours (U.S.C.G. Eagle departs Tuesday, July 13 at 2pm)

Wednesday, July 14
11am to 4pm – Closing ceremonies and ships open for tours

Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $3 for children ages 3-12. A combo ticket, including admission and food, is also available for $16 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-12. Additionally, attendees will be able to board and tour the U.S.C.G. Eagle at no charge. For more information, log on to www.SailTampaBay2010.com.

TAMPA, FL—July 6, 2010—Tampa Digital, a visual communications company, today announced that it and its creative teams are extremely gratified to have recently received 2010 National Silver Addy Awards for its creative work from the American Advertising Federation [AAF], a not-for-profit industry association that conducts the Addy Awards through its 200 member advertising clubs and 15 districts.

Tampa Digital also wants to congratulate the other locally based 2010 National Addy winners Dunn & Co. [Tampa, FL], Eric Mower and Associates [Sarasota, FL] and Ringling College Design Center [Sarasota, FL]. Each also won National Silver Addy Awards.

“Congratulations to everyone in the creative community of the Tampa Bay area,” said Rob Tiisler, creative director, Tampa Digital. “By bringing home these awards, we stand tall representing the Tampa Bay area on a national stage. As a creative community, we all win from the national exposure.”

Tampa Digital earned its National Silver Addy Awards in the category of “Public Service, Audio/Visual” for the City of Clearwater Police Department and St. Petersburg College’s “Human Trafficking” documentary [directed by Tampa Digital’s Pete Guzzo]; and in the category of “Public Service, TV” for All Faiths Food Bank’s 30-second broadcast spot, produced in collaboration with Eric Mower and Associates [and directed by Tampa Digital’s Michael McCourt].

“Our goal was to create a message that would get the attention of people in the Tampa Bay area and raise awareness about the horrible crime of human trafficking,” said Dewey Williams, retired Clearwater Deputy Chief of Police. “Through our partnership with Tampa Digital and St. Petersburg College, we were able to create a series of video messages that exceeded our expectations. This award certainly validates the efforts of our partnership and the quality and effectiveness of the product.”

About Tampa Digital Studios
Tampa Digital Studios is an innovative integrated services enterprise dedicating full services for visual communications worldwide. The company produces creative and collaborative solutions for long-form and short-form broadcasts, live web stream programs, social networking sites, commercial and non-commercial projects, corporate communication tools, as well as offering 2D/3D/motion graphics, web programming and design. For more information and a sample of our clients’ complete visions, visit www.tampadigital.com. We are located in historic Ybor City, Tampa, FL. Become a Fan of Tampa Digital Studios @ http://tinyurl.com/TampaDigitalFan.

Now, Lanny Poffo wants to be known as the man who hosts his own TV program by winning the “Oprah Search” presented by Oprah Winfrey.

“Your OWN Show: Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star” is a competition series that will premiere on OWN, Oprah Winfrey’s new network, in 2011. The winner of the series will host their own talk show produced for OWN.

You can vote until 11:59 p.m. PST on July 3, 2010.

As a pioneer in wrestling and before it was popular to do so, Lanny Poffo took to the air in the “squared circle” using his muscular and agile body to walk on the ring ropes, perform moonsaults, and highlight his victories with amazing back flips.

He reached a pinnacle of popularity in the pro-wrestling business in 1989 in the WWE when he defeated Hulk Hogan after “Mr. Perfect” hit Hogan with the championship belt; that led to an appearance on the nationally syndicated “Regis” show.

The other side of Lanny Poffo is a man who has written poetry for decades and succeeded in having his writings published in several books.

“When I found out that Oprah was looking for a new talk show host,” stated Lanny, “I decided to enter this contest. With almost 10,000 other video entries, I know that the odds are tough. I hope you enjoy my audition. If you like it, you can vote as many times as you want for me until the July 3rd deadline.Thanks!”

To watch Lanny’s video entry and cast your vote, please visit: http://geniuslannypoffo.com/lanny/

Transitions Sight and Sand event at North Straub Park, Beach Drive and Fifth Ave. NE. Beginning July 2, a 40-ton sand sculpture will be created by the world champion “Team Sandtastic.” Watch the sculpture come to life all
weekend. On Saturday, local charities are invited to participate in a tabletop sand sculpture contest with final judging on Sunday, July 4 at 3:30 p.m. Free vision screenings and give-aways will be provided all weekend. Concessions will be available.

Fireworks are scheduled to light up the downtown waterfront sky near The Pier on Sunday, July 4, at 9 p.m. (weather permitting). Good viewing areas all along the waterfront. Due to weather conditions fireworks may begin as early as 8:30 or as late as 10 p.m.

The Pier, 800 Second Ave. NE, hosts a full day of festivities and fun for the
entire family on Sunday, July 4, from 1 to 11 p.m., featuring entertainment at the Waterside Courtyard:

oDaniel B. Marshall Band – folk, rock and original songs, 1 to 4 p.m.
oJuggler Bob, the World’s Strongest Juggler, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
oMiss Florida Rachel Todd and 46 state contestants will be introduced to the public at 6 p.m. by WFLA radio personality Jack Harris. Look for more Miss Florida contestants all week long before the 75th Annual Miss Florida Pageant on Saturday, July 10 at Progress Energy Center for the Arts’ Mahaffey Theater.*
oFast Lane – R&B and funk music, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
oSave the Radio – featured band with alternative, pop and acoustic rock, 8 to 11 p.m.
oInside The Pier on the first level, enjoy face and/or body painting by
Joanne Conte, 1 to 9 p.m. (for a minimal charge); the antics of Fritzy Bros.
One Man Circus with Fritz, noon to 3 p.m.; Lars-Erick Robinson, caricature
artist, 1-4 p.m.; comedy of Michael Norton as “George Washington,” 1-4 p.m.; and a magician, 2-5 p.m.
oThe Pier’s Dockside Eatery Food Court/first level features Eric Kand, the
amazing and hilarious hypnotist, presenting two shows, 5 to 6 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m.

There will be no rain date. Admission is free. Parking will be available at
the Dolphin and Pelican parking lots for $5 per day/per car. This event is
proudly sponsored by the city of St. Petersburg and The Pier.

Museum of Fine Arts: Enjoy the jazz and Latin sounds of Cynthony & Company, food, art and a front-row seat for fireworks during a special patriotic edition of Jazz at the MFA at the Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. N.E. Tour museum galleries, sample delicacies from the MFA Caf and take your front-row seat for an evening of live music prior to a dazzling fireworks display over Tampa Bay. Tickets are $10 per person, first-come, first-served. More information is available at www.fine-arts.org or 727-822-1032.

St. Petersburg Museum of History: Spend your Fourth of July afternoon
celebrating the nation’s birthday at the “I Heart Freedom Festival” on the
lawn of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, 335 Second Ave. N.E. Hear live music from folk artists Rebekah Pulley, Have Gun Will Travel, Ronnie Elliott and many more! Browse vendors and participate in patriotic-themed family activities. Call 727-894-1052 or visit www.spmoh.org for more information.

Street Closures: If you’re planning on coming downtown, please note that
street closure signs will begin going up along Bayshore Dr. from Second to
Fifth Aves N. at 3 p.m. Sunday; no traffic will be allowed beginning at 6 p.m. Local traffic only will be allowed along Fifth Ave. N east of Beach Drive
through the intersection of Seventh Ave. N. and Bayshore Drive. Following the fireworks, southbound First St. at Central Ave. will be closed to traffic for one hour to allow SouthCore parkers to exit the garage safely.

Parking is available at Al Lang Field/Progress Energy Parking lot, BayWalk
Garage, and South Core Garage. Muvico patrons who park at the BayWalk Garage pay upon entry but then receive the $10 parking charge back at the theater after paying for their movie – please bring your parking receipt to the theater to take advantage of this special validation program. The special event fee to park in Al Lang and BayWalk facilities is $10. Parking at the South Core Garage, located at 101 1st Avenue South is only $5. All facilities offer a flat rate for the entire day/evening.

Motorcycle parking is available in The Pier Parking lots and the Progress
Energy Park/Al Lang Field parking lot and additionally on-street, at the
corner of 1st Street and 1st Avenue North as well as on the corner of 2nd
Street South and 1st Avenue South. Special motorcycle parking is also
designated in front of the North Shore Aquatic Complex and many
privately-owned lots also provide motorcycle parking.

Additional, temporary bicycle racks will be provided in four areas between The Pier and Vinoy Park; look for the blue bicycle flags that will be displayed to help you find the locations. The city also has permanent racks installed at various locations throughout downtown.

Parking lots and garages offer accessible parking for persons with
disabilities. On July 4, additional disabled parking is designated in the
parking lot south of North Shore Aquatic Complex (901 North Shore Dr. NE) and on portions of Beach Drive.

For information about special event shuttle service scheduled for the holiday and parking locations, view www.StPeteTrolley.com

-end-

*The 2010 Miss Florida Pageant will be held July 7 to 10 at the Progress
Energy Center for the Arts/ Mahaffey Theater. Tickets for Wednesday through Friday’s preliminary pageants, as well as Saturday’s finals, are available at
www.mahaffeytheater.com

Martha LeMaster – Ms. LeMaster has volunteered to serve as the CSO’s part time bookkeeper and will serve as Treasurer on the Board of Directors. She graduated Hernando High School and attended the University of Florida. She is a former Mermaid at Weeki Wachee and has enjoyed a successful career as banking and loan officer and manager for over 35 years. She is a former mortgage broker and real estate associate. Ms. LeMaster held several offices in various Chapters of the American Business Women’s Association as well as several professional and local organizations. She has been a member Coastal Rivers Basin Board of (Swiftmud) Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Barbara Manuel is an owner and sales executive for WWJB Radio and has been for over 10 years. Prior to that, she devoted 34 years to teaching the performing arts (chorus, music, drama, and technical) in Hernando County schools. During her tenure at Hernando High School she obtained a state grant for the building of the Hernando Performing Arts Center. She has a reputation as an exacting director who creates extremely high quality productions. Her last two productions were Barnum and The King and I, which received critical acclaim. Mrs. Manuel is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and has lived in Hernando County since 1966. She has been serving on the Board of Trustee of Oak Hill Hospital and on the Boards of several other organizations.

Julie Komenda – Ms. Komenda is a Florida native having been born Miami, Florida. She lives and works in Weeki Wachee, Florida. Ms. Komenda holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of South Florida and she is the first artist in residence for Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. She is a member of the Spring Hill Arts League and Hernando County POP Cultural Center. She has served as a volunteer artist for several projects and has exhibited in the National Museum of Women in the Arts show at Hillsborough Community College and at the Museum of Science and Industry Art Gallery. Her work as an artist is highly sought after and collectors of her work include successful individuals at organizations throughout the nation.

About The Friends of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

The Friends of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Citizens Support Organization is a 501(c) (3) organization, which works to generate and create additional resources and support for, and in the best interest of, the park. The CSO does this through events and activities that are designed to meet the needs of the park. The mission of The Friends of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park CSO is: “To promote the use, preservation, and enhancement of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.”

Transitions Sight and Sand event at North Straub Park, Beach Drive and Fifth Ave. NE. Beginning July 2, a 40-ton sand sculpture will be created by the world champion “Team Sandtastic.” Watch the sculpture come to life all weekend. On Saturday, local charities are invited to participate in a tabletop sand sculpture contest with final judging on Sunday, July 4 at 3:30 p.m. Free vision screenings and give-aways will be provided all weekend. Concessions will be available.

Fireworks are scheduled to light up the downtown waterfront sky near The Pier on Sunday, July 4, at 9 p.m. (weather permitting). Good viewing areas all along the waterfront. Due to weather conditions fireworks may begin as early as 8:30 or as late as 10 p.m.

The Pier, 800 Second Ave. NE, hosts a full day of festivities and fun for the entire family on Sunday, July 4, from 1 to 11 p.m., featuring entertainment at the Waterside Courtyard:

o Daniel B Marshall Band – folk, rock and original songs, 1 to 4 p.m.

o Juggler Bob, the World’s Strongest Juggler, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

o Miss Florida Rachel Todd and 46 state contestants will be introduced to the public at 6 p.m. by WFLA radio personality Jack Harris. Look for more Miss Florida contestants all week long before the 75th Annual Miss Florida Pageant on Saturday, July 10 at Progress Energy Center for the Arts’ Mahaffey Theater.*

o Fast Lane – R&B and funk music, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

o Save the Radio – featured band with alternative, pop and acoustic rock, 8 to 11 p.m.

o Inside The Pier on the first level, enjoy face and/or body painting by Joanne Conte, 1 to 9 p.m. (for a minimal charge); the antics of Fritzy Bros. One Man Circus with Fritz, noon to 3 p.m.; Lars-Erick Robinson, caricature artist, 1-4 p.m.; comedy of Michael Norton as “George Washington,” 1-4 p.m.; and a magician, 2-5 p.m.

o The Pier’s Dockside Eatery Food Court/first level features Eric Kand, the amazing and hilarious hypnotist, presenting two shows, 5 to 6 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m.

No rain date scheduled. Non-alcoholic event, free admission.

Parking is available at Al Lang Field/Progress Energy Parking lot, BayWalk Garage, and South Core Garage. Muvico patrons who park at the BayWalk Garage pay upon entry but then receive the $10 parking charge back at the theater after paying for their movie – please bring your parking receipt to the theater to take advantage of this special validation program. The special event fee to park in Al Lang and BayWalk facilities is $10. Parking at the South Core Garage, located at 101 1st Avenue South is only $5. All facilities offer a flat rate for the entire day/evening.

Motorcycle parking is available in The Pier Parking lots and the Progress Energy Park/Al Lang Field parking lot and additionally on-street, at the corner of 1st Street and 1st Avenue North as well as on the corner of 2nd Street South and 1st Avenue South. Special motorcycle parking is also designated in front of the North Shore Aquatic Complex and many privately-owned lots also provide motorcycle parking.

Additional, temporary bicycle racks will be provided in four areas between The Pier and Vinoy Park; look for the blue bicycle flags that will be displayed to help you find the locations. The city also has permanent racks installed at various locations throughout downtown.

Parking lots and garages offer accessible parking for persons with disabilities. On July 4, additional disabled parking is designated in the parking lot south of North Shore Aquatic Complex (901 North Shore Dr. NE) and on portions of Beach Drive.

For information on special event shuttle service scheduled for the holiday and parking locations, visit www.StPeteTrolley.com

This event is proudly sponsored by the city of St. Petersburg and The Pier.

-end-

*The 2010 Miss Florida Pageant will be held July 7 to 10 at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts’ Mahaffey Theater. Tickets for Wednesday through Friday’s preliminary pageants, as well as Saturday’s finals, are available at www.mahaffeytheater.com

As in the recent blockbuster movie, “Avatar,” observers will need to don specialized 3D glasses to enjoy the full effect of the artwork. The final effect causes the abstractions on the flat canvas surface to appear to float in front of the observer. The compositions consist of bold colors, geometric patterns, mixed with microscopic anatomy and “automatic drawings” taken from Hazelton’s vast sketch book, penciled while sailing around the world.

The 3-D environments extend the walls of the exhibit space into vast expanses designed to immerse the observer into the artwork.

“My first love was always fine art” says Hazelton, a painter turned commercial artist in the 1990’s. Jeff’s company, BioLucid (an animation studio) has become a leading innovator in the industry – producing medical movies and interactive video games designed to educate physicians since 2001.

“The 3-D work is truly on the cutting edge of technology and incorporates the scientific principles of the eye brain system; the very latest in computer animation technology and large format digital printing. I want the viewer to feel like they are part of the artwork, like they have been transported to a new place or are sharing a room with strange objects that are purely a product of their brain’s amazing comprehension of space, and my privilege to place them there. When I see them smiling, laughing, or dancing around the illusions; I know they are in that place.”

The opening reception for the exhibition will be held on Friday, July 2nd from 6-10pm and is open to the public. More information can be found at www.gwiz.org or on the artist’s website www.3Dfineartist.com.

To encourage people to try bicycle commuting, local cycling advocates, joined by SWFBUD (South West Florida Bicycle United Dealers), have declared Sunday, July 4, 2010, “Independence from Oil Day.” To declare their own independence, people should leave their motor vehicles at home that day and use bicycles (or walk) to get around.

To help celebrate the day, there will be two “Declare Your Independence from Oil” bicycle rides, starting that morning from Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park on Ashley Dr. (between Zack and Twiggs Streets) in downtown Tampa. Both rides will start at 8 a.m., but riders should try to arrive at the park between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m.* The shorter ride will be about 11 miles long and will go down scenic Bayshore Blvd. to Ballast Point Park, then head back to downtown. Route map for short ride: http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/fl/tampa/910127732519235986.

The longer ride will be about 24.5 miles long and will also go to Ballast Point Park, then west on Gandy Blvd. and across the Gandy Bridge, turning back after reaching the Pinellas side of the bridge. Route map for long ride: http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/fl/tampa/733127732460144652.

Declare your independence this 4th of July, and help free yourself and your country from its costly and dangerous addiction to oil.

Since the theme of the event is “independence from oil,” participants are encouraged to ride their bicycles from home to downtown Tampa. To find a more bike-friendly route to get there, people can use the bicycle directions feature on Google Maps — http://maps.google.com/.)

*All participants in this event assume responsibility for their own actions and safety. By participating, they agree to absolve all organizers and sponsors of the event of all blame and liability for any harm, injury, or loss that may result from participating in the event. All bicyclists must wear a bicycle helmet and ride a bicycle in good operating condition.

The programming lineup for EcoNow! includes the next 5 months of Science Cafés, the Summer ’10 film series: Life on Earth, Snooty’s 62nd Birthday and Wildlife Awareness Festival on July 17th, Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats – a special, temporary exhibit on display until September, and the September Family Night at the Museum: Gone Batty. Additionally, the museum offers a wide range of resources in our permanent exhibits and daily programs which allow visitors to explore the ecological systems of Florida. Detailed dates, times, and descriptions attached.

The South Florida Museum is the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s west coast and is one of the oldest operating museums in the State of Florida. Located in downtown Bradenton at 201 10th Street West, the South Florida Museum includes the Bishop Planetarium and the Parker Manatee Aquarium. For more information call 941-746-4131 or visit the museum’s web site at www.southfloridamuseum.org.

On Thursday, July 1st, the technology known as 3D will be showcased with “Avatar to Art”. Hazelton will show his use of 3D in his artwork. He will make a presentation and display several artworks using Stereopsis and speak of the history and evolution of 3D technology.

Over the past 6 months his 3D art has taken the local scene by storm, including showings at the Fringe Gallery (in association with Frary Gallery) and @ “Some Guy’s Studio” featured in Creative Loafing.

Come see the most ambitious incarnation of this innovative art form, sure to put a smile (and some goofy 3D glasses) on your face. The exhibition will also be open @ G.WIZ from July 2nd into early August.

Location
(The Rosemary District – on 5th Street off Central Ave.)
1419 A 5th Street
Sarasota, FL. 34236

Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex is a 115,000 square foot facility with two NHL size ice rinks, indoor soccer facility, “paintless” paintball, fitness center, full service restaurant, pro shop, and much more. It is also host to world-class figure skaters and national champion hockey programs.

But the organization also produces “Munchtime Musicales,” a community outreach program of free concerts, featuring performances by high-caliber, area-based artists. The series is designed to offer a wide variety of musical genres, including classical, folk, and jazz, and featuring both vocal and instrumental performers.

John Goodman, president of SCA, says that Munchtime Musicales are integral to the organization’s mission, which is to “foster the development of an appreciation for the musical arts.”

“Our region is home to a number of talented musicians and composers,” says Goodman, a composer, and former professor of music theory and composition at Boston University. “As one of the longest established cultural groups in Sarasota, we’re delighted to offer the opportunity to see and hear some of the region’s best musicians.”

Goodman explains that the concerts have become increasingly popular. “We had record attendance at most of last season’s Munchtime concerts,” he says. “This says a lot about the quality of the musicians and the depth of musical appreciation of the people who live in this area and makes sustaining the series a high priority for us.”

SCA is initiating a sponsorship program to help underwrite the series, says Goodman. “We are determined to keep the series free and to help support our local artists. In order to do that, we are reaching out to the community to motivate businesses and individuals to sponsor the Munchtime Musicales concerts. By doing so, they’re not only adding to the cultural richness of our community, they’re also helping support our local musicians. It’s a worthy cause.”

The 2010-2011 Munchtime Musicales concert season features the Sarasota Piano Quartet, a Sarasota Orchestra ensemble featuring piano, violin, viola and cello (November 17, 2010); Anne and Tony Swain performing jazz favorites (December 15, 2010); Gloria Musicae, a vocal ensemble of professional singers (January 19, 2011); Laura Vajda and Miriam Gerber, featuring a program of music for one piano and four hands (February 16, 2010); Studio Artists from the Sarasota Opera performing well-known arias and duets (March 9, 2011); and Second Winds from the Sarasota Orchestra, comprised of second chair wind players on flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn (April 20, 2011). All performances are at noon at David Cohen Hall or Holley Hall inside the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The series is free and open to the public. For more information about Munchtime Musicales, call 941-351-7467.

SCA’s 2011 evening concert series features cellist Lynn Harrell with pianist Jon Kimura Parker (January 5, 2011); the renowned State Symphony of Russia with conductor Mark Gorenstein and violinist Sergey Girshenko (January 28, 2011); the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center with conductor Manfred Honeck and pianist Gabriela Montero (February 16, 2011); and pianist Emanuel Ax (March 7, 2011). The season concludes with Camerata Ireland, with conductor and pianist Barry Douglas and soprano Ailish Tynan (March 14, 2011).
SCA’s evening concerts are at 8 p.m. at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Subscription memberships for SCA’s five-concert series are $225, $195, $165 and $125. Individual tickets go on sale in the fall of 2010. Subscriptions and information are available by calling 941-955-0040 or visiting: www.sarasotaconcertassociation.org.

About the Sarasota Concert Association

The Sarasota Concert Association (SCA) exists to foster the development of an appreciation for the musical arts by sponsoring professional presentations that are not otherwise available in the community, through a not-for-profit, organized-audience plan. SCA aims to set the fee for all performances as reasonably as possible, in order to make the concerts available to as much of the community as possible. The organization is not designed to make a profit but does intend to be self-supporting. It provides outreach to all members of the regional community by offering a series of seven free concerts, Munchtime Musicales, held from November through March every year. For more information about SCA, visit www.sarasotaconcertassociation.org.

The Mini Regatta is open to all teams and individual paddlers. To participate, register on line at tampabaydragonboats.com. There is a $20 per person fee to race, which also includes free admission to the FunFest. Guests of participants receive a discount. For further information, visit tampabaydragonboats.com.

Tickets to the 4th of July Family funfest are $12 for adults and $7 for youths 4-12 (food/beverage available for purchase). Groups of 10 or more receive a $2 discount by calling the AmVic at 813.228.8766. Tickets are on sale now at ticketweb.com, by calling 866.468.7630, or by stopping by the AmVic conveniently located directly behind the Florida Aquarium at 705 Channelside Drive in Tampa.

In addition to his titanium femur, and titanium hip, Sandler has a one inch leg length discrepancy, has had ten knee operations, and during his barefoot running clinics, proudly shows people where his ACL “used to be”.

A professional athlete and coach with twenty years of experience, he has gone on to author the definitive how-to guide on barefoot running, Barefoot Running: How to Run Light and Free by Getting in Touch with the Earth, in which he shares his inspiring story and teaches people how to rediscover the joy of running light and impact-free.

LOCAL CLINIC: Barefoot Running 101

WHERE: Fit2Run, The Runner’s Superstore, University Center, 8123 Cooper Creek Blvd. At University Parkway and I-75, exit 213

WHEN: Tuesday, June 29th at 7:00pm

DETAILS: Join us at Fit2Run, where Michael Sandler, author of Barefoot Running: How to Run Light and Free by Getting in Touch with the Earth, will share tips to transition to barefoot running.
Fun Run
Q&A
Barefoot 101 technical running clinic concentrating on form and injury prevention

Learn how barefoot running can help you:
Run lighter, faster and more injury-free
Become a better runner
Discover effortless form to carry you through the miles
Strengthen your feet and find your own natural, impact-free stride
Whether you’re a recreational runner, a professional athlete or just getting into the sport, you’ll walk away from this clinic with a new profound approach to running light, happy and injury-free.

In 2004, Sandler completed a 40 day, solo, 5000 mile unsupported bike ride across the country to help those with learning disabilities. Sandler appeared on the CBS Early Morning Show’s both in Chicago, and in New York City, culminating with speeches before the House and Senate. Sandler is currently on a multi-city tour conducting barefoot running clinics across the U.S.

For more information, please call Fit2Run at 941-358-5100, www.fit2run.com
OR www.barefootrunningbook.com

The July event will feature music by Kelli Debbs, Tahoe Fox, Hip Abduction, and will be hosted by Aminta Parnel who dominates the airways airwaves of Tampa with the Midday vibez on Tampa Bay’s R&B leader WTMP 1150AM & 96.1 FM from 10am-3pm, Monday thru Friday, playing the best selection of contemporary and old-school R&B.

Rock the Park is designed to showcases local musicians in an intimate setting on the plaza of the new Tampa Museum of Art. Each series presents 2 to 3 acts with sets lasting 30-45 minutes. The music genres are diverse, primarily acoustic and small rock bands, with different themes such as reggae, country, soul, and R&B. “There are many good minds meeting regularly and working diligently to ensure that Curtis Hixon Park has a regular music presence, in addition to a larger agenda focused on the importance of activating the park. We see these concerts as a way to showcase local talent, bring in recognized artists to the Tampa area, as well as provide a free entertainment experience for area workers, residents & visitors” says Christine Burdick, President of the Tampa Downtown Partnership, a sponsor of the event.

The Rock the Park committee consists of … Hunter Jones, Marvin Winans, Andrew Degregorio, Will Cohen, Lindsay Albert, Joel Cook, and Joe D’acunto.

With the support of our business community and partnerships with the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation, Tampa Downtown Partnership, The Tampa Museum of Art, REAX Magazine, and Sono Cafe, Rock the Park looks forward to a fantastic season in 2010, and many more to follow in the years to come. Special thanks to our event sponsors, Songsway.com, Moniquehomestampa.com, and Full Color Print.

The Museum is open until 9:00pm with free admission. Beverages, food, desert by Sono Cafe.

   Michael Mac Black logo poster         The cost of admission is $10 cash or $10 in nonperishable foods, with all proceeds going to the Food Bank of Manatee. “This is a very difficult summer for the Food Bank. Donations are down while demand is increasing,” explains Al Roach, board member of  Meals on Wheels PLUS, which runs the Food Bank of Manatee. “We think this would be a fun way to raise awareness while also raising contributions for this worthy cause.”

            The event features great music, fun competitions, great prizes as well as refreshments compliments of Pino’s restaurant.  A cash bar will be available. The Michael Mac band will perform favorite of the Rock ‘n Roll era with a few newer tunes sprinkled in to keep everyone happy and dancing. The celebrity judges include Lou Marinaccio of MGA Insurance: Gail Shane of Neal Communities; Judi Gallagher, Celebrity Chef; and Virginia Orenstein, Board Chairperson of Meals on Wheels PLUS and Publisher of Living Out East & On the Bay.

            Seating is limited, so reservations are encouraged. Please call 941-907-9252 to save your spot for this fun event. The Cabaret is located at 6265 Lake Osprey Drive, just off University, West of I75. www.lakeospreycabaret.com.

In 1972, Meals on Wheels of Manatee, Inc. was founded with one purpose in mind – to provide hot, nutritious noontime meals to elderly and disabled residents of Manatee County. Over the years Meals on Wheels PLUS has responded with the necessary services to support the growing senior needs in Manatee County. Meals on Wheels PLUS supports national, state and local organizations including Florida Council on Aging, Florida Association of Service Providers, Second Harvest, Florida Association of Senior Nutrition Programs, Florida Association of Food Banks, Florida Adult Day Care Association, National Association of Nutrition for Aging Service Providers, and Meals on Wheels Association of America.

Tom Mims, President of T. Mims Corporation and Buyer’s Rep. Inc. said, “We are pleased to sponsor Red, White & Kaboom again this year.  It is an excellent opportunity for our community to come together in celebration of our great country and it is free to the public.” Mims added, “We will be continuing our Chow for Now canned food drive to benefit local food banks during these difficult times so we want each spectator to bring at least one can of food.”

The evening’s entertainment will include music from the popular band Williams Road.  The band’s five seasoned musicians bring an eclectic mix of experience and variety.  Their collective presence on the local music scene has enlivened some of the best music venues and downtown events in Lakeland over the last 10 years.  The band’s influences and set lists include a wide range of music from classics like the Eagles, Jackson Browne, Bob Marley and Billy Joel to newer material from U2, Coldplay, Train and Five for Fighting.  The band’s take on acoustic and rock favorites is sure to please the old and the young.

There will be a variety of food and drink vendors around Lake Mirror so bring a blanket and enjoy the live music and a dramatic display of fireworks over the lake.  The evening is free to the public and everyone attending is encouraged to bring at least one food item to benefit Chow for Now. All City parking garages will be open for T.Mims Corp./Buyer’s Rep. Inc. Red, White & Kaboom.

Experience one of the city’s favorite  Fourth of July Celebrations with a front row view of our spectacular fireworks from Channelside Bay Plaza as well as the Florida Aquarium, American Victory Ship, Yacht Starship, Cotanchobee Park, the Marriott Waterside, Harbor Island, the St. Pete Times Forum, and Bayshore Boulevard.

This exciting event is great opportunity to gather up the family and head down to the Channel District for a variety of entertainment, including $10 admission to the Florida Aquarium after 3pm, Family Funfest aboard the American Victory Ship, bowling at Splitsville, free admission to the Tampa Bay History Center and so much more. Dining is available on the Yacht Starship, at the History Center’s Columbia Cafe, or at one of Channelside Bay Plaza’s unique restaurants. Channelside will also be hosting live music, entertainment, and of course fireworks at 9:00pm!

Parking will be available in Channelside, but spots will fill up quickly so event goers are encouraged to also utilize Tampa’s TECO Line Streetcar. Another way to quickly get to the 4th of July Fireworks Celebration is the Selmon Expressway – the most efficient roadway for many in the Tampa community. Spend 4th of July experiencing all that downtown Tampa has to offer with this free, family friendly event!

For additional information on this event, please contact Jennifer Lareau or visit www.funintampabay.com

The Tampa Attractions Association (TAA) is a non-profit group of tourism related businesses working together to create events to enhance Tampa as a destination for locals and visitors.

Carolina Cleere

Carolina Cleere’s mixed media narrative portraits of lost innocence offer a provocative look at the emotions involved in what is ultimately a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit. Her complex imagery draws us into a world full of allusions, while allowing the mind room to explore its own meanings.

All Dolled Up

Is an Exhibit/Silent Auction of mail-art paper dolls to benefit education programs at DFAC. Artists either used a standard paper doll template (male or female) or created their own!

Designing Kiddos

DFAC Sizzlin’ Summer young artists design duds for the next generation!

All three exhibitions open on Friday July 16, 2010. An Artist’s Talk begins at 6:00 pm and a reception follows from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. Admission to the Talk and Reception are FREE to DFAC members and $5 for the general public. All three exhibits run through August 14, 2010.

Continuing at DFAC:

Cabinet of Natural Curiosities

September 11, 2009 – August 01, 2010

The David L. Mason Children’s Art Museum presents artful, educational interactive experiences using Art, Science, History and Nature to explore the theme of Albertus Seba’s eighteenth century natural history classic. Visit our science station where you can study cool charts and draw what you see with our trio of microscopes focusing on animals, plants and insects.  Get a closer look at whole insects inside the Giant Microscopes. Visit the dinosaur fossil cave where mysteries of the past are revealed through careful excavation.

All at the Dunedin Fine Art Center – 1143 Michigan Blvd. – Dunedin, FL – 727.298.DFAC –

www.dfac.org

Galleries & Gift Shop Hours:

Mon. -  Fri. 10am-5pm –– Sat. 10am-2pm – Sun. 1-4pm

Gallery Admission FREE – DLM Children’s ART Museum – $4, Seniors $3, Members & Children 2 & Under – FREE

Palm Café Hours:

Mon. – Fri. 9am – 2pm  – Sat. 10am -2pm

The camp will be conducted by the Former mermaids under the direction of Former Mermaid Vicki Smith, who is also a member of the board of the CSO.  The fee for the camp was $250.

‘The ‘Sirens of the Deep’ two day mermaid camp offers an experience to women over 20 of what it is like to be an underwater performer at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. Classes are deliberately kept small.

Each day there are water sessions, ballet training sessions, and a ‘Mermaid’ makeover!  The camp offers a behind the scenes of the daily responsibilities of being a Weeki Wachee mermaid. A private luncheon is served daily on the stage in the underwater theater. Each participant receives two daily admission tickets to the Park which are good for the scheduled weekend of the camp.  Families are allowed in the underwater theater while the participants are training so they might get the best possible photos of their “Siren of the Deep”

The Friends of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Citizens Support Organization is a 501 (c) (3) organization, which works to generate and create additional resources and support for, and in the best interest of, the park. The CSO does this through events and activities that are designed to meet the needs of the park. The mission of the Friends of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park CSO is: “To promote the use, preservation and enhancement of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.”

For additional information contact John Athanason at 352-592-5656, Ext. 11,  at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park or go to www.WeekiWachee.com.

Over the past several months, Frary Gallery has also placed an emphasis upon integrating the gallery into the community by hosting a variety of social events to bring creative and business people together.

Owner/artist Lori Frary has the philosophy of sharing the importance of using art and artists as a catalyst to draw the community together and to strengthen the image of Sarasota as an arts community to the rest of the world.

Frary uses the gallery for a variety of events and encourages others to do the same. The relaxed atmosphere creates an environment that is stimulating while allowing guests to mingle and socialize with old and new acquaintances.

Hours of Operation (Summer)
Tuesday – Wednesday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Thursday – 12 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday – 12 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday – 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Upcoming Events
The Get Linked Event in 3D
Hosted by Jeff Hazelton (3D Artist)
Date: Thursday, July 1st

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Location
(The Rosemary District – on 5th Street off Central Ave.)
1419 A 5th Street
Sarasota, FL. 34236

This year’s program is sponsored by Kleinman│Bertucelli Investment Advisory Group of Raymond James & Associates, Inc. whose mission is to help their clients preserve and grow their wealth, providing sound financial guidance backed by the considerable expertise of their team and the proven strength of Raymond James.

The cost for the program is of $99 per person for admission into all five of the encounters or $25 per person for one encounter. All costs associated with the encounter are included in the cost of the ticket for the Cultural Encounters program. The schedule and details of the upcoming events are as follows:

August 24th from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Tampa Theatre
Explore Tampa Theatre, including places that aren’t on the public tour. Along the way learn about the Theatre’s quirky architecture, rich history and lovable characters.

September 8th from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. American Stage
Lunch, tour and performance of a scene from Mystery of Irma Vep. This would be a pre-show sneak peek and attendees will get a special discount for this show!

October 14th from 3 – 5:00 p.m. Dali Museum
Exclusive tour of the old and the new facility. Meet and greet with The Dali Museum executives and walk away with a nice goody bag too!

November 18th from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Phoenix Glass Studio
Enjoy a private cocktail preview party and “Casting with Glass” performance by Susan Gott and her team of glass artists. Watch as they astound you with a magical display of fire, light, and sound.

December 8th from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lowry Park Zoo
The Cultural Encounters program has limited space due to the intimate and unique nature of the experiences. To sign up for this exclusive opportunity to explore some of Tampa Bay’s cultural gems please contact Christina Campbell at 813-221-ARTS
(2787). For additional information about the Cultural Encounters program visit www.tbbca.org.

About Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts (TBBCA):
The TBBCA, founded in 1989, is a nonprofit organization of businesses committed to supporting the arts. The TBBCA is an affiliate of the national Business Committee for the Arts, which in 2008 became a part of Americans for the Arts. In 2009 TBBCA changed its name from Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts to better reflect the mission of the organization. The mission of the TBBCA is to help build a stronger arts and cultural community with the support of area businesses. It works with businesses and cultural institutions in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

“Like new buds peeking out of melting snow in springtime, projects are slowly gearing up after the financial downturn in 2008 and 2009, which also hit the film industry hard,” Corcoran said. “The pace in fiscal 2010 (starting in October 2009) is stronger than the previous year. Through April 2010, we’re at approximately $1.05 million in direct spending from film projects for an economic impact of approximately $3 million fiscal year to date.” That compares to $1.15 million and $3.4 million, respectively, for the entire previous year.

“A few more high-end catalog and commercial shoots have come our way, and several independent films shot the majority of their projects here in the past several months, rather than the bits and pieces we experienced the previous year,” she said. “Even though indies may be considered very low budget by some communities, when such a project directly spends $50,000 to $200,000 in our community, it has a noticeable impact on many individuals and businesses.

“Looking ahead, we are in active discussions with three indie projects – an original musical/drama, a fact-based sports story and a horror film – that all intend to be here within the next three to six months,” Corcoran said. “A larger scope feature film project scouted recently and liked what they saw, so we may get a piece of that. As always, we are aggressively pursuing numerous other projects, from TV programs and commercials to feature films.

“Meantime, Ringling College of Art and Design is moving ahead full speed with a digital filmmaking studio lab initiative, which we enthusiastically support. That effort could bring several additional physical productions here within the next six to 12 months.”

The Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office (SCFEO) is a division of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.  It seeks to attract film, television, commercial, documentary and other media production to create content, produce and shoot on location in Sarasota County, as well as  to serve the region’s resident production community, improve and expand its resources, provide intergovernmental liaison and proactively market and promote Sarasota County’s assets to the entertainment industry as a whole.  The SCFEO is a member in good standing of the Association of Film Commissioners International, Film Florida and other industry organizations. www.filmsarasota.com.

#  #  #

Sarasota County Film Industry Facts

Types of Projects Served
(Average from 2007 – April 2010)

Indie/low budget films    22%
TV shows, series, specials   19%
Reality TV   14%
Documentary   11%
Music Video  2%
Commercials  8%
Still Photography   10%
New Media/web etc.  6%
Student Films  4%
Miscellaneous   4%

Source: Sarasota County Film and Entertainment Office

The name took root and has spread across the United States from its origins in Galveston.  Some parts of the country celebrate for a day, most often June 19, some for a week and still others for the entire month.  The University of South Florida’s Institute on Black Life (IBL) has teamed with SISTUHS, Incorporated, to co-sponsor an event that will showcase nonprofit organizations in the Tampa Bay area, June 26 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Helping Our People Excel (H.O.P.E.) Community Center, 4902 N. 22nd St. in Tampa.  This event is free and open to the public.

“Juneteenth is the oldest emancipation celebration in the U. S.,” said IBL Director Cheryl Rodriguez.  “This year we chose to focus on those in our area who are working to strengthen the African American community by emphasizing health, education, youth empowerment and economic development – the most positive forces for change.”

IBL serves as a resource on the history and culture of people of African descent in Africa and the African Diaspora.  USF is home to one of SISTUHS, Incorporated’s seven chapters.  The organization was born at Florida State University and has inducted more than 2000 members since 1992.

“This is the first time we’re celebrating Juneteenth as an organization,” said LaDessa Mitchell, a Fiscal and Business Specialist at USF and the group’s Juneteenth celebration program coordinator.  “We’ve chosen this occasion to promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African-American history and culture in a way that encourages self-development and respect for all cultures.”

This month, the Tampa, Florida Professional chapter introduced its Little SISTUHS Program that “provides positive role models for teen girls and promotes volunteerism.  We want to help develop an altruistic spirit among our next generation of minority women,” Mitchell said.  The chapter will also present its 3rd Annual Home Leadership Program and Backpack Giveaway, Aug. 7, at the HOPE Center, at 10:30 a.m.

“Our goal is to develop local leadership to respond to the needs of the African-American community,” Mitchell said.  “Our Home Leadership Program event offers activities for children and informative workshops by volunteer speakers for parents about skills essentials to leading a household.”

Other programs include the Judy Candis Breast Cancer Awareness Project, with Sisters Network, an African-American breast cancer survivor’s support group that encourages health screenings and education.  The organization has also did volunteer work with Metropolitan Ministries, Hanna Oaks Nursing Facility and others.

“As individuals, our members are active in our community as officers and board and committee members of various organizations including the Black Student Union, NAACP, National Council of Negro Women and various sororities,” she said.  “They also represent the needs of our people in their roles as campus leaders and assist those in need through many volunteer ventures.

“This legacy of giving back has created many great lawyers, writers and professionals that now represent our organization and our mission in their professional capacities.  They are being successful in their careers by being significant our communities.”
For more information about the Tampa, Florida Professional Chapter of SISTUHS, Incorporated, visit www.tampaflpcsistuhs.com and for more information about SISTUHS, Incorporated, visit www.sistuhs.org.

The University of South Florida is one of the nation’s top 63 public research universities and one of only 25 public research universities nationwide with very high research activity that is designated as community engaged by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.  USF was awarded $380.4 million in research contracts and grants in FY 2008/2009. The university offers 232 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. The USF System has a $1.8 billion annual budget, an annual economic impact of $3.2 billion, and serves more than 47,000 students on institutions/campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference.
– USF –

A pioneer of the studio glass movement, Chihuly is credited with transforming the methods of creating glass art and thereby leading the development of complex, multi-part glass sculptures and environmental art. However, his contributions extend well beyond the boundaries of the studio glass movement and even the field of glass: his achievements have influenced contemporary art in general.

Morean Arts Center:  With roots dating back to 1917, the Morean Arts Center has focused on an innovative community-oriented approach to art and arts education. The Morean is known as one of the most successful visual arts organizations in the region, offering studio classes in virtually every visual medium; mounting 15-20 contemporary arts exhibitions a year in its galleries; creating a robust clay program offered at the Historic Train Station; and providing a wide variety of family and children’s programming, school tours, the highly-praised Word & Image program, summer camp, and other special events.  For more information about the Opening Events or the Morean Arts Center and the Chihuly Collection, visit www.ChihulyCollectionStPete.com, or MoreanArtsCenter.org.
For additional information about Dale Chihuly, visit www.Chihuly.com.

Juneteenth will begin with a prayer, followed by the Negro National Anthem and the recitation of General Order Number 3.

Headline band, Jazz Futures, will entertain the crowd with their smooth tunes and steady beats.
More live entertainment will include performances by Haiti’s Sound of Praise, The Mount Zion Progressive Drum Line & Color Guard and LadySoul.

This year, Juneteenth and Creating Racial Equality and Ending Disparities (C.R.E.E.D.), a community consortium action group, will host a free Pre-Father’s Day Breakfast in the Campbell Park Recreation Center.

“The breakfast is designed to celebrate and recognize fathers and other male role models that play an important role within families,” Kimberly Brown-Williams said, Community Services Team Supervisor at All Children’s Hospital.

Children can enjoy carnival games, cotton candy and free face painting! Authentic arts and crafts such as building a drum, African mask making, creating African pouches, and jewelry making will also be available. The festival will also feature a pavilion dedicated to book reading. Every hour, a book about Juneteenth’s history will be read and given away to one lucky child.

Prizes donated by local businesses will be raffled throughout the day. Attendees can also bid on amazing prizes during the silent auction.

Community service providers including Catholic Charities, Pinellas County Health Department, Metro Wellness, HOPE Christian Club, ACLU, R’Club Child Care, Ameriplan, HIPPY, Coordinated Child Care, WIC, Molina Healthcare, United Healthcare, American Heart Association, GhettReal Community Services, Operation PAR and CASA will be present to inform attendees of their services.

The St. Petersburg Nurses Association will be providing free health screenings. Information on job placement opportunities will also be available.

Vendors will be selling baskets, African-American art, skin care products, jewelry, purses, hand-made wood carved shoes and t-shirts. There will also be vendors providing financial planning.

Tasty food items freshly served at the festival will include smoked meats, turkey drumsticks, seafood, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage, ribs, wings, popcorn, Italian ice, cotton candy and various baked goods.

“We hope to see everyone at our Juneteenth Family Festival,” said Faye Dowdell, Juneteenth coordinator of the event. “The theme of this family-centered event is Celebrating Freedom.”

Event admission and parking are free. Carnival games are 50 cents per ticket or $2 for a wrist band which allows for all day play. For more information, visit www.juneteenth-stpete.org.
# # #

Jeanne Corcoran, executive director of the office, which is a division of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, represented the local film industry at the Produced By Conference June 4-6 where Corcoran met privately with studios and executives. She also participated in an after-conference reception hosted by Film Florida for producers with a specific Florida connection, such as Kevin Biegel of Sarasota, creator of the television show “Cougar Town.” Film Florida is a statewide industry marketing organization.

“Florida’s $242-million incentive program gave us exciting news to deliver personally to key producers, movie studio executives and other notables in this industry at the Produced By Conference on the lot at 20th Century Fox,” Corcoran said. “In addition to personal meetings, the group environments gave our film commission the opportunity to promote Sarasota County to hundreds of people at a time. We spoke about Sarasota County’s growing television production and indie film activity levels; its dynamic community of film aficionados and investors; our 12-year-old film festival; and our unique locations, assets and opportunities for productions.”

The Produced By Conference co-chairs, Gale Anne Hurd and Rachel Klein, noted that this conference was created for attendees to not only learn about the “incredible, overwhelming business of producing,” but also to “make important connections.”  Conference producers estimated that more than 2,000 people attended the event.

“Produced By was probably one of the most – if not the most — productive, value-added events our film commission has participated in,” said Corcoran. “It was jam-packed with real industry players, major producers in both movies and television, and incredible achievers we might otherwise never have had the opportunity to hear speak and meet in person.”

The Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office (SCFEO) is a division of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.  It seeks to attract film, television, commercial, documentary and other media production to create content, produce and shoot on location in Sarasota County, as well as  to serve the region’s resident production community, improve and expand its resources, provide intergovernmental liaison and proactively market and promote Sarasota County’s assets to the entertainment industry as a whole.  The SCFEO is a member in good standing of the Association of Film Commissioners International, Film Florida and other industry organizations. www.filmsarasota.com.

Ultimately the focus of the event is to invigorate enthusiasm for good stewardship in our community – different threads of society leading to a better built world and social responsibility. Design and social change inspired with compassion, devotion and consciousness to lift the human spirit. I am hoping for a intellectual and theoretical presentation / discussion to challenge the audience to reexamine the built environment and social awareness. Social life and our built environment, as well as our environment as a whole, do not exist in isolation.  All these components are ultimately intermingled and affect each other. A diverse presentation of different disciplines hopefully will have a moment of discovery, an epiphany that shows creativity in our built world is tied to so much more than architecture. Furthermore, it is my belief that theory and intellectualism ultimately lead to architecture with deeper meaning, longevity, and lift the human spirit.

For more information and registration, contact Jedd Heap or refer to the AIA Florida Gulfcoast website, www.aiafla-gulfcoast.org.
Event info:
June 18th, 2010
5:30pm – 7:30pm
$5 AIA Members, $10 General Public
Food and Drink Provided

Location: Sarasota Arts Center – 707 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 365-2032   www.artsarasota.org

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The Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects Gulfcoast Chapter, headquartered in Sarasota, represents the interests of more than 140 members in Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, and Desoto counties. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures the client, the public, and colleagues of an AIA-member architect’s dedication to the highest standards in professional practice.

The event will feature local jazz musician, Mark Barrios along with nine of our finest local restaurants; Clear Sky Beachside Cafe, Clearwater Yacht Club, Feather Sound Country Club, Greektown Grille, Island Way Grill, The Black Pearl, The Lobster Pot, Salt Rock Grill and Shor American Seafood Grill.  Wine & Spirits will be provided by Casali di Bibbiano, Skinny Mixes, ZEN ZEN and Zonin.

The Clearwater Arts Foundation has 10 local artists that will be showing, selling and auctioning some of their most exciting pieces.  The artists are: Denis Gaston, Susan Rollins Gehring, Aydelette Kelsey, Liz Minor, Melissa Miller Nece, Steve Schramek, Ernie Simmons, Clayton Swartz, The Memphis Girls and Menaul Fine Art.

There will be a live auction and silent auction with proceeds going to the Clearwater Arts Foundation and Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 727.461.0011 or visit www.clearwaterflorida.org.

About the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce:
Established in 1922, the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce set out with the vision to be the premier Voice of Business in the Clearwater region.  Representing more than 900 member businesses, the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce (CRCC) is one of the major chambers in the Bay area and has become a large and powerful voice for its members through its ability to partner with other agencies and advocate on behalf of business and its members.  CRCC’s mission is to enhance the business environment and promote economic health and growth in the Clearwater region.  Visit us at: www.clearwaterflorida.org

Last year’s 4th of July Family Funfest was a sold out event therefore, guests are encouraged to get tickets early.  The Tampa Bay Dragon Boat Independence Day Mini Regatta will take place from 5:30pm to 7:30pm followed by games, contests prizes, arts & crafts, tours, music, food, beer/wine tent and fireworks from the best seats in Channelside.

The Mini Regatta is open to all teams and individual paddlers.  To participate, register on line at tampabaydragonboats.com.  There is a $20 per person fee to race, which also includes free admission to the FunFest.  Guests of participants receive a discount.  For further information, visit tampabaydragonboats.com.

Tickets to the 4th of July Family funfest are $12 for adults and $7 for youths 4-12 (food/beverage available for purchase).  Groups of 10 or more receive a $2 discount by calling the AmVic at 813.228.8766. Tickets are on sale now at ticketweb.com, by calling 866.468.7630, or by stopping by the AmVic conveniently located directly behind the Florida Aquarium at 705 Channelside Drive in Tampa.

The Community Art Fundraising Event (CAFÉ) is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Sunday, June 27, at Bonni Bakes, 930 12th St. W. The $10 fee for the soup dinner will go entirely toward the project, which diners will select from a variety of proposals.

Proposals for the various projects will be posted on the wall and artists will briefly describe their project, how they plan to use the grant and its intended impact on the community. Diners will be able to discuss them over dinner then vote at the end of the evening. The winner will report back at a future dinner to describe how the grant was used to carry out their project.

Artists or non-profit groups with a modest project in mind are invited to contact Bonni Brown and fill out a simple four-question application. No fees or interviewing committee. The only requirement is than it enhances life in Bradenton.

The maximum number of proposals accepted will be 10. To get an idea of what type of grants have worked in other communities, visit www.feastinbklyn.org.

To make a dinner reservation, request a grant application or get more information contact Bonni Brown at 941-746-6647 or bonnibakes@gmail.com.

A postage stamp-sized, paper-thin multiple, The Moon Museum was the brainchild of New York sculptor Forrest “Frosty” Myers.  A group of the most significant artists of the time including John Chamberlain, David Novros, Claes Oldenburg, Bob Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol joined Myers in contributing individual drawings that engineers at Bell Laboratories transferred (using a photo-reduction technique developed for micro circuitry) onto a handful of identical ceramic tiles.

The first-ever Space Art object, one edition of The Moon Museum was then surreptitiously attached to the Apollo 12 lunar landing LEM, and has, consequently, resided on the surface of the Moon now for more than four decades.

As Forrest Myers has described it, “Darwinian evolution seemed to happen in fossil time, but seeing Man leave the Earth and step foot on the Moon was both instant and epic.”  Myers was inspired by the success of Apollo 11 to propose sending art to the Moon – his art and (most generously) the art of others he admired.

“We are thrilled that the exhibition of this work that highlights a fascinating moment when the worlds of space exploration and art meet as these six important artists contributed to a work that made its way onboard the Apollo 12 lunar landing mission in 1969,” states Museum Director Todd D. Smith. “I am pleased to have had the opportunity to work on this special project with independent curator Jade Dellinger.”  As Dellinger notes, “Frosty wanted nothing more than to put something soulful up where typically NASA had left detritus and hardware behind.  Forty years later, The Moon Museum still resonates profoundly in the imagination.”

GENERAL HOURS AND ADMISSION
The museum opens daily at 11 a.m. Hours of operation are: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Thursday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. General admission prices are: adult $10; seniors, groups, military plus one guest $7.50; students $5; and children ages 6 and under free-of-charge. A “pay what you will” fee structure will be offered every second Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., and every Thursday from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. The museum’s address is 120 Gasparilla Plaza (Polk Street) Tampa, FL 33602

ABOUT THE TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART
The new Tampa Museum of Art is located in downtown Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Park.  Its spectacular 66,000-square-foot Cornelia Corbett Center building recently opened on February 6, 2010. The museum provides the region with a variety of world-class traveling exhibitions, a growing collection of contemporary and classical art, expanded educational programs and access to scenic outdoor events along Tampa’s Riverwalk. The museum is home to Sono Café and a museum store.
Images available upon request

(Tampa, FL) The American Victory Ship is pleased host two special events this Saturday, June 12^th from 10am to 5pm in celebration of Monday’s Flag Day.

Reenactors portraying Russian, German, British and American military will be on board featuring authentic uniforms, equipment, flags, armaments, military vehicles and weapons used by Allied and Axis forces during WWII.  Army signal films, vintage photos and a slideshow of D-Day will also be available for viewing.  Guests are welcomed and encouraged to interact with the reenactors.

Also aboard the AmVic will be the first of three “Calling All Kids Days”.  Youths 4-12 will be admitted free with the purchase of one adult paid admission (limited 2 children per adult), receive a free freeze pop, and participate in a take home arts and crafts project.  “Calling All Kids Day” will be repeated on Saturday, July 10th and Saturday, August 14th.

Tickets for the Flag Day celebration are available at the door the day of the event and will be priced at the regular AmVic admission prices of $10/adults; $5/youths 4-12; $8/veterans and $8/seniors 65+.  Members are admitted free.

As a reminder, Father’s Day is around the corner and dads will be admitted free with one adult paid admission.

Due to increased attendance, special events and group sales business, the AmVic is in need of additional docents.  Those who have a passion for maritime history, enjoy speaking with others, and would like to be a part of the AmVic crew, should call 813.228.8766 or write info@americanvictory.org to learn more.

Additional AmVic events are scheduled this summer including the return of the 4^th of July Family FunFest.  To stay up to date, log onto the AmVic’s new website at americanvictory.org.  The AmVic is conveniently located directly behind the Flordia Aquarium at 705 Channelside Drive in Tampa.

Tommie Wright was a Professor at Florida State for 57 years and taught nearly 60,000 students, which is one third of all living FSU alumni. He also wrote the music to the FSU Fight Song, which was played for the first time during a football game in 1950.

“This is an opportunity for our members to meet a legend and honor our Emeritus members with a special Florida State
treat,” says Matt Borasch, Chapter President.

Tampa Bay Seminole Club Emeritus Lunch
Honorable Guest: Tommie Wright
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Palma Ceia Country Club, 1601 S. Macdill Avenue, Tampa
Cost: $16
All Emeritus alumni are encouraged to attend and will be recognized during the program
Visit our website www.tampanoles.com for more information.

The Tampa Bay Seminole Club (TBSC) is a non-profit organization that works to provide and generate financial, public opinion, and
community interest support for the Florida State University. TBSC holds regular club meetings, game viewing parties, charity events,
and networking socials throughout the year. The Tampa Bay Seminole Club is also a host site for the annual Jimbo Fisher Day Golf
Tournament and Banquet.

For more information on the event, registration and sponsorship opportunities please go to www.tampanoles.com or contact Matt Borasch, 813.363.5746. GO NOLES!

Singing Stone – Casa de ART

1903 N 19th St. Tampa, FL 33605

(813) 247-ARTS (2787)

Website: www.SingingStoneOnline.com

Email: SingingStoneArt@gmail.com

Gallery Hours:

Closed Monday,

Tues & Fri 11-6,

Sat 9-5, Sun 12-4

Broadway Packages are on sale to Ruth Eckerd Hall members and will go on sale to the general public later this month.  Single tickets for all performances will go on sale to the general public in August.  Tickets will be available at the Ruth Eckerd Hall Ticket Office located at 1111 McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater, by calling 727.791.7400 or by logging onto www.rutheckerdhall.com.  The Ruth Eckerd Hall Ticket Office is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 6 pm and one hour prior to showtime. Group seating is available by calling 727.712.2717.

PHOTO CUTLINE:  Rock Of Ages star and Tony Award Nominee Constantine Maroulis (left) gives Ruth Eckerd Hall President & CEO Robert A. Freedman (right) a quick lesson on how to look like a rock star.
Photo credit:  Megan Funk.

Designed by the prestigious Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Ruth Eckerd Hall is consistently ranked in the top 5 venues in the world with seats of 2,500 or less by industry trade publications and  is known for its 2,180-seat, acoustically perfect auditorium.  Artists from America and around the world, ranging from classical, rock, opera, Broadway, jazz, pop and more are included in the stellar lineup of more than 200 performances a year

Membership
Visit the all new membership page online and see the many reasons you should join us at the Morean this year! Contact Sandra Polifrone, Membership and Volunteer manager at 727.822.7872 x 2123.

Summer studio classes begin June 7th
Visit MoreanArtsCenter.org to register and pay online or call 727.822.7872.

Summer Art Camp featuring Glass Classes inspired by the Chihuly Collection and our New Clay Camp
Camp weeks begin June 14th for age groups 5-6, 7-10, and 11-15.

Visit MoreanArtsCenter.org for more information.

Summer Camp for Grown-ups at the Morean
Arts Center for Clay

Grown Ups…Join us for one or all three of these fun filled weeks! Monday-Friday, 10am – 3pm
Week 1 June 21st-25th
Week 2 July 12th-16th
Week 3 August 9th-13th

Call Valerie Scott Knaust for details 727.821.7162

Ricky Bernstein: Kitchen Dreams

Ricky Bernstein, Voila, 2005
oil and acrylic on glass, aluminum, colored pencil and mixed media,
78 x 112 x 14 in.

Gallery Talk, June 11 from 5-6pm
Member’s Preview, June 11 from 6-8pm
Cost: Members, free; Non-members $5

What Ricky Bernstein does best is tell visual stories. His oversized cartoon graphics pull us into domestic dramas that humanely poke fun at our past and present lives. Using a variety of materials, Ricky composes narrative, collage-style wall reliefs with a distinct pop-art flavor. In a delightful way, common stories take on larger than life proportion—a compelling slice of Americana in still life sit-com. This exhibition is made possible in part by a grant from the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass.

This Woman’s Work

Amy Hill, Two Women Inside, 2009
oil on canvas, 52 x 32 inches

Member’s Preview, June 11 from 6-8pm
Cost: Members, free; Non-members $5

From female hunters to overwhelmed housewives, artists convey their view of the woman’s role in the home. Giving us their unique interpretations are photographer Margaret LeJeune, painter Amy Hill, mixed media artist Candice Smith Corby, glass artist Lisabeth Sterling and performance artist Venia Bechrakis.

John Hopkins Middle School Exhibition
June 11 – July 10, 2010

This exhibition features work in all media from students attending the arts magnet program at John Hopkins.

New Featured Artist for June: Joyce Ely-Walker MoreanArtsCenter.org

June Events

Saturdays @ the Morean
Saturday, June 5th from 1-4pm
Drop-in family art studio open to all ages.
No reservations required. Cost is $10 per family (up to five) and $2 per each additional family or friend.

Gallery Talk , Gallery Walk and Featured Artist
Gallery Sale with Joyce Ely-Walker
Saturday, June 12th from 5-8:00pm
Cost: Free admission to galleries
In combination with the Morean Arts Center’s Featured Artist website page, the featured artist in June, Joyce Ely-Walker, will have a gallery sale during Gallery Walk. There will also be a gallery talk with Ricky Bernstein and Lisabeth Sterling in the galleries at 6:30pm (tour of the galleries led by the artist).

Artist’s Table Presented by Synovus Bank
Thursday, June 17th from 12:00pm-2pm
The Artist’s Table is a part of a series taking place on the third Thursday of each month. Featured artists and participating restaurants in June are Nancee Clark at Parkshore Grill and Ruth Philipon at The Hangar Restaurant at Albert Whitted Airport.

Seated at a large table, the artists invite patrons to join them for lunch and discuss the artist’s work process and art in general. Each guest is responsible for the cost of their lunch. Reservations recommended. Contact Alissa Hopkins at 727. 822. 7872 x 2133 or email alissa@moreanartscenter.org to make reservations.

Painting at the Palladium with the Kym Purling Band Presented by the Palladium and the Morean Arts Center Thursday, June 17th from 7:30-10:30pm
Cost: $15 at the door
Merging live music with artistic expression on canvas to create a stunning performance. The Kym Purling Band and 4 painters conjure the Beatles.

Artist’s Cocktail Table
Thursday, June 24 from 5-7pm
Get to know artists Carol Mickett and Robert Stackhouse at the Artist’s Cocktail Table on June 24 at the Hangar Restaurant at Albert Whitted Airport. Have a casual cocktail with Carol and Bob and learn about the exciting commission they just completed.

Reservations recommended. For reservations contact Alissa Hopkins at 727.822.7872 x 2133 or e-mail alissa@moreanartscenter.org

Workshops:
DRAWING
Drawing with Symbols: Discover the Code with
Elena Cifuentes
Saturday and Sunday, June 12th and 13th 10am – 4pm

MIXED MEDIA
Rediscover the Artist in You: Eden Lost and Regained
with Denis Gaston
Saturday, June 12th 10am – 3pm

Rediscover the Artist in You: Mask Making – The Faces of You with Denis Gaston
Saturday, June 19th 10am – 3pm

Rediscover the Artist in You: Self Portrait with Found Objects with Denis Gaston
Saturday, June 26th 10am – 3pm

PAINTING
Realism to Abstraction with Patton Hunter
Tuesday and Wednesday, June 22nd and 23rd 10am – 4pm

PHOTOGRAPHY
Urban Photography with Randy Van Duinen
Saturday, June 19th 10am – 4pm

Panoramic Photography with Chuck Vosburgh
Saturday, June 26th 10am – 4pm

Morean Arts Center
719 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, Fl 33701
MoreanArtsCenter.org

The website www.americanvictory.org now features enhanced graphics, new photographs, easier navigation, a convenient calendar and updated information on group sales, summer deals, memberships, special events, private rentals and children’s birthday parties.

Guests will find convenient links for receiving the AmVic’s e-newsletter as well as for purchasing special event tickets directly through TicketWeb.  The site also offers a press room where media can find additional ship information, facts, graphics and press releases.

Tafuro Communications has proudly supported the board, volunteers, staff and most importantly the mission and history of the American Victory since her 1999 arrival in Tampa.

This third generation website valued at over $20,000 incorporates a fully content managed interface along with new media features designed under the creative direction of Crissia Reay utilizing donated photography by Kismis Ink.

“It has been an honor and pleasure to work with the American Victory and her supporters over the past decade. We are very proud to be supporters ourselves and look forward to the next decade of celebrating our country’s maritime history”, said president, Vinny Tafuro.

Executive director Bill Kuzmick added, “The American Victory Ship is truly grateful to Tafuro Communications for their unending dedication and commitment.  Vinny Tafuro, along with Crissia and Kismis Ink, have developed an impressive website reflecting the positive growth and development experienced by the AmVic.  Thanks to their efforts, the website will effectively carry the AmVic into the future.”

To learn more about Tafuro Communications, please visit www.tafurocommunications.com.

This week, donors are encouraged to bring a good to the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. The following items are amongst the most needed: board games (for ages 5 – 17), jigsaw puzzles (for ages 5 – 17), G-rated DVD movies, Lego blocks (large and small), balls (basketballs, baseballs, playground balls, footballs, nerf balls, tennis and gator balls), baseball gloves and bats, any craft supplies and any small gardening tools and small planting pots. Also, the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation staff will be on hand Friday morning to provide information regarding its programs and summer camps. For a full list of items, please visit www.sptimesforum.com.

Donors are encouraged to arrive early, as the first 50 participants will receive a voucher good for one complimentary ticket to WWE SmackDown on June 8 at 6:45 p.m. (limit one per household).

Community members who participate on Friday will receive the following:

*       Tampa Bay Storm – voucher valid for four tickets to a home game
*       WWE SmackDown (June 8 at 6:45 p.m.) – $5 off select plaza level tickets
*       Joel & Victoria Osteen (June 4 at 7:30 p.m.) – $5 off select plaza level tickets
*       Carole King & James Taylor (June 6 at 8:00 p.m.) – $10 off select plaza level tickets
*       Maxwell and Jill Scott (June 15 at 7:00 p.m.) – select plaza level tickets for only $50
*       Xtreme Fighting Championships (July 9 at 7:00 p.m.) – Buy one ticket, get one free on select plaza level tickets
*       Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (September 16 at 7:30 p.m.) – $10 off select plaza level tickets
*       Andre Rieu (December 10 at 8:00 p.m.) – $10 off tickets

The City of Tampa Parks and Recreation is responsible for providing the community with a wide variety of recreation programs, planning for and maintaining dynamic park facilities, and managing City open space for a multitude of users.

“We gratefully acknowledge those in our community who manage to find time in their busy schedules to support recreational activities through the St. Pete Times Forum’s Community Friendly Friday,” said Karen Palus, Director, City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department. “This is a genuine opportunity for people to get involved and to give our youth more summertime opportunities. I hope that those who got involved will remain active in Tampa’s parks and recreation programs.”

Ticket discounts and special offers will be honored at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office on Friday, June 4 from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. only. This offer is not valid through Ticketmaster. For more information, please call 813.301.2500, or visit www.sptimesforum.com.

– sptimesforum.com –

The tales of troubled love and colliding destinies continue with Verdi’s
Rigoletto on January 21, 23, and 25, 2011.  The womanizing Duke of Mantua
(Luke Grooms) and his vengeful court jester, Rigoletto, weave a fascinating
drama of seduction, betrayal, curses, and vendettas.  “La Donna e Mobile”
(Women are Fickle), the Duke’s famous aria, was one of Pavarotti’s signature
pieces.  The production of Rigoletto is being sponsored by Homes By Helen.

The season concludes with Madama Butterfly, Puccini’s masterpiece about the
teenage bride of an American naval officer who renounces her religion, her
customs, and her family to be the perfect “American wife”.  Her faithfulness
is betrayed but she dreams her husband will return “one fine day”.  Lara
Tillotson as Butterfly will fill the stage on June 10, 12, and 14.

All mainstage productions will be at the Palladium Theater, 253 Fifth Ave.,
St. Petersburg, FL and will be fully staged with costumes, set, and
professional orchestra conducted by Maestro Mark Sforzini.

St. Petersburg Opera will also continue its popular Evenings with the
Maestro series of monthly lecture-performances held the first Thursday of
the month at the Music Gallery in Clearwater.

Season tickets go on sale on May 21, with a discount of 10% available until
June 22.  Season tickets are available by telephone at 727-823-2040 or by
downloading a form from www.stpeteopera.org.  High resolution photos are
available upon request.

Anna Aimee White headed the cast as Ginger that also included Elizabeth Ward Land, Christianne Tisdale, Matthew LaBanca, Benjie Randall, and Craig Waletzko.  Backwards in High Heels is a celebration of the life and times of Ginger Rogers.

“Our area is very fortunate to have a dynamic array of cultural and live performing arts. We believe in supporting the Asolo as it is such an inspirational and integral part of our community,” said Bruno and Cochrane.

Helen Sosso of Prudential Palms Realty and Prudential Lakewood Ranch Realty has been a board member, and a corporate and Foundation sponsor of The Asolo Repertory Theatre for more than six years.

About Prudential Palms Realty and Lakewood Ranch Realty (A Sister Company):

Prudential Palms Realty and Prudential Lakewood Ranch Realty combine top local agents with the latest technology to provide powerful strategies for finding or selling homes. The brokerage has offices servicing Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties with over 250 sales professionals. The companies are independently owned and operated members of the Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., one of the leading real estate brokerage networks in North America. For more information on Prudential Palms Realty, call 941.926.7000 or visit www.PrudentialPalmsRealty.com or Lakewood Ranch Realty, call 941.907.2000 or visit www.LakewoodRanchRealty.com