This $30,000 grant is to support the Hermitage’s renowned artist residency program and to serve as a sponsor of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner and Celebration in April 2021.
(September 15, 2020) Through the generosity of the John J. Clopine Fund, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County recently awarded the Hermitage Artist Retreat a $30,000 Strategic Partnership Grant to support the Hermitage’s nationally renowned artist residency program and to again serve as “Grand Sponsor” of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner and Celebration in April 2021.
The Hermitage Greenfield Prize is a groundbreaking partnership between the Hermitage Artist Retreat and the Greenfield Foundation. This prestigious national prize seeks to bring into the world works of art that will have a significant impact on the broad as well as the artistic landscape. Each year in April, the Hermitage hosts the Greenfield Prize Award Dinner, heralding the jury-selected recipient of the award. 2021 will mark the 13th year of this annual celebration, with the Prize Dinner scheduled for Sunday, April 11, at Michael’s On East in Sarasota. Further details will be announced regarding the April 12th premiere of the 2019 commission, awarded to celebrated musician and performing artist Helga Davis.
The Hermitage Greenfield Prize includes a six-week Hermitage residency and a $30,000 commission. The distinguished honor rotates annually among theater, music, and visual art. The 2020 Hermitage Greenfield Prize was awarded to visual artist Jennifer Packer, with her commission set to premiere in 2022 at The Ringling Museum. The 2021 prize will be awarded to a theater artist.
In addition, the Community Foundation’s sponsorship will help to support the Hermitage’s artist residency program. Each year, the Hermitage invites accomplished artists across multiple disciplines for residencies on its beachfront campus. Hermitage Fellows include 10 Pulitzer Prize winners, along with multiple Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and MacArthur Fellowship award winners. Works created and developed at the Hermitage have been presented at renowned theaters, concert halls, and galleries throughout the world. Artists are nominated for residencies by the Hermitage’s Curatorial Council, which is comprised of artistic leaders from some of the most highly regarded cultural institutions across the globe.
“We are so grateful to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for its continued support and generosity,” said Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “This is now their fourth year as ‘Grand Sponsor’ of the Prize Dinner and the surrounding events celebrating this recognition. In the spirit of community, the Hermitage Greenfield Prize seeks to bring together Sarasota residents for a unique opportunity to see the creation of a visionary new work – born right here on Manasota Key – before it goes on to future life throughout the world. We are also honored that the Community Foundation has continued to champion our artist residency program, recognizing the Hermitage’s commitment to supporting artists and the creative process.”
The Hermitage hosts artists on its Manasota Key campus for multi-week residencies. Artists come from around the world and across multiple disciplines to create and develop new works of visual art, theater, music, literature, and more. As part of their residencies, Hermitage Fellows are asked to participate in community programs, affording audiences in our region the unique opportunity to engage with some of the world’s leading artists and to get a “sneak peek” into extraordinary projects and artistic minds before their works go on to major galleries, concert halls, theaters, and museums around the world. These free programs include performances, lectures, interactive experiences, open studios, school programs, teacher workshops, and more, serving thousands in our regional community each year.
For more information about Hermitage artists, programs, and events, including the upcoming Artful Lobster: An Outdoor Celebration on November 14, visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org.
About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County:
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $418 million in more than 1,500 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $21.5 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $274 million to area nonprofit organizations to our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.
About the Hermitage Artist Retreat:
The Hermitage is a nonprofit artist retreat located in Manasota Key, Florida, inviting accomplished artists across multiple disciplines for residencies on its beachfront campus, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hermitage artists are invited to interact with the local community, reaching thousands of Gulf Coast residents and visitors each year with unique and inspiring programs. Hermitage Fellows have included nine Pulitzer Prize winners, along with multiple Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and MacArthur Fellowship award winners. Works created at this beachside retreat by a diverse group of Hermitage alumni have gone on to renowned theatres, concert halls, and galleries throughout the world. Each year, the Hermitage awards the $30,000 Hermitage Greenfield Prize for a new work of art, and the Aspen Music Festival awards the annual Hermitage Prize in Composition. For more information about The Hermitage Artist Retreat, visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org.