Arts Advocates Announces November 2026 Events
including a luncheon with Ariel Serrano and Leymis Bolaños Wilmott, and events at Selby Library and Art Center Sarasota
SARASOTA, Fla. (October. 24, 2026) – Arts Advocates is pleased to announce its schedule of November events, which includes a luncheon with Ariel Serrano and Leymis Bolaños Wilmott, an exhibit by Marie-Louise McHugh, tours at Selby Library and the Van Wezel, and a special event at Art Center Sarasota. Unless otherwise indicated, registration is required at ArtsAdvocates.org.
Carol Darling, vice president of Arts Advocates, hosts 30-minute guided tours of art from the Arts Advocates collection currently on display at Selby Library, 1331 First Street, Sarasota. Discover connections between Sarasota’s historic art colony artists and other influential Florida artists in this special exhibition. Meet in the rotunda to begin this guided walk-through of the art that helped make—and continues to make—Sarasota a cultural destination. November 2 at 1 p.m. and November 7 at 11:30 a.m. These tours are free, but registration is requested.
On November 13, Arts Advocates teams up with Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, for Coffee Connections—Art, Archives, and What’s Next!, from 10 to 11 a.m. Coffee and pastries will be served prior to an engaging program featuring Katherine Ceaser, Art Center Sarasota’s executive director, who will share highlights from the organization’s 100-year history and a look at its future. Curator Christina Baril will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how ACS’s archives and artistic legacy informed its centennial exhibitions and celebration. This event is free, but registration is requested.
The Arts Advocates Gallery, located in the Crossings at Siesta Key mall, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, hosts monthly exhibits by member artists. Shows run from the first Saturday to the last Saturday of each month. Marie-Louise McHugh’s exhibit runs from November 7-28, Saturdays only from 2 to 4 p.m. McHugh’s work is rooted in contemporary realism and the belief that images can tell stories without words. She has spent a lifetime exploring different forms of visual expression. Although she began as a collage artist and photographer, she always returns to oil painting. Admission to the gallery is free.
The Behind the Curtain: Exploring the Van Wezel from the Art to the Stage tour takes place November 16 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The art in the Van Wezel, 777 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, was created by noted Florida artists and is part of the Arts Advocates collection. A docent leads a tour of the paintings and sculptures including those by Robert Chase, William Hartman, Eugene White, Ben Stahl, Thornton Utz, Frank Colson, and others. Participants then step onto the stage where a Van Wezel guide shares stories and anecdotes about the colorful world of show business. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at the Van Wezel box office or by calling (941) 263-6799. Presented in partnership with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, proceeds benefit the education/outreach programs of Arts Advocates and the Van Wezel.
Arts Advocates presents monthly luncheon programs at the Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Blvd., Sarasota featuring engaging speakers. On November 19, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Ariel Serrano and Leymis Bolaños Wilmott, artistic directors of the Sarasota Cuban Ballet and Sarasota Contemporary Dance respectively, will discuss the heritage of their organizations and illustrate with company dancers what makes their styles of dance unique for the luncheon program Why Are Classic and Contemporary Dance Unique? Registration is required by November 13. $45 for Arts Advocates members, $50 for non-members; lunch is included.
The Arts Advocates’ collection of Sarasota Art Colony and Florida Highwaymen works is on permanent display in the Arts Advocates Gallery, which is open every Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. Free docent-guided tours are available for gallery visitors who wish to learn more about the art and written information is available for self-guided tours.
To learn more about or become a member of Arts Advocates, visit ArtsAdvocates.org.
