Be inspired. Explore curated art and juried shows exhibited in four galleries.

Annual Juried Regional Show: Vice & Virtue
On View: May 22 - Aug 2, 2025

The Annual Juried Regional Show is Art Center Sarasota’s largest and most prestigious juried exhibition, spanning all four of our galleries. This year, we invited artists to delve into the dualities of the human condition—Vice & Virtue.

By definition, vice represents behaviors deemed morally wrong by society, while virtue embodies excellence and integrity. But in today’s world, where do we draw the line? Through this theme, artists were challenged to explore the shifting boundaries of morality, shaped by cultural norms, religious beliefs, and political landscapes. What defines good and evil in contemporary society? And perhaps more intriguingly, does a gray area exist between them?

Meet the Juror, Jessica Todd

Jessica Todd is a curator, writer and artist. She is passionate about building the creative infrastructures that support artists as well as studying and addressing issues of equity, access and inclusion in the arts. Todd has worked with a number of arts organizations, including Tempus Projects, Artspace Tampa Initiative, Crab Devil and the Morean Arts Center. In 2022, Todd opened Parachute Gallery in Ybor City, first serving as an exhibition space for national artists and later a retail gallery representing local artists. Todd has published articles, curated exhibitions, and exhibited her own artwork locally and nationally. She holds a BA in Art from Penn State University, a Diploma in Hispanic Studies from the University of Barcelona and an MFA in Jewelry/Metals/Enameling from Kent State University.

• Pick Up: Aug 4 & 5

Jacob Z. Wan: Me, Myself and I, Vol. 3

Jacob Z. Wan presents a new body of work expressing the intimacy of relationships in the LGBTQ+ community. The work explores the longings and belongings, confusions and decisions in the journey of love. With a collection of textiles, images, mixed media, artist books and installation, Wan creates a dream-like environment for the audience.

Wan is a contemporary bookbinder who creates mixed media conceptual books that celebrate the importance of oneself. His books have been collected internationally and exhibited in Germany, China, the Florida Biennial and the International Book Art Exhibition in New York. Wan received his BFA and MFA from the University of Central Florida. He currently resides in Jacksonville, FL.

INK: Quilt of Identity

Art Center Sarasota has teamed up with ALSO Youth to present a unique exhibition of artworks made by ALSO Youth teens during their summer programming. Arts education is crucial to children’s development, shaping their earliest notions of what culture is and developing fundamental skills, such as creativity, cultural awareness, fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, problem solving, decision making, perseverance and collaboration. The arts have enormous power to build community, encourage self expression and help young artists build a sense of identity and self-worth.

ALSO Youth offers programs and services for LGBTQ+ youth and allies, ages 10-24, in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. From weekly programs at their two youth centers to free mental health counseling, support groups and annual scholarships, their services support the organization's mission of empowering LGBTQ+ youth and allies to create inclusive communities. This partnership offers children a valuable opportunity to develop their artistic skills and showcase their unique and creative perspectives.

Dorothea (D’) Calvert: Praxis

Artist Talk: August 28, 5-6:30 pm. Registration $5

In her exhibition, Praxis, Dorothea Calvert presents a new body of sculptural and functional ceramic work that highlights a range of diverse themes such as anthropomorphism, displacement, global trade and the power of play. The objects are defined by sensuous surfaces and forms that, while classic, hold a contemporary message for the careful observer.

Calvert’s interest in art began early, directing her focus throughout high school. Following her acceptance to art school, she was college bound until life took an unexpected turn. After earning her MBA, succeeding in three different careers and celebrating her child’s college graduation, she finally gave herself permission to renew her focus on art and enrolled in Ringling College of Art and Design’s Continuing Education Program, where she rediscovered clay. It is a medium that affords the dual satisfaction of both two and three dimensions, the body as form, the surface as palette.

Juried Show: Self Portrait

Self Portrait invites artists to look inward and create work in which they are the subject. This exhibition asks artists to consider what they want to reveal about their inner narrative, their role as an artist, their hopes and fears. Self portraits provide viewers a window into the soul of the artist, highlighting their cultural reference points and their place in that moment of time. Whether created for self promotion, personal discovery, validation of the artist title or simply just for fun, self portraits act as a portal into the shared human existence of each generation.

Meet the Juror, Odeta Xheka

Odeta Xheka makes art to claim her voice as a woman artist because art is the opposite of speechlessness. Her work has been juried into prestigious national and international competitions and has been featured in art magazines and literary journals.

Born in the UNESCO heritage site of Berat, Albania, Xheka currently lives in Tampa, FL where she is the founder/director of OXH Gallery. OXH is focused on a cross-generational, multi-medium approach to exhibiting which goes beyond the conventional white cube paradigm with the goal to evolve into a lasting hub for culture and community.

• Online Submission Dates: Tuesday, April 29 - Sunday, July 20, 2025

Juried Show: small works
A celebration of art on an intimate scale, this exhibition highlights the impact of pieces that may be small in size but powerful in presence. From intricate details to bold statements, small works proves that great art doesn’t have to be large to leave a lasting impression.

Artists are invited to submit works that embrace the beauty and skill of small-scale creation. Whether through painting, sculpture, photography, or mixed media, this exhibition showcases how smaller works can hold immense depth and meaning.

Meet Juror Samo Davis
Samo Davis is an interdisciplinary artist whose art practice includes sculpture, digital works, AR. Davis graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a B.A. in Liberal Arts focusing on Japanese translation, creative writing, and sculpture and from Parsons School of Design with an Associates Degree in Fashion Design. Davis has worked in fashion, graphic design, and marketing, and developed their love of VR/AR when working in real estate in New York City. Davis has shown works in London, New York, Tampa, and Sarasota, showcasing smaller works before developing larger installations. Davis is a “multi-cultural kid” who was born in Japan and grew up in Tokyo, Singapore, and later, New York City before transplanting to Sarasota in 2018.

• Online Submissions: Tuesday, May 29 - Sunday, September 7, 2025

• On View: Thursday, October 9 - Saturday, November 15, 2025

• Opening Night Reception: Thursday, October 9, 5-7 pm

• Art drop off dates are Sept 30 & Oct 1, pickup dates are Nov 17 & 18

Juried Show: Paradise

This exhibition is a visual exploration of utopia, beauty, and escapism, where artists are invited to imagine and create visions of a perfect world. From serene landscapes to fantastical realms, Paradise will showcase compelling interpretations of what paradise can be—personal, poetic, or provocative.

Artists are encouraged to submit work that explores the concept of paradise in all its forms—whether rooted in nature, culture, or dreams. We seek pieces that transport viewers to places of serenity, joy, or bold reimaginings of an idealized world.

Meet Juror Robyn Holl

Robyn Holl is a visual artist, her work has been exhibited locally and internationally;  her paintings and collages demonstrate energetic movement and vibrant coloration. Exhibitions include Visionary Women at the Columbia Art Center in 2019, 2020, and 2022, The Art of Abstraction in 2018, and Colorful Spirit in Historic Ellicott City in 2017. Robyn has held solo exhibitions in Sarajevo and Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina and a show featuring her travels, The Balkans, in Brooklyn, NY. She holds an MFA from Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. Robyn is currently the Cultural Curator at Art Ovation Hotel Autograph Collection in Sarasota, FL.

• Online Submissions: Tuesday, July 22 - Sunday, October 26, 2025

• On View: Thursday, December 4, 2025 - Saturday, January 10, 2026

• Opening Night Reception: Thursday, December 4, 5-7pm

• Art drop off dates are Nov 18 & 19, pickup dates are Jan 12 & 13