Sarasota Ballet Awarded $180,000 Grant

The Sarasota Ballet is honored to share the continued support of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, which has awarded a grant totaling $180,000 to be funded over 3 years. Funding for Dance — The Next Generation and The Sarasota Ballet annual Gala, provided in part by the Leslie and Margaret Weller Fund, the Allen Wirtz Nobbe and Jo Bowen Nobbe Fund, and Zella I. and Junius F. Allen Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

Beginning with the 2025 – 2026 Season, the grant will support the Company’s flagship community engagement program, Dance – The Next Generation (DNG), as well as The Sarasota Ballet annual Gala. DNG provides tuition-free, after-school dance education to underserved students in Sarasota and Manatee Counties who are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Serving over 150 students annually in grades 3–12, the program fosters not only a love of dance but also academic growth, personal development, and social-emotional learning. “It’s incredible to watch these students come into their own, both in and out of the studio. Support from the Community Foundation allows us to continue nurturing that journey and building vibrant futures for each child,” shares Executive Director of The Sarasota Ballet, Joseph Volpe. Programs like DNG continue to thrive due to this support, providing children with no-cost transportation, nutritious after-school meals, academic enrichment, and scholarship opportunities. Alongside support for DNG, this grant also supports The Sarasota Ballet annual Gala, which serves as a vital fundraising event that celebrates the transformative impact of philanthropy.

“Dance — The Next Generation changes young people’s lives by exposing them to the art of ballet and allowing them to learn directly from highly esteemed artists and educators,” says Community Foundation Vice President of Community Impact Kirsten Russell. “Our three-year commitment to the program, as well as to the ballet’s overall mission, reflects our belief that the arts are a vital part of every child’s education and that all students should be able to take advantage of our region’s abundant cultural resources.”

Read more here.