The tropical beauty of Venice creates inspiration everywhere an artist looks. Exotic birds, island flowers, sky painting palms, and endlessly azure waters envelop our City on the Gulf and provide a canvas for artisans and entertainers alike. Set in this island scene, housed in Italian Renaissance architecture, sits our cultural district with award-winning theatre, interior designers, art galleries, outdoor cafes, coffees houses and nature photography studios. Explore the benefits of a larger city packaged in a quaint, little Gulfside community!
Library
DESCRIPTION
Providing a wide range of material in a variety of formats, print, audio, video, CDs, and DVDs, access to the Sarasota County library system's resources is free for residents after a simple Library Card application. Literary collections housed in Sarasota County Libraries include fiction, popular reading, reader development, nonfiction, reference sources, large-print, biographies, newspapers, magazines and journals, as well as a selection of electronic resources. Sarasota County libraries have gone beyond traditional and developed special collections in specific areas for in-depth research and study. A complete list is available on the Sarasota County Library System website; some are African American studies, Environmental, a Gardening Collection, The Sarasota Music Archive, Genealogy, Government Documents, the Florida Collection and many others.
Locations: Elsie Quirk Library 100 West Dearborn St. Englewood, FL 34223 (941) 861-1200
Venice Art Center...The oldest and largest community art center on Florida's Cultural Coast. Offering classes, workshops, summer art camps, gallery talks and ongoing exhibits, there is always something fascinating planned at the Venice Art Center. Although memberships are not required to attend Art Center exhibits or events, they are an option for anyone who wishes to engage in the Art Center's activities, or has an interest in helping to maintain the Center as a cultural and educational facility for the community; memberships are also a great way to become involved in the local community. And when visiting, save time for a tasty lunch at the Garden Party Café. Fresh, bistro cuisine is served in a bright, creative atmosphere welcoming to artists and creative friends alike!
Location: 390 Nokomis Avenue S (on Venice Island)
The Art Center is open Monday through Friday. 9am to 4pm Saturdays from 10am - 2pm.
Venice Theatre...recognized as one of the most successful, non-profit community theaters in the country! Located in the heart of downtown Venice, Venice Theatre entertains with full-scale musicals, comedies, one-act plays, cabarets, dramas, cutting-edge contemporary productions and a summer children's theatre. And it gets more incredible every season! Known for excelling past previous successes, Venice Theatre recently returned home from the Florida Theatre Conference with awards for Best Play, Best Actress and Best Design. And what an exciting way to get involved in the community...volunteers are always needed (training is provided) to assist with props, scenery, stage management, lights, sound and more.
Venice Community Center...the perfect venue for any function! A beautiful 45,000 square ft facility, the Venice Community Center houses a 10,000 square ft ballroom that seats up to 1,000 guests. With a spacious stage equipped with professional-grade theatrical lighting and a state-of-the-art sound booth for professional production technicians. Smaller rooms are available for more intimate gatherings. A commercial-grade kitchen is perfect for catering these events, boasting both convection and conventional ovens, commercial refrigerators, oversized ice machines, and ample food prep areas. Guests will arrive in style with a covered portico in front of convenient parking.
There is a full schedule of events, from cultural and civic to business, hosted at the Venice Community Center that the public is welcome to attend. Everything from forums on global issues, to home shows to the monthly meeting of the Venice Area Orchid Society...call for the monthly calendar!
