Florida State University Re-Affirms Its Commitment to The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Asolo Repertory Theatre and the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training
Sarasota, Fla.--Oct. 19, 2009--On the heels of a successful inaugural Ringling International Arts Festival, Florida State University re-affirmed its commitment on Monday, October 12, 2009 to The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the Asolo Repertory Theatre and the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, all based in Sarasota, Fla.
Sally McRorie, Dean of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance at Florida State University, along with Marshall Rousseau, Interim Director at the Ringling Museum, and Michael Edwards and Linda DiGabriele of the Asolo Repertory Theatre, shared news of upcoming partnerships and programs with FSU.
"The Ringling International Arts Festival was a testament to the economic and social benefits of arts and culture to the Sarasota/Manatee communities and to the State of Florida, and FSU is proud to support such endeavors," said McRorie. "With that said, I re-confirm FSU's commitment to the Ringling Museum of Art, the Asolo Repertory Theatre and the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. There has been much consternation over the statement that these organizations will need to be self-sufficient in three years. This statement has been misconstrued to mean that FSU does not support these organizations. I want to clarify that FSU will keep the funding programs for these organizations. FSU is working together with these organizations and the FSU Foundation to ensure their success. FSU is committed to raising money and generating new revenue sources around specific needs that are critical to all our partner institutions. Any successful partnership includes
goals that will help all parties find ways to thrive in a challenging economic environment and we are working together to put these plans into place."
Rousseau shared the following upcoming plans for the Ringling Museum:
- Dr. Virginia Brilliant, Associate Curator of European Art at the Ringling Museum, will teach a one semester-only course that builds on the strengths of the special exhibitions at the Museum and Brilliant’s curatorial expertise. The course begins January 2010. FSU will continue to offer other special topic courses in partnership with the Ringling Museum in the future.
- Beginning in November, the Ringling campus will be open from 5-8 p.m. to offer families and individuals who work during the day the opportunity to experience the Ringling campus. Special admission rates and programs are in the planning stages. More details will be forthcoming.
- In the Fall of 2010, FSU will work with the Ringling Museum to offer students a project-based set of experiences combined with two introductory courses for a Museum Studies certificate, a fully approved program through FSU. More details will be forthcoming.
The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training is developing relationships with area colleges and arts schools, resulting in two very strong programs for next year: an initiative with Manatee School for the Arts, in which third year Conservatory students will be teaching high school seniors classes in acting for which the high school students will receive college credit. The program in turn increases the training for Conservatory students, adding teaching experience to the professional credits they already receive. In addition, the Conservatory is collaborating with the International Michael Chekhov Institute which will present a teacher training institute in May of this year.
Asolo Repertory Theatre is involved in several collaborative projects, including a collective marketing campaign with the Sarasota Opera, Sarasota Orchestra, and the Ringling Museum to promote Sarasota as an "arts hub." Asolo Rep’s participation during the Ringling International Arts Festival showcased this concept when Asolo Rep provided rehearsal space, performance space, technical support, and front of house/concessions to support many festival activities. Asolo Rep is in collaboration with the Sarasota Ballet to launch a major new production of Susan Stroman’s musical Contact. Additionally, Asolo Rep Education and Outreach activities related to the October 16-30 production of Life in the Middle have increased collaborations with The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, schools and youth organizations throughout the community. Projects such as Lend Us Your Voice (an in-school residency program with four area high schools), Fall Workshops and the Spring Ensemble take programs into schools and provide a showcase for new works from students during two Asolo Rep play festivals later in the season.
More information on these plans and others will be shared as they become available. For more questions on the Ringling Museum, please contact PR Manager Lynn Hobeck Bates at 941.359.5700 Ext. 2803 or lynn.hobeck@ringling.org. For more information on the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training or Asolo Repertory Theatre, please contact Julia Guzman at 941.351.9010 Ext. 4800 or via email at Julia_guzman@asolo.org .
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