The Sunset Suite bathroom.
come over and talk to the artists,” she said. “A
lot of times, the people that come here are
from big cities and they’re not used to the
solitude. They live in apartments and some
get motels and stay at other places and don’t
tell anybody. One woman I know of, I can’t
remember her name, she told me she went
home with the housekeeper because she was
absolutely terrifi ed. The house makes noises.
It creaks and it’s windy. It’s right on the beach,
by yourself and for someone who’s not used
to that and doesn’t live near the woods or the
beach, it can take some getting used to. I had
somebody tell me they hated the noise of the
waves and that it terrifi ed them. It just makes
me laugh when I hear those things because
I’d give my eye teeth to be there all the time.
It’s so magnifi cent to get up at 2 a.m. It’s just
beautiful outside.”
For Andy Sandberg, the role of The
Hermitage serves a unique purpose.
“The arts are an industry that sometimes likes
to tell creatives to focus on your art only, and
tells business people to stay out of the way of
the art. While there’s a certain amount of value
in this, I think it’s really our job to have a clear
understanding of each other and the role each
plays in development of the work.”
While returning to life during COVID has
been a challenge, The Hermitage has been a
leader in providing a safe haven for artists and
the audience.
“The most rewarding I think has been being
able to see the appreciation of both the artists
and the audiences, of not taking a live arts
and cultural experience for granted. I think
so many artists have gotten really emotional,
saying this is their fi rst time being safely in front
of an audience. They’re coming from colder
climates. They’ve been cooped up and there’s
not been a safe way to be together, so they
are appreciative of what we provide. They are
grateful for fi nding a safe way to move forward
and the audience kind of gets choked up right
along with them. I think we have all, for many
years, taken live arts and performances for
granted.”
They Paved Paradise & Put Up a
Parking Lot
Sarasota County had plans for The
Hermitage when they bought the property in
1986. They wanted to pave paradise and put
Historical view of The Hermitage from the beach.