BIG ARTS Forum 2024
BIG ARTS 2023/2024
Be Inspired 1
WELCOME
2023-2024 SEASON
Be Inspired!
BIG ARTS, and our entire community, has been challenged beyond measure. In the wake of Hurricane Ian, we all have had to gather the strength and courage to rise above a cataclysmic event that has forever changed our Island home -- and changed many communities beyond the Sanibel Causeway. For the second time in three years, BIG ARTS was forced to cancel all programming – more than 200 classes, events, performances, workshops, gallery shows, lectures and films. We sustained not insignificant damage, but it paled in comparison to our neighbors and friends who weathered far worse. When the water receded, the beautiful building, finished in 2020, was still standing, thanks to the generosity of the community that built it. BIG ARTS was created more than 40 years ago, by, and for, the community. We had a responsibility to carry that torch forward as never before. We recommitted ourselves to be a warm and welcoming gathering place that celebrates the artist in all of us and reminds us of our shared humanity. Once the dozens of trucks and first responders left our parking lot, we got to work. We opened our doors and hearts and created five free gatherings, complete with entertainment, food, beverages, art demonstrations, gallery shows and activities for children and adults alike. It was a joy to watch the happiness of the more than 1,550 people who walked through BIG ARTS doors. As one person commented, “For a moment, the world seemed normal again.” Now, we begin anew with hope, determination and, yes, happiness. We have created a bright new BIG ARTS season brimming with music, theater, dance, films, fine arts, learning experiences and, most of all, a place to share the sheer joy of being together again. Enjoy the BIG ARTS 2023/2024 season program guide and join us as we experience the power of the arts to inspire, enrich and enhance our lives and our community. We can’t wait to see you at BIG ARTS!
Lee Ellen Harder Executive Director 2
Don Rice Chairman of the Board
BIG ARTS Forum 2024
“Square Wave” by artist Jonas Stirner
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BIG ARTS Performing Arts 2024
2024 SERIES
Performing ARTS
Come experience some of the most gifted artists performing in the world today. Sit back and relax in the stunning Christensen Performance Hall and let the power of these extraordinary performances fill your heart and renew your spirit.
January JANUARY 13
THE GREATEST PIANO MEN JANUARY 18
JEREMY DENK JANUARY 25
PHILLIPS, MCGILL & HUANG
THE GREATEST PIANO MEN
JANUARY 27
JUDITH HILL JANUARY 30
BODYTRAFFIC
JANUARY 13 8:00 PM
This electrifying production celebrates the world’s greatest pianists and showmen including Elton John, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and all the way to Beethoven and Liberace.
What more can be said except, the greatest piano men, really were the greatest. Not only did the performers show spectacular skills on the grand pianos, but they vocally honored each nuance of every famous singer with greatest respect.” — Boston Globe We are deeply grateful to the BIG ARTS Performing Arts Platinum Club exclusive co-sponsors: 4
BIG ARTS Performing Arts 2024
JEREMY DENK JANUARY 18 7:30 PM
Winner of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship and the Avery Fisher Prize, Jeremy Denk is one of America’s foremost pianists. He was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Returning frequently to Carnegie Hall, Denk has appeared with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra and toured with The Academy of St Martin in the Fields and at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms.
. . . an unerring sense of the music’s dramatic structure and a great actor’s intuition for timing.” — Boston Globe
ANTHONY MCGILL, CLARINET, SUSANNA PHILLIPS, SOPRANO, & MYRA HUANG, PIANO JANUARY 25 7:30 PM Metropolitan Opera star and New York Philharmonic clarinet and piano virtuosos will dazzle and delight us with their artistry. This concert showcases this rare and gorgeous combination of musical voices.
ANTHONY MCGILL is “…a captivating virtuoso on the stage, and a longtime advocate for social change extending beyond it.” SUSANNA PHILLIPS “…has the purity and bloom of a Mozart lyric soprano. Yet her voice can lift phrases with penetrating sound and deep richness.” Acclaimed by Opera News “…as being among the top accompanists of her generation,” MYRA HUANG is “…a coloristic tour de force.” -The New York Times 5
BIG ARTS Performing Arts 2024
JUDITH HILL JANUARY 27 8:00 PM
GRAMMY award-winning vocalist Judith Hill brings her dazzling talent to Sanibel! Come see what drew artists like Prince, Michael Jackson, Spike Lee and George Benson to her. She has toured with Ringo Starr, Elton John and Stevie Wonder, and was featured in the GRAMMY and Academy Award-winning film, “20 Feet from Stardom.” Sponsored by
… wowed the [Staples Center] crowd and the millions watching around the world … ” — Rolling Stone
BODYTRAFFIC JANUARY 30 7:30 PM
Led by Artistic Director Tina Finkelman Berkett, BODYTRAFFIC has conquered the contemporary dance world with its stunning performers, technical mastery, and commitment to the most challenging repertoire. Bursting with cutting-edge “vivid theatricality,” BODYTRAFFIC takes the stage with compelling works that embody the company’s energy, sophistication, and sheer joy in dancing. Sponsored by James and Susen Berg & Dorothy and Seth Hemming
Absolutely joyous and oh-so-entertaining!” — Broadway World 6
BIG ARTS Performing Arts 2024
TWISTED PINE FEBRUARY 3 8:00 PM Rooted in bluegrass, their music has garnered widespread critical acclaim for its boundary-defying virtuosity that draws from jazz, pop, indie folk and funk. Twisted Pine features Kathleen Parks on fiddle and lead vocals, Dan Bui on mandolin, Chris Sartori on bass and Anh Phung on flute.
“...Upbeat, poppy vibe; energetic, driving rhythms; and virtuoso solos.
— National Public Radio (NPR)
February FEBRUARY 3
TWISTED PINE FEBRUARY 4
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS ON TOUR FEBRUARY 8
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS ON TOUR FEBRUARY 4 3:30 PM YCA is a dynamic chamber ensemble made up of some of the most gifted classical artists in the world playing fabulous repertories in cities all over North America! This season’s tour offers a special program of chamber music and song, featuring rarely-heard instrumentation combining voices with violin, cello, and piano.
ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS WIND ENSEMBLE FEBRUARY 17
ALAN BIBEY & GRASSTOWNE FEBRUARY 29
SO GOOD! THE NEIL DIAMOND EXPERIENCE 7
BIG ARTS Performing 2024
ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS WIND ENSEMBLE FEBRUARY 8 7:30 PM
Sponsored by Ed and Virginia Stringer
The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is one of the world’s finest chamber orchestras, renowned for fresh, brilliant interpretations of the world’s greatest orchestral music. The wind ensemble is drawn from the principal players in the orchestra and was formed to perform exciting, larger scale chamber music.
ALAN BIBEY & GRASSTOWNE FEBRUARY 17 8:00 PM
Sponsored by Tom and Barb Dunham
Alan Bibey & Grasstowne features highly respected veterans, as well as rising stars, of bluegrass. Led by GRAMMYnominated mandolin player Alan Bibey, the bandincludes two-time SPBGMA Bass Player of the Year Zak McLamb, banjo player Justin Jenkins, flat picker and rhythm guitarist Tony Watt, and vocalist and fiddle player Kati Penn.
SO GOOD! THE NEIL DIAMOND EXPERIENCE FEBRUARY 29 8:00 PM
Sponsored by Gustav and Vibeke Christensen 8
This tribute show to Neil Diamond is unlike anything you have seen or heard before. You will swear you are hearing the master himself. Broadway, television and film star Robert Neary creates a one-of-a-kind tribute to one of the greatest recording artists in history.
BIG ARTS Performing 2024
March MARCH 2
SISTER’S SUMMER SCHOOL CATECHISM MARCH 9
SING & SWINGJAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER PRESENTS MARCH 15
THE HIT MEN: CLASSIC ROCK SUPERGROUP MARCH 22
LATE NITE CATECHISM – SISTER’S SUMMER SCHOOL CATECHISM
ANNUAL BENEFIT: THE DOO WOP PROJECT
MARCH 2 8:00 PM
Time to laugh your sins away! Part catechism class, part stand-up routine, this interactive comedy is one of the longestrunning shows in Chicago and U.S. theater history. You, the audience member, are part of Sister’s class. She’ll take you back to the days of the Latin Mass and meatless Fridays—and remind you about that good old ruler across the knuckles!
... refreshingly different ... top-notch comedy ... gloriously funny.” — Chicago Reader
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BIG ARTS Performing Arts 2024
SING AND SWING – A JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER PRESENTS PRODUCTION MARCH 9 8:00 PM
Two of New York’s brightest stars, and a quartet of jazz all-stars, reimagine some of the classic partnerships in jazz and popular song, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland and Peggy Lee; featuring songs by Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Ellington and Cole Porter.
Sponsored by Mike and Marilee Wood
“Celebrate the Great American Songbook in all of its playful — and sophisticated — glory brought to life by two of this generation’s brightest stars. — The Society of the Four Arts
THE HIT MEN: CLASSIC ROCK SUPERGROUP MARCH 15 8:00 PM
JASPER Sponsored by Bob and Kathy Wiesemann & Charles and Gail Sheetz
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Relive rock’s greatest hits with the real guys who performed with legendary artists, including members of Foreigner, Journey, Styx, Steely Dan, Cheap Trick, Alan Parsons, Cream, Grand Funk and The Who. In their exciting multi-media concert, The Hit Men celebrate their associations with these mega-stars, share their first-hand experiences as eyewitnesses to rock history and perform classic hits you know and love— “Layla,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Sunshine of Your Love,” “Eye in the Sky” and many more— just the way you remember them!
BIG ARTS Performing Arts 2024
BIG ARTS ANNUAL BENEFIT THE DOO WOP PROJECT MARCH 22 6:00 PM
Presenting Sponsors Gustav and Vibeke Christensen & Jim and Gaye Pigott
Fun, food, and fabulous music are the hallmarks of the always memorable BIG ARTS annual benefit. The 2024 benefit concert is the Doo Wop Project featuring stars of Broadway’s smash hits Jersey Boys and Motown: The Musical. The Doo Wop Project brings unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence to recreate— and in some cases entirely reimagine— some of the greatest music in American pop and rock history!
STACEY KENT
April
APRIL 6 8:00 PM
She has charm to burn, a smile that could give you hope in February, and sings like nobody’s business.” — The Wall Street Journal
Previously recognized as “Jazz Vocalist of the Year” at the BBC Jazz Awards, GRAMMY-nominated singer, Stacey Kent, has ventured beyond the Great American Songbook to develop a highly distinctive and personal repertoire, including songs written for her by Jim Tomlinson with various lyricists, Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro among them. Her I Know I Dream album has had more than 40 million streams, won “Album of the Year” in the vocal category at the Jazz Japan Awards and received glowing reviews, including a five-star rating in Downbeat. Sponsored by Tom and Linda Uhler 11
BIG ARTS Community Artists 2023
Celevrate COMMUNITY Holiday Magic
BIG ARTS beautiful, spacious halls will be decked with festive decorations, and our gift shop will be brimming with seasonal décor items, one-of-a-kind gifts and unique keepsakes. Enjoy a heartwarming family film, BIG ARTS own much-loved concert band, chorus, and The Sanibel School singers -- all performing in beautiful Christensen Performance Hall. Put BIG ARTS on your holiday calendar!
FREE HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE DECEMBER 1 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Come meet the talented artists who make the BIG ARTS gift shop items so unique; get a “jump” on your holiday gift shopping, enjoy creative beverages and bites, and take a stroll through the galleries.
THE SILHOUETTES: LIGHT OF CHRISTMAS DECEMBER 16 7:00 PM
Established in 2009, The Silhouettes is a world-renowned shadow-dance company of children and adults that rose to stardom as first runnerup on season 6 of America’s Got Talent. Under the guidance of Lynne Waggoner-Patton, The Silhouettes create stunning choreographed shadow-dance pieces that champion family, friendship, community, and love. BIG ARTS is thrilled to bring their heartwarming and inspirational holiday show to Sanibel to celebrate all that is beautiful in the world at this special time of year. 12
BIG ARTS Community Artists 2023
BIG ARTS CONCERT BAND HOLIDAY PERFORMANCE DECEMBER 9 7:00 PM
BIG ARTS COMMUNITY CHORUS HOLIDAY CONCERT DECEMBER 14 7:00 PM
NOW AND THEN: A HOLIDAY SONG CELEBRATION DECEMBER 19 6:30 PM
A community concert of timehonored and popular holiday tunes featuring the BIG ARTS Community Chorus and The Sanibel School’s Seahorse Chorale and Elementary Choir.
FILM: THE POLAR EXPRESS DECEMBER 21 6:30 PM
On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, learning all about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas.
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BIG ARTS Community Artists 2024
2024 SPRING DELIGHT Spring has arrived on Sanibel and Captiva when you hear the stirring compositions of the BIG ARTS Concert Band and the beautiful voices and creative vocal arrangements of the BIG ARTS Community Chorus. Both uplifting concerts are performed by talented members of the community.
GULF COAST SYMPHONY WITH THE FORT MYERS SYMPHONIC MASTERSINGERS FEBRUARY 23 7:00 PM
The Gulf Coast Symphony and the thirty-plus members of the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers will perform the Lord Nelson Mass by Joseph Haydn.
BIG ARTS CONCERT BAND SPRING CONCERT MARCH 8 7:00 PM
BIG ARTS COMMUNITY CHORUS SPRING CONCERT APRIL 5 7:00 PM
FREE FUN GATHERINGS All BIG ARTS free community gatherings offer delicious food, beverages, entertainment, gallery exhibits, art demonstrations and more...
FAMILY DAY
APRIL 13 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
ART VIBE
JUNE 15 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM All performances in Christensen Performance Hall. Call the box office for tickets and information 239-395-0900. 14
BIG ARTS Workshos 2023-2024
BIG ARTS RAISBECK EDUCATION CENTER
BIG ARTS WORKSHOPS BIG ARTS workshops are grounded in four decades of history. In fact, BIG ARTS was created by a handful of resident artists who gathered to support one another and contribute to the community’s artistic vibrancy. They believed BIG ARTS should celebrate the artist in all of us, and that vision remains to this day. What has evolved with time is a rich tapestry of arts and fine craft workshops by seasoned instructors. This season BIG ARTS will offer a myriad of workshops to inspire your creativity:
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Glass Fusing Watercolor Zentangle Acrylics
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Writing
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Kathleen Conover
Oils Basket Weaving Life Drawing And much more
Plus - The Master Workshop Series for intermediate and advanced students
2024 INSPIRATION CLASSES
Douglas David
THE CONVERGENCE OF SCIENCE & SPIRITUALITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY: Some Stunning/Puzzling Mysteries That Have Brought Physicists and Theologians Together as Partners in Discovery Three-session class: January 12, 19, 26 AFTERLIFE AND “A WORLD TO COME”: Comparing/Contrasting the Views of Humanity’s Major Religions and Philosophical Traditions Three-session class: March 8, 15, 22
YOUR PERSONAL CREATIVITY SPACE On the first Tuesday of every month, beginning October of 2023, BIG ARTS will offer open studio space for rental. For all information and reservations, call 239-395-0900. Classes and workshops are subject to change. Please consult the website for any updates or changes.
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BIG ARTS Forum 2024
2024 SPEAKERS
BIG ARTS FORUM
The FORUM offers stimulating lectures and engaging conversations with some of the most important thought leaders of our time. If you prefer, you can purchase a livestream ticket and enjoy the FORUM from the comfort of your own home. All lectures are at 7:30 PM in BIG ARTS Christensen Performance Hall.
JANUARY 10 COMMISSIONER WILLIAM BRATTON “The Fundamentals, Practicalities, and Realities of Good Policing in America” During a 46-year career in law enforcement, Commissioner Bratton instituted progressive change while leading six police departments. He is the only person ever to lead the police agencies of America’s two largest cities. As Chief of the New York City Transit Police, Boston Police Commissioner, and New York City Police Commissioner, he revitalized morale and cut crime in all three posts, achieving the largest crime declines in New York City’s history. As Los Angeles Police Chief from 2002 to 2009, he brought crime to historically low levels. Most recently, Commissioner Bratton led the NYPD for a second time from January 2014 to September 2016, during which he reengineered the department, revitalized morale, and implemented Neighborhood Policing and Precision Policing.
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BIG ARTS Forum 2024
JANUARY 17 MICHAEL STEELE “The Current Political Landscape in America: A View from Both Sides of the Aisle” Michael Steele was elected Lt. Governor of Maryland in 2003, making history as the first African American elected to statewide office, and again with his subsequent chairmanship of the Republican National Committee in 2009. As chairman of the RNC, Michael Steele was charged with revitalizing the Republican Party. He is a self-described “Lincoln Republican.” Under his leadership, the RNC broke fundraising records (more than $198 million raised during the 2010 Congressional cycle) and Republicans won 63 House seats, the biggest pickup since 1938. His commitment to grassroots organization and party building at the state and local levels produced 12 governorships and the greatest share of state legislative seats since 1928 (more than 760 seats).
JANUARY 24 DAVID WASSERMAN “The Roadmap to the 2024 Elections – Is a Working Majority in Sight?” David Wasserman is Senior Editor covering the U.S. House of Representatives for The Cook Political Report. He offers illuminating facts, figures, and maps in an entertaining and strictly non-partisan tour of the national political landscape, including recent gerrymandering wars, new election laws, new Washington politicians to follow, and races to watch in coming years. Drawing on his extensive cultural, demographic, and voting-pattern research to forecast and interpret election results, Wasserman may be regarded as “pretty much the only person you need to follow on Election Night” (Chuck Todd, host of NBC’s Meet the Press).
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BIG ARTS Forum 2024
JANUARY 31 AL FRANKEN A Conversation With Al Franken
Live streamed from his New York Studio
Al Franken is a former U.S. Senator from Minnesota, author, comedian, writer, producer, and five-time Emmy winner, as well as the author of four #1 New York Times bestsellers. He offers humorous-butsubstantive insights into how the decision-making process in Washington might better serve the country. One of the original writers for Saturday Night Live, Franken served as a member of the Judiciary, Energy, Indian Affairs, Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committees and authored a key provision of the Affordable Care Act during his time as a U.S. Senator.
FEBRUARY 21 DR. STEPHANIE EDGERLY “The End of News? How Media Audiences Are Changing” Dr. Stephanie Edgerly is an Associate Professor and Director of Research at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University. As a premier researcher of U.S. media who specializes in audience insight and focus, Stephanie Edgerly examines today’s media environment and the risks it poses to an informed citizenry. In an age of endless news and current-events information, Edgerly sheds light on the power of the media to manipulate perception and guides attendees to consider their own media decisions.
FEBRUARY 28 ADMIRAL HARRY HARRIS, JR. “The Asian Pacific: Superpowers Prepare to Face Off”
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Admiral Harry Harris, after retiring from the US Navy served as Ambassador to South Korea where he experienced firsthand the tensions in the Asian Pacific and the difficult position that the allied military faces in that region of the world. It’s a complicated situation that most Americans know little about, with multiple avenues for misunderstandings between the many interests in the region. The critical question confronting the US in Asia is how to best confront the aggressive moves of the Chinese throughout the Pacific. Admiral Harris addresses this complex region with expertise.
BIG ARTS Forum 2024
MARCH 6 ROBERT KAGAN “America’s Role in Establishing a New and Stable World Order” Robert Kagan is the Stephen & Barbara Friedman Senior Fellow with the Project on International Order and Strategy in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. He is a graduate of Yale University’s School of Government and holds a PhD in American History from American University. He is a contributing columnist at The Washington Post; and his latest book, The Ghost at the Feast: America and Collapse of World Order, 1900-1941, released in January 2023, is a comprehensive, sweeping history of America’s rise to global superpower – from the Spanish-American War to World War II.”
MARCH 13 DARYL JOHNSON “How the Domestic Terrorism Threat is Being Ignored” Daryl Johnson is one of the foremost experts on domestic terrorism in the U.S. Beginning his career as a civilian in the U.S. Army, Johnson was also senior analyst at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and, more recently, as lead analyst for domestic terrorism at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He is the Owner of DT Analytics, a private consulting firm for law enforcement, academia, and other organizations. In 2022, he accepted a position as Senior Strategic Advisor with Clear and Present Strategic Solutions based in Los Angeles, California. Johnson is regularly cited, featured, and quoted in the media, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, National Public Radio, MSNBC, CNN, and NBC Nightly News, among many others. Our deep appreciation to the 2024 BIG ARTS FORUM sponsors:
& Patricia Thurber and Sue Pick
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BIG ARTS Talking Points 2024
2024 SPEAKERS
Talking POINTS
Enjoy three lively and stimulating presentations by experts in a diverse range of topical issues and participate in the engaging Q&A dialogue that has become the hallmark of the Talking Points experience.
All sessions are at 7:30 p.m. in BIG ARTS Christensen Performance Hall. If you prefer, you can purchase a livestream ticket and enjoy Talking Points from the comfort of your own home.
MARCH 14 AVI LOEB, PhD, Harvard’s top astronomer, is the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University. EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE We are not alone, believes Avi Loeb, chair of Harvard’s Department of Astronomy, founding director of Harvard’s Black Hole Initiative, director of the Institute for Theory and Computation within the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics and author. Loeb and his team have set up a telescope on the roof of the Harvard College Observatory to look for evidence of extraterrestrial life. They are looking for strange objects, such as the one sighted in 2017 by scientists at a Hawaiian observatory that was moving so quickly that Loeb claims it could only have come from another star. Join Loeb on March 14 for fascinating discussion about his search for extraterrestrial life, the importance of curiosity and other mysteries of our universe.
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BIG ARTS Talking Points 2024
MARCH 20 CRAIG PITTMAN is a native Floridian, a bestselling author, a podcaster and an award-winning environmental reporter. THE STATE YOU’RE IN: FLORIDA That name. That combination of sounds. Three simple syllables packing mixed messages. To some people, it’s a paradise. To others, it’s a punchline. As award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Craig Pittman shows it’s both of these and so much more. In his latest book, The State You’re In, he gathers 51 stories and columns he’s written over the past 30 years that, in his words, “celebrate Florida’s glorious weirdness.” There are tales of mermaids, manatees, fugitives, con men, secret loves, tattooed retirees, nudists and mythical creatures that turn out to be real -- you know, the usual.
MARCH 27 DAN MOLDEA, specialist on organized crime and political corruption investigations since 1974, bestselling author and independent investigative journalist. ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE 21ST CENTURY There is no better expert on organized crime in America today than DAN MOLDEA. He has been at the forefront of various crime investigations for almost 50 years and is still involved with the search for Jimmy Hoffa’s body. He’s written several non-fiction books about organized crime, interviewed hundreds of mobsters, and will share his keen insight into this world of corruption, intrigue, and murder. As a best-selling author and independent investigative journalist, Dan E. Moldea has published ten nonfiction books – most recently: A True Story of Wiretapping, Friendship, and Betrayal (2018); and Money, Politics, and Corruption in U.S. Higher Education: The Stories of Whistleblowers (2020). Moldea is also a registered private investigator and independent consultant, participating in a wide variety of breathtaking and mind-blowing capers. 21
BIG ARTS Fine Arts 2023-2024
2023-2024
FineARTS
All exhibit openings include complimentary wine and cash bar receptions from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in BIG ARTS Dunham Family Gallery. All BIG ARTS gallery shows and receptions are free and open to the public. Please check the website for hours: BIGARTS.org. 2023-2024 Fine Arts Series Sponsored by Jim & Gaye Pigott
Mezzanine Gallery A RETROSPECTIVE Bea Pappas
AUGUST 4 – JANUARY 21 Bea Pappas was an award-winning signature member of the International Society of Experimental Artists and served for many years on the BIG ARTS Visual Arts Committee. Regrettably, while some of her work was lost in Hurricane Ian, we are deeply grateful to her daughter, Aleece Pappas, and her dear friend, Deborah Butler, for their generosity in making possible this extraordinary exhibit of Bea’s beautiful work for the community to enjoy.
Black Birds
ARTIST RECEPTION: October 27
West Gallery IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE MariaPia Malerba
JUNE – JANUARY The mural celebrates the beauty and wonder of nature, merging the gentle presence of the manatee with oversized flowers and butterflies that symbolize transformation and freedom. ARTIST RECEPTION: October 27 In the Blink of an Eye
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Dunham Family Gallery
BIG ARTS Fine Arts 2023-2024
INVOLUTION
Paintings by Dana Roes with poetry by Brandi George
OCTOBER 27 – DECEMBER 10 Involution is the process of enfolding, inwardness, curving, ingrowth, or entangling. It is the state of being involved or complicated. Dana Roes’ paintings and Brandi George’s poetry explore the art of involution in this collaborative exhibit. Inspired by evolution, extinction, and South Florida waters, forests, and skies, this collection of art and poetry reveals the many beginnings before the one we know, the hieroglyphics of stone, secrets in fire, and the transformational power of loss. ARTIST RECEPTION: October 27 Artist’s Lecture and Poetry Reading by Brandi George, 6PM
Dana Roes Untitled, 2022
IMAGINARY LINES
Sanibel-Captiva Art League’s 48th Annual Juried Art Council of SW Florida Exhibit
DECEMBER 15 – JANUARY 28 “Imaginary Lines” is the featured theme for the Sanibel-Captiva Art League sponsored art exhibit at BIG ARTS for the 2023-2024 season. The theme is open to broad interpretation, and artists are encouraged to think creatively about their work through the feelings contained in the verse. ARTIST RECEPTION: December 15
Karen Meredith The Gathering
I last winter observed the snow on a spree with the northwest wind, and it put me out of conceit of fences and imaginary lines … ”
— Walt Whitman 23
BIG ARTS Fine Arts 2023-2024
COMMON GROUND, AN URBAN EXPERIENCE Shah Hadjebi and Al Chailosky
FEBRUARY 2 – MARCH 10 Shah Hadjebi is the consummate watercolorist. He pays close attention to detail and infuses magical color. His renderings range from the aviary sublime to the flash of chrome on a 1957 Chevy. Shah brings us closer to nature with joy and love. He has made a shift collaborating with Al Chailosky. Al’s three-dimensional models are small scale exact replicas of iconic architecture. Shah and Al have been working in their respective mediums on the same urban scenes – from a gritty, manic corner in Chinatown in NYC to the glorious Floridian architecture of Miami Beach. ARTIST RECEPTION: February 2
Shah Hadjeb Chinatown, NYC
UPRISING
Wendy Klemperer
MARCH 15 – APRIL 28 An exhibition of drawings, paintings, and sculptures of local wildlife. Sculptures sited outdoors on BIG ARTS grounds will emerge from the surrounding vegetation and offer a fleeting glimpse of fascinating wildlife creatures. Wendy Klemperer’s work is often described as three-dimensional drawing; and she uses the limitless character of line to evoke motion and emotion. The raw metal comes to life. ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: MARCH 1-15 ARTIST RECEPTION: March 16
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Wendy Klemperer Undersea
BIG ARTS Fine Arts 2024
ART AS THERAPY, HOPE AND HEALING IN THE ACT OF MAKING ART A powerful collaboration between Hope Healthcare’s Hospice program and Lee Health
MAY 3 - JUNE 7 The collaboration between Hope Healthcare’s Hospice program and Lee Health shares the vision of healing through art. The expressive arts, in all forms, strive to provide hope and healing through the creative process. This exhibit shares the journey of each artist during bereavement, grief, illness, depression, physical and emotional challenges, rehabilitation and recovery. We hope this personal and powerful exhibit elevates the community’s awareness of artists’ special abilities that emerge during difficult times.
White Dog
ARTIST RECEPTION: May 3
STUDENT EXHIBIT Florida SouthWestern State College Students
JUNE 14 – JULY 19 BIG ARTS and FSW have partnered for years to give serious art students a venue to realize this essential part of the creative process: to exhibit, to share, to examine, and assess. Each time, the students of FSW create a professional and engaging group of works. BIG ARTS is dedicated to education in the arts, and proud to partner with our local art education institutions. ARTIST RECEPTION: June 15
R. Hierrezueld
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BIG ARTS Fine Arts 2024
Field Trip THE JOHN AND MABLE RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART History Comes Alive: A fun and informative guided field trip. Dr. Anne-Marie Bouche and Wilson McCray, BIG ARTS Gallery Director
FEBRUARY 5 Dr. Bouche, former Assistant Professor of Western Medieval Art at Princeton University, professor at Columbia University and lecturer at The Met Cloisters museum in New York, will guide us through part of the remarkable Ringling permanent collection with focal point on Peter Paul Rubens as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition. We will also visit the Ringling Circus Museum and stroll the exquisite museum grounds. Fee includes luxury bus transport, lunch, beverages and snacks. Please reserve early. Group limited to 18 people. Call 239-395-0900 for details.
The Gathering of Manna in the Wilderness, Peter Paul Rubens
FineARTS
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BIG ARTS Support 2023-2024
VOLUNTEER
VOLUNTEERS ARE THE HEART OF BIG ARTS For decades, volunteers have played a starring role in BIG ARTS success. Whether lending a hand in the performance hall, gift shop, office, or galleries, our volunteers’ invaluable gift of their time and talent means the world to us. We could not be more grateful. Consider joining a great group of friends in our community and enjoy the fun and camaraderie at BIG ARTS events. We can’t wait to meet you!
PLAY A ROLE IN BIG ARTS EXCITING EVENTS: Volunteers are needed at the Annual Benefit and Platinum Club Receptions, for parking lot assistance, at community events and as ushers at the fabulous shows in Christensen Performance Hall!
GALLERY & GIFT SHOP DOCENT: Chat with customers about items for sale in the BIG ARTS Gift Shop or greet guests visiting the galleries. Call 239.395.0900 to talk with a BIG ARTS associate about what you would like to do to join the collegial team of great friends who play such an important role in BIG ARTS success.
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BIG ARTS Films 2023-2024
2023-2024 FILM SERIES
BIG ARTS FILMS
Mark Mondays on your calendar and stop by BIG ARTS for a drink, meet new and old friends and enjoy a great film experience. This season, from time to time, we will welcome, remotely, guest professionals from some of the films. Stay tuned and visit the website for updates on additional films scheduled for February, March and April 2024. All Films are 7:00 PM in Christensen Performance Hall.
Fabulous Films NOVEMBER 6 PERFUMES
France, 100 mins. 2020 Anne Walberg is a diva celebrity in the perfume world. She creates fragrances and sells her incredible talent to companies of all kinds. Guillaume is her new driver and the only one who is not afraid to stand up to her.
NOVEMBER 13
COMPARTMENT NO. 6
Finland/Russia, 107 mins, 2021 As a train weaves its way up to the Arctic Circle, two strangers share a journey that will change their perspectives on life.
NOVEMBER 20
LUNANA, THE YAK IN THE CLASSROOM Bhutan, 110 mins, 2022
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Ugyen, a rebellious young teacher in modern Bhutan, is reprimanded and his superiors send him to the most remote school in the world, a glacial Himalayan village called Lunana. There, he learns from his students, and he is transformed through the amazing spiritual strength of the villagers.
BIG ARTS Films 2023-2024
NOVEMBER 27 THE GOOD BOSS
Spain, 114 mins, 2021 Awaiting a visit by a committee that could give his company an award for excellence, the owner of an industrial scales manufacturing business scrambles to resolve any problems with his workers in time for the review.
DECEMBER 4 THE DUKE
United Kingdom, 96 mins, 2021 In 1961, Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old taxi driver, steals Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. The tale gets tangled with typical British hilarity!
DECEMBER 11
DR. STRANGELOVE
Kubrick, 95 mins, 1964 An insane American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop. Madness and laughter ensue in this Kubrick classic!
DECEMBER 18
HALLELUJAH: LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG
United States, RT 87/96, 115 mins, 2022 This feature-length documentary explores the life of singersongwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, Hallelujah.
JANUARY 8
THE QUIET GIRL
Ireland, 95 mins, 2022 The Quiet Girl is set in rural Ireland in 1881. A nine-year-old girl from a dysfunctional family goes to live with distant relatives for the summer. Living with a middle-aged farm couple, she discovers a new way of living.
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BIG ARTS Films 2024
2024 FILM SERIES
BIG ARTS FILMS JANUARY 15 BENEDICTION
United Kingdom, 137 mins, 2021 Decorated for bravery during World War I, British soldier Siegfried Sassoon returns from service and becomes a vocal critic of the government’s continuation of the war. Adored by the aristocracy and the stars of London’s literary and stage world, Sassoon’s experiences inspire him to write poetry about the horrors of battle.
JANUARY 22
THE AUTOMAT
United States, 119 mins, 2021 A profile of one of the most iconic of American restaurant chains in New York City and Philadelphia in the twentieth century (1902 - 1991). With Mel Brooks and other film giants, director Lisa Hurwitz reveals layers of an American culture phenomenon.
Discussion with Director Lisa Hurwitz on Zoom
JANUARY 29
WRITING WITH FIRE India, 93 mins, 2021
In a cluttered news landscape dominated by men, India’s only newspaper run by Dalit women emerges. Chief Reporter Meera and her fellow journalists break traditions, redefining what it means to be powerful. Inkoo Kang at The Hollywood Reporter called the film “insightful and inspirational.”
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BIG ARTS ANNUAL BENEFIT
MARCH 22, 2024
Don’t miss the stars of Jersey Boys and Motown: The Musical.
The Doo Wop Project brings unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence to recreate—and in some cases entirely reimagine—some of the greatest music in American pop and rock history!
EARLY RESERVATIONS 239.395.0900
BIG ARTS Leadership & Staff 2024
MEET THE TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Don Rice, Chair Rene Savarise, Vice-Chair David Lowden, Treasurer
Gustav Christensen Scot Congress Virginia Stringer Bob Wiesemann Mike Wood
STAFF Marina Dowling Office Manager Mdowling@bigarts.org
Amiee Harrison Workshops Manager Aharrison@bigarts.org
Barbara Freeman Executive Assistant Bfreeman@bigarts.org
Richard Jones Technical Director Rjones@bigarts.org
Meghan Govoni Marketing Manager Mgovoni@bigarts.org
David Kolson Chief Financial Officer Dkolson@bigarts.org
Melody Hampton Database and Information Manager Mhampton@bigarts.org
Greg LeBlanc Facilities & Maintenance Supervisor Gleblanc@bigarts.org
Lee Ellen Harder Executive Director Lharder@bigarts.org Charlotte Hardt Customer Service Associate Chardt@bigarts.org Wendy Harriman House Manager Wharriman@bigarts.org
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Kelly Lowden Customer Service Associate Klowden@bigarts.org Wilson McCray Gallery Director Wmccray@bigarts.org Olga Semreen Staff Accountant Osemreen@bigarts.org
WAYS TO HELP NOW AND FOREVER
BIG ARTS Forum 2023
Make a DIFFERENCE BIG ARTS has been a vital part of the Sanibel and Captiva community for over 43 years and we strive every year to make our contribution to the community better and better. Ticket and registration fees just aren’t enough to sustain a world-class fine and performing arts center, such as BIG ARTS, and we depend on donors like you to help make up the difference.
MANY WAYS TO GIVE ANNUAL GIFT Loyal annual donors are the backbone of BIG ARTS solid base of dependable yearly income and the way we balance our budget every year. SPONSORSHIPS Have your name, the name of a loved one or your company name on any one of BIG ARTS programs. SPECIAL EVENTS The BIG ARTS Annual Benefit is the fun, exciting season centerpiece featuring a blockbuster entertainer, fine food and drinks and dancing in the Malone Family Sculpture Garden. There are varying levels of support to be part of the best Sanibel Captiva party of the year! PLANNED GIVING Create a legacy in perpetuity for generations to come and a special place in our hearts for your continued support.
OTHER WAYS TO GIVE MATCHING GIFTS: Matching gifts help make your donation go further. Check with your current or former employer to see if they have a matching gift program that can double your community impact. MEMORIAL OR TRIBUTE GIFTS: Honor or remember a special person in your life with an honorarium or memorial gift. STOCKS, IRA AND DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS: Coupling fantastic tax advantages with your love of BIG ARTS! Please consult with your financial advisor or IRA administrator for more information. For more information and to discuss your charitable plans, contact (239) 395-0900. We’d be delighted to hear from you. 33
T H E
B I G
A R T S
S t u n n i n g a r t w o r k , b e a u t i f u l p o t t e r y, h a n d c r a f t e d j e w e l r y & one-of-a-kind keepsakes & gifts
Don’t miss the opportunity to stop by the stunning BIG ARTS gift shop, where you will find one-of-a-kind unique items created by our area artists, including a rich array of beautiful pottery and ceramics, jewelry, fine art, décor items and much more.
2023 Gatherings
BIG ARTS Support 2024
OF HOPE, LAUGHTER, AND SHARING
Post Hurricane Ian, BIG ARTS launched five free community gatherings complete with jugglers, magicians, music, beverages, food and fun. More than 1,500 people came through BIG ARTS doors to experience the joy of being together again in the aftermath of a seismic change in our community. As one guest remarked, “for a brief moment, the world seemed normal again. Thank you BIG ARTS.”
The season also marked the inaugural year of reaching beyond our borders to underserved Lee County populations with the new BIG ARTS Youth Arts Education Program. Peals of laughter and high energy filled BIG ARTS corridors and classrooms from the dozens of kids from the Heights Center Summer Camp who enjoyed visits to the galleries and made take-a-way artwork. The Heights Foundation works to build strong, self-sufficient families in the impoverished Harlem Heights neighborhood. BIG ARTS also went “on the road” to create free classes at the PACE Center for Girls in Lee County – an organization providing therapeutic and counseling services to support girls ages 11–17.
Heights Center Summer Camp at BIG ARTS.
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Great communities create great organizations – not the other way around. In 1979, BIG ARTS was created, by, and for the community, and owes its rich history to a small band of dedicated artists who drew inspiration from each other and from the breathtaking island beauty that infused their work with grace and authenticity. They set out to create a special gathering place where artistic and educational experiences were accessible to all. Today that vision is alive and well. With the help of our loyal donors and supporters, BIG ARTS will carry that vision forward – providing joy, inspiration and a sense of community for generations to come.
Vision
To create great arts, entertainment and learning experiences that always inspire, enrich and delight.
Mission
Provide an array of quality entertainment, arts and education programs that enrich and nurture the lives of Sanibel and Captiva residents and visitors through: • professionally led arts and enrichment classes and workshops for students of all ages • stimulating and informative lectures and group discussions with renowned national thought leaders and educators • dynamic visual and performing arts presentations of the highest caliber
TICKETS:
In Person: 900 Dunlop Road I Sanibel, Florida 33957 I 239.395.0900 Online: BIGARTS.org Call for box office hours.
BIG ARTS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible. See website for ticket purchase policy.
Create a lasting legacy at BIG ARTS by considering a gift in your estate planning. Gifts can be made in many forms. For information on how to support BIG ARTS and all its programs, call (239) 395-0900.