Important Details

Before You Arrive...

Travel

• Send us your flight itinerary into SRQ, or let us know that you are driving in (assistant@HermitageArtistRetreat.org) 

  • We will arrange ground transportation to and from the Hermitage campus and SRQ Airport (Sarasota-Bradenton). If you choose to fly into RSW (Fort Myers) or TPA (Tampa), we will make best efforts, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to arrange a driver (If using RSW or TPA, you may need to book an Uber at your own expense). 

  • If at all possible, please plan to land no later than 3pm on Tuesday so that you can attend our welcome dinner and meet the other Fellows. Late night arrivals are discouraged, as there will not be a staff member on hand to greet you. Some Fellows choose to fly in a day early and stay with friends or rent a room.  There are many airport and downtown hotel options in Sarasota. (As you book return travel for Sunday departure, please note we will ask you to leave your housing by 11am; therefore, departure flights in the 11am to 2pm range are strongly encouraged.)

Paperwork - Must Be Signed Prior to Arrival!

• Make sure you have signed the Liability Waiver and Credit Acknowledgment sent to you via AdobeSign. 

•  Send us your driver's license if you want to use the shared artist car. 

• Send us any dietary restrictions so we can prepare a delicious welcome dinner for you. 

Packing

• Everyday wear is very casual. It's the beach, so you'll want a bathing suit and some water-friendly shoes or sandals. You may want to bring one "dressier" outfit for parties or events, which will be optional (unless it's your event). If you will be here December through March, bring some warm clothes options for the few colder days. We have a beach breeze year-round, so you might want to pack a light jacket or sweater just in case. 

Arrival Information

• Our Hermitage Driver will generally contact you in advance to arrange any specific instructions regarding pick up at the airport. We will also provide further details on your airport pickup via email approximately a week before your schedules arrival. 

• Please plan to arrive on campus after 12pm on your Tuesday arrival so we can be sure your living and working spaces are prepared to your specifications. 

• If you arrive early enough and communicate in advance, it is possible to schedule a grocery pick up from the whole foods close to the airport. This must be pre-scheduled as a pick up and communicated with Hermitage staff prior to your arrival.

  • While there aren't any Whole Foods close to campus, Publix is a great grocery store within a 15 minute drive of campus. 

  • Many artists also choose to not drive anywhere once they arrive and have their groceries delivered via instacart. 

• Once you are on campus, a staff member will greet you and show you to your living spaces. We will also offer a brief tour of the facilities. 

• We generally greet you with a sunset welcome dinner on the evening of your arrival so that you can meet key staff members and your fellow artists in residence. Please try to land by 3pm so that you can join us for this and be sure to communicate any prohibitive dietary restrictions or allergies.  

• There are washing machines/dryers available on campus. 

• Lots of other helpful information about the campus (like WiFi) and surrounding area is provided in a welcome packet that will be waiting for you in your living space. Much of this information is also duplicated in the email communications you have/will receive from us.  

While You're Here

• Our offices are approximately a two-minute walk from anywhere on campus, so we are nearby but not looking over your shoulder.  The best way to contact us if you need anything at all is the shared staff cell phone: 941-451-1863. You can also call our office landline at (941) 475-2098 ext. 5, but please note this is not monitored around the clock.

• Cooking at the Hermitage -  All living suites are equipped with kitchenette equipment, which includes: mini fridge and freezer, toaster oven, induction top hot plate, microwave, Keurig coffee maker, and electric kettle with additional items available upon request (blender, air fryer, etc). Extra cold and freezer storage is available in the laundry area. In addition to these private-use options, we have a shared outdoor kitchen area available.  This area includes a sink, large grill, single burner (for cooking in pots or on a skillet) and a large flat top griddle. Please be sure to read the usage instructions in the welcome packet thoroughly before firing up the grill and turn off the propane when you're finished cooking. There is also a communal dishwasher located in the downstairs area of the Whitney Building (with the laundry machines); please do not wash food scraps down any sink.  

  • Englewood drinking water has won awards for its purity and taste and is fine to drink. There are also filtered pitchers available in all spaces if you prefer. 

  • Grocery Stores - We recommend Publix Supermarket at 1500 Placida Road (or have your groceries delivered via instacart!)

• Artist Car(s) - You must be covered by the Hermitage car insurance to drive the shared artist car. Make sure you send us your license at least 72 hours in advance so we can take care of this. To borrow the artist car, retrieve the key from the lockbox near the Hermitage house parking lot. There are no gas stations on the island, so please be sure to fill it back up before crossing the bridge. If you need to reserve the car for a specific time, please let the staff know and they can relay to the other artists. If you wreck the car (it's happened twice!) we expect you to pay up to the $500 deductible for repairs. This is in the agreement you sign when you register. 

  • These vehicles are donated by our generous supporters; if you enjoy using them, we'd greatly appreciate you writing them a thank you note to show your appreciation. Ask any staff member for more details. 

• Laundry - there are two washing machines and two dryers located in the downstairs area of the  Whitney building. 

  • Some basic toiletries, bug spray, and sunscreen are provided in each space with extra supplies located in the laundry area. 

• Baths and Showers - All living spaces have both a bath and shower (though in some they are separate rooms). There are also two outdoor showers on campus to wash off sand and saltwater before entering your residence.  

• Paddle Boarding and Kayaking - Across the street from your housing space -- still on the Hermitage Campus -- is a shed with paddle boards, kayaks, paddles, and life jackets. We encourage you to take them for a spin in Lemon Bay (not the Gulf of Mexico, which can have stronger currents unexpectedly). Early morning is best for spotting wildlife like manatees and dolphins! 

• Swimming and Sunning - All wet beachfront in Florida is public, so you will see fishermen and swimmers on the beach. Swimming is safe in the Gulf (we do not recommend swimming in Lemon Bay as it is quite shallow and rocky). Waves on the Gulf are usually quite gentle except for the occasional stormy day, though do be mindful of rip tides if you see waves. (A sign on the beach walk-over bridge gives advice on what to do in the occasional riptide.) There are beach chairs and mats, umbrellas, hats, towels, etc. available on campus. 

• Nature Trails - There is a short natural trail just north of the Hermitage campus neat the Blind Pass beach parking (too short to get lost, less than 1 mile). If you're up for something longer, you can bike or drive to Stump Pass State Park at the very southern tip of Manasota Key. 

• Museums - The Ringling Museum in Sarasota is free on Mondays, and the Sarasota Art Museum is usually free on Second Sundays. Outside of that, If you know in advance when you'd like to go, let a staff member know and we can try to arrange tickets.  

• Performing Arts - There are several professional theater, opera, dance, and music companies in Sarasota: Asolo Repertory Theatre, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota Opera, Sarasota Orchestra, Sarasota Ballet, and Sarasota Contemporary Dance, just to name a few. We work with all of these arts organizations and are happy to make recommendations or help to arrange tickets with advance notice. 

• Beach Yoga - This is located about an 8 minute drive from campus, near the bridge that connects Manasota Key to the mainland. We have towels and yoga mats available for your use for this or your own private beach yoga! 

• The Dock on the Bay - Across from the Hermitage Palm House (administrative building) is our private dock on Lemon Bay. The gate may be closed to keep out the public, but it is generally not locked. This is a great place to be quiet and reflect, read, play an instrument; it is largely unchanged since the time of the Calusa peoples who originally inhabited this land. We do not recommend swimming from this dock as there are shelled oyster beds and no stairs to get back up. Enjoy the beach/Gulf for swimming.  

• Gym and Pool - The Englewood YMCA (701 Medical Blvd, Englewood, FL 34223) donates membership privileges to our artists. To use their gym and pool, just ask for a letter that will identify you as a Hermitage Artist. Additionally, there is a large swimming pool at Ann & Chuck Deever Regional Park.  

• Farmers Market - Thursdays, October through May - a fun escape to Englewood on a Thursday morning!

• Fellows Library - There are books scattered throughout all the buildings, mostly beach reads left by previous residents. You are welcome to any of these and if you prefer to check out something written or created by a Hermitage Fellow  feel free to check out our Fellows Library spreadsheet. Let us know if you see something you're interested in reading and we're happy to deliver it to you. We cherish these works, so kindly treat them as the treasures they are.  

• Equipment List - In addition to the items below, which we ask that you request in advance, there are a number of commonly requested items like cables, ring lights, mic stands, etc. next to the laundry room area. 

  • Korg B2 Digital Piano (we have several), has a midi output 

  • Over ear headphones (helpful if you're close to another artist's working space) 

  • Various speakers and monitors (electro-voice ZLX series, and fender passport systems) 

  • XLR and 1/4 inch cables of various lengths 

  • Mic stands 

  • Music Stands 

  • Guitar Amp

  • Vocal and condenser mics (Fender and Sennheiser e835 (we have several of each) 

  • Black and White Printer

  •  8 channel mixer (we have two) 

  • Focusrite Scarlett USB Interface 

  • DI boxes (various) 

  • HMDI computer monitors (various) 

  • Projector

  • Office Supplies: Dry erase board/markers, push pins,  (we keep these stocked but let us know if you are missing something) 

  • Surge protectors and extension cords

• Trash and Recycling - When your trash is full, please take it to the large outdoor bins near the Hermitage House parking lot. Please be mindful of food waste attracting unwanted pests. Recycling goes in the blue bins and is "co-mingled" plastic, glass, and cardboard. These are taken out to the street by staff on Thursday evenings for Friday morning collection. 

• Housekeeping - While you are on campus, you are responsible for keeping your own area and linens clean. We have a small cleaning team that comes in between residencies (usually on Sundays) to prepare the spaces for the next artist, but they will not enter your space while you are still in residence.  

• Lock Doors - You will be issued keys to your living and working spaces. We ask that you keep them on you at all times as many doors on campus lock automatically when closed. There is very little crime on the island, but we ask that you lock any doors that don't do so automatically as a safety precaution. Curious people may wander in from the beach looking for a bathroom. Honestly, it happens! Keeping the stanchion ropes up across the walkways helps the public know not to enter. Believe us... they don't read signs.  

• Sea Turtle Season - May 1 through October 31st
  Sea Turtle nests on the beach are marked with stakes. During nesting season, please keep your shades drawn and lights low after sunset. Man-made lights frighten the mother turtles away and can confuse the baby turtles after they hatch. One of the most extraordinary Hermitage experiences is walking with our turtle volunteers around sunrise or, late at night -- and at a distance -- watching a mother turtle come ashore between roughly 11pm and 1:30pm.  Only bring a red flashlight in turtle season -- no white lights!

• Pesky Flora and Fauna - There is some poison ivy on the dune, so please stay on the designated paths to the beach. Iguanas are more scared of you than you are of them. No-see-ums (technical term) are tiny flying insects that come out in warm weather and near sunset and then recede. They cause minor irritation, but if you have a history of being loved by bugs, make sure to wear 'bug juice.' If you sit on the porch,  a fan aimed at the ankles is helpful because they are not strong flyers. 

  • Iguanas are considered invasive species (they eat turtle eggs!) so the county sends animal control to campus periodically to trap and capture them (and sometimes shoot them). They wear bright colors and carry an air rifle. Hours vary, but whenever they let us know in advance that they're coming, we will let you know. 

• Fire and NO SMOKING Policy
  Each building has a fire extinguisher or canister. Please be sure to take a moment and identify where yours is upon arrival, just in case. NO SMOKING is allowed anywhere on campus. No exceptions.

• First-Aid
  First-aid kits are in each suite. Extra supplies are located in the laundry area of the Whitney building. 

• Medical Emergencies

  • Englewood Walk-In Medical Center is located at 3000 S McCall Rd, Englewood, FL 34224, USA (about 15 minutes from the Hermitage campus). They can be reached by phone at (941) 548-1716 

    • Open seven days a week (Monday - Saturday 8am - 6pm, Sundays 8am - 3pm) 

  • Englewood Community Hospital is located at 700 Medical Blvd. Englewood, FL 34223 (about 15 minutes from the Hermitage Campus) and be reached by phone at (941) 475-6571. 

• In case of Emergency - Dial 911 

  • In case of noisy beach goers, Sarasota County Police dispatch can be reached at (941) 316-1201. This number goes to the same room as 911, but should be used for non-emergencies. Feel free to call if you occasionally encounter some noisy revelers; the friendly officers don't even bother you, they just come and ask the people causing the disturbance to leave. 

  • In the event of either of these cases, please also alert a Hermitage staff member on the staff cell phone: 941-451-1863 . 

When You Head Back Home

• Check out is by 11am on the day of your Sunday departure. 

• Before you leave, we schedule a quick (5 min) on-camera Exit Interview with our programs staff to chat about your time on campus. 

• You will receive a Departure Details email from us the day before you depart with specific transportation details and driver contact information. 

• Please take a moment to tell us about your experience of the facilities via our Exit Survey. We are always looking to make improvements and take your feedback very seriously. 

• You may bequeath perishable food to your fellow residents with their knowledge and permission; otherwise please dispose of it. Unopened food items may be left in the cabins for the following resident and the cleaning team to address. 

• Double check that you have all your belongings! We are sad to see you go and will make every effort to get you anything left behind, but it can sometimes take some time, and we don't want you to be without your pillow or phone charger, etc. 

Acknowledgement 

You are our best ambassadors to demonstrate to all our constituents why the Hermitage is so vital to artists and the artistic landscape. The best way you can do that is by including us in your bio where other residencies, awards, and developmental opportunities are listed, as well as on titles pages, didactics, or similar -- whenever a specific work has been developed (in whole or in part) on the Hermitage campus. Thank you!

Family Residencies

Family Residencies generally take place in June and are available to artists who have already had a solo Hermitage residency. For more information about who qualifies, what dates are available, and to see if this might be the right opportunity for you and your family, please email Programs@HermitageArtistRetreat.org