The Adult and Community Education Center, School Board of Sarasota County www.ace-sarasota.com The Adult and Community Education Center, School Board of Sarasota County, provides a wide variety of affordable adult enrichment classes throughout Sarasota County.  Class subjects include Art Appreciation, Crafts, Dance, Drawing, Picture Matting and Framing, Music/Music Appreciation, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Theater, Environmental, Self-Improvement, Cuisine, Sports, History, Literature, Foreign Language, Digital Photo, Ebay, and Computers. Elderhostel sponsored by the Senior Friendship Centers  www.seniorfriendship.com Elderhostel is the world’s leading travel and educational organization for adults. Elderhostel opens your mind to adventure with in-depth lectures, fascinating field trips and cultural excursions. We welcome local residents to attend, as commuters with a deep discount as sleeping accommodations, breakfast and dinner are not necessary. Programs include partnerships with Asolo Theater, Sarasota Opera House for a first-hand behind-the-scenes experience. A plethora of courses include; music, both Bible and Florida history, spring training baseball with Reds/Pirates, Phillies/Blue Jays, Kabbalah, a Russian study and a circus theme week with programs offered over the New Year’s week annually. John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art www.ringling.org The Museum offers a variety of programs for life long learners that accommodate a diversity of interests and time commitments. These include “in gallery” sessions, formal lectures, and multi day programs that focus on the Museum’s collections as well as traveling exhibitions hosted by the Museum. The Museum’s docent corps of over 200 volunteers represents an additional aspect of the Museum’s commitment to fostering life long learning by providing ongoing training to these individuals who provide visitors with a personal link to the Ringling experience. Lifelong Learning Academy located on the U.S.F., Sarasota Manatee campus www.LLA-SM.org Our purpose is to enrich the lives of mature adults in Sarasota and Manatee Counties by providing affordable, outstanding educational programs covering a broad spectrum of topics, rich in intellectual stimulation and worthy of being taught at a university. A key aspect of many of the programs will be class discussion and the Academy of Lifelong Learning will foster social interaction on and off the campus. Areas of emphasis include Science, Fine Arts, Politics and History, Foreign Language, Practical Arts, Literary and Performing Arts. The Longboat Key Education Center www.LBKeducationcenter.org The Longboat Key Education Center offers non-credit courses for adults in the fine and applied arts, humanities, liberal arts, natural and social sciences. Also available are recreational courses, field trips, daytrips, special workshops, a lecture series and a performing arts series—more than 150 programs from October through April. The Gallery at The Longboat Key Education Center is open to the public and exhibits works by local artists and faculty members on a rotating basis throughout the season. The Education Center---Like College, Only Better! Pierian Spring Academy www.PierianSpringAcademy.org The Pierian Spring Academy, established in 1998, is a free standing, non-profit adult education program providing quality level, low-cost, non-credit academic courses for persons of all ages regardless of educational background.  Courses offered cover content from the humanities, sciences, and the arts and are taught by qualified academicians and recognized experts.  The Academy offers these courses and related lectures during the fall and winter.  Classes are held at two locations: G.WIZ and Argosy University and meet for two hours per week during the daytime hours and vary in length from four to twelve weeks. For more information: 941-716-2471.  Contact person: Robert V. Carlson, Ed. D., Executive Director. Ringling College of Art and Design, Continuing Studies and Special Programs www.ringling.edu/continuingstudies Ringling School’s Continuing Studies and Special Programs opens possibilities for adults, teens, and children through year-round creative opportunities in art studio, design, computer arts, history and more, in a variety of non-credit classes and workshops. Students may elect to pursue a focused course of study in any of seven Certificate Programs. PreCollege Perspective, Visiting Artist Workshops, Art Travel, and Retreats broaden the selection of creative community opportunities. C.E.U’s are available for recertification requirements in a variety of professional fields. LIVE WELL – STUDY ART. Sarasota County Libraries www.sclibs.net All Sarasota County Libraries offer a wide variety of informational and cultural programs, discussion groups, and displays for the public. Offerings vary from library to library. Specific events are advertised in local newspapers, on this website, and at individual libraries. Sarasota County Parks and Recreation www.parksonline.scgov.net Sarasota County Parks & Recreation offers a wide range of educational and leisure activities at our many recreation centers and parks for all ages ranging from informational to fitness to music to nature activities. Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning http://sillsarasota.org The Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning (SILL) is a nonprofit organization, incorporated in the State of Florida, that seeks to provide a learning stimulus for residents and visitors to the Greater Sarasota Area. SILL strives to enhance participants’ intellectual curiosity and awareness of developments and transformations in today’s cultures and governments by offering an annual series of lectures in a wide variety of disciplines. Programs are offered January through March in the following areas: Monday, Music; Tuesday, Arts and Humanities; Wednesday, Contemporary Public Issues; Thursday, International Challenges; and Friday, International Affairs Seminars. Lectures similar to the Wednesday and Thursday Series are available in Venice on Wednesday and Friday. Lecturers are made available through appropriate outreach to local schools and other community groups, while prices are held to an absolute minimum.  Senior Friendship Centers www.seniorfriendship.com As part of it’s commitment to encourage Healthy Aging, Senior Friendship Centers hosts a variety of lifelong learning programs, taught by volunteers and offered to the community’s active adults over 55 at no cost. Everything from creative writing, discussion groups, computers, foreign language, a myriad of dancing and exercise classes, wood carving, painting, ceramics, and other craft courses. State College of Florida (formerly Manatee Community College) www.mccfl.edu/CommunityEd MCC Corporate and Community Development (CCD) is dedicated to providing quality learning to people of all ages through noncredit continuing education, community services and credit-related activities, CCD serves the community by reaching out to senior citizens, ethnic minorities, employers, small business owners, persons needing job training to enter or re-enter the workforce and others.  Course offerings are based upon the interests and needs of the community and schedules vary each term at locations in Manatee and Sarasota counties and online. Temple Beth Sholom Adult Education Program www.templebethsholomfl.org/education/conglearning.php We strive to offer compelling classes in Torah, Talmud and other traditional Jewish texts, but also focus on study and discussion of other topics that help us understand the meaning and purpose of Jewish tradition in modern times and the contemporary meaning of faith. University of Florida/IFAS - Sarasota County Extension http://sarasota.extension.ufl.edu The Sarasota County Extension Service and its team of professional educators address the needs of the community by providing practical research-based education and information services to Sarasota County residents in the following program areas: Integrated Agricultural Management, Environment and Natural Resources, Horticulture, Family and Consumer Sciences, 4-H/Youth Development, Florida House Learning Center, Sustainability, and Community Gardens Projects.