Ukrainian Music Concert Planned At Sarasota Art Gallery

SARASOTA, FL — A Sarasota art gallery is hosting an evening of Ukrainian music Tuesday.

The concert will take place at Chasen Galleries II, located at 3501 S Tamiami Trail at the Crossings at Siesta Key, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The evening will include performances by vocalists Natalya Bratash and Nadia Sawa, bandura virtuoso Ivan Schmilo, and choirs from Sarasota Middle School and the First Slavic Pentecostal Church Teens Worship Group from North Port.

The gallery is also currently showing artwork created by Ukrainian children — both those who are now refugees in Poland and some who remain in their homeland, despite the Russian bombing.

Related Story: Art By Ukrainian Children Affected By War On Display In Sarasota

The showcase was organized by artist Wojtek Sawa, who also created installations that provide context for the children’s work.

Around 70 pieces are featured at Chasen Galleries II. They're all created by children as young as 3 and as old as 18.

Some of the pieces came from UA Kids Today, while others came from refugee children attending a Polish school and from a Ukrainian foster home for special needs children that relocated to Poland after the war started.

"The artwork is fabulous," Wojtek Sawa said. "They're wonderful pieces of art and cover the whole gamut of reactions and expressions of the war. Some talk about life before the invasion, and some talk about what life will be like after the invasion, and some talk of war itself."

While the pieces are not available for sale, anyone who donates $35 or more can choose from select prints of art featured in the show. After the show, the funds raised will be divided evenly among the participating youth artists.

Donations can be made in person at the gallery or through Sawa’s Facebook page, Ukrainian Kids Art.