"Arts Alive" w/ Bill DeYoung 9-7-23: Erica Sutherlin, The Studio @620

Season 2, Episode 83,   Sep 07, 06:24 PM

In this St. Pete Catalyst Arts Alive! podcast, Erica Sutherlin, the newly minted artistic executive director of St. Petersburg’s long-lived performance space-slash-gallery, The Studio @620, reveals what she’s planning for the fall season and beyond.

Many of the usual 620 suspects – Radio Theatre Project, Keep St. Pete Lit poetry nights – will remain. And yes, there’s been some reorganization of how things will play out in the warm and welcoming downtown venue. She’s curated a season of theater, music and more – shows that will be interspersed with the community programming 620 is known and appreciated for.

“There is a lot of uncertainty in people, and I can respect that,” she explains. “Because it is change. And if you don’t know me, if you’ve never taken the time to have a conversation with me, then you don’t know what to expect. But I’m always down for a good cup of coffee and a conversation.

“There’s change here, but I think it’s good change. The Studio is 20 years this year, and we can’t keep doing the same thing for 20 years. We have to revitalize it. We have to bring something new into the space, to push it forward.”

At the end of the conversation, she looks more deeply into the future.

“It’s my expectation to lay the groundwork for the next person to come in,” she explains. “And make it even better than this. And that will change.”  #studio@620 #ericatutherlin #billdeyoung #stpetecatalyst #stpete #tampabay #radio #radiostpete