Charisse Pearlina Weston Honored at Annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner

The annual celebration included live performances from Tony Award nominee Will Swenson and various Hermitage Fellows.

April 15, 2026 By Gabby Macogay

Visual artist Charisse Pearlina Weston was awarded the 18th Annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize April 12 in Sarasota, Florida.

The Hermitage Greenfield Prize is awarded annually to a rotating series of music, theatre, or visual artists. As recipient of the HGP prize, Weston will receive a $35,000 commission and become part of an extended residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat in Englewood. In 2028, Weston will receive a world premiere exhibition at Sarasota's Ringling Museum of Art.

The gala included performances from Tony Award nominee Will Swenson (Hair) accompanied by pianist Joseph Holt, Hermitage Fellows Britton Smith and Andrew “AJ” Jagannath, and Sarasota locals Maicy Powell and Joseph Holt. Powell performed “Golden” from the Academy Award-winning film KPop Demon Hunters, which was written by Hermitage alumnus Mark Sonnenblick. Over $400,000 was raised in support of the Hermitage’s mission.

“This was a truly remarkable evening and a joyful celebration of visual art and this incredible prize,” Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg said in a press statement. “It was an honor to celebrate Charisse Pearlina Weston, and we can’t wait to introduce her original commission to our Gulf Coast community. It was thrilling to hear unforgettable live performances from Will Swenson and original songs by Britton Smith, along with inspiring performances from AJ Jagannath, Maicy Powell, Joe Holt, and more. We are so grateful to the Greenfield Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and all our sponsors and donors for their belief in our mission and the support of new work.”

The award ceremony served a central portion of the Hermitage Artist Retreat’s three-day celebration, in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation. As part of the multi-day event, a premiere of 2024 HGP recipient Deepa Purohit’s original play Mxx: The Diginity Project was presented at the Asolo Repertory Theatre April 13.

The Hermitage Greenfield Prize is presented in partnership with the Philadelphia-based Greenfield Foundation and sponsored by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.