The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton & Sarasota Receives $10,000 Grant from The Exchange

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 19, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT: Elyza Wylder-Wilcox, Director of Marketing and Communications

elyza@thepopsorchestra.org 404-218-2478

MEDIA: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yCa2L7GcDygskB31GcCdh5eQOb1NpQzT?usp=sharing

The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton & Sarasota Receives $10,000 Grant from The Exchange

SARASOTA, FL: October 19, 2026 — The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton and Sarasota is proud to announce that it has received a $10,000 grant from The Exchange in Sarasota, Florida.

The Exchange’s continued generosity has allowed The Pops to continue providing engaging and accessible music experiences for audiences across the Sarasota-Bradenton region and beyond. This partnership reflects the community-oriented missions of both organizations and a commitment to strengthening arts and culture in our local area.

“We are incredibly grateful to The Exchange for its continued investment in Sarasota’s arts community,” said Dr. Robyn Bell, Managing and Artistic Director of The Pops Orchestra. “The support of their board of directors, staff, donors, and customers allows organizations like ours to create exciting experiences, bring people together through the arts, and continue serving our community.”

The Exchange supports local cultural organizations through grants funded by its consignment store operations. Its contributions help strengthen arts-related programming, provide scholarships, and encourage creativity throughout the region.

“The Exchange’s unique model transforms donated and consigned items into tangible support for the arts,” Dr. Bell said. “We are honored to be among the organizations benefiting from their generosity and commitment to our community.”

About The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton & Sarasota

Since its founding in 1975, The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton & Sarasota has produced critically acclaimed musical attractions for enthusiastic audiences of all ages. As one of the top performing arts groups in a unique, culturally rich community, The Pops Orchestra attracts full-time residents, Suncoast Snowbirds, and vacationers to its concerts, proving to be a cultural and economic asset to the Great Bradenton and Sarasota communities.

Directed by the dynamic conductor Robyn Bell, the 65-piece orchestra consists of many of the community’s finest professional musicians, community music makers, music educators, and high school and college music students, reflecting the diversity of its audience and patrons.

The annual concert season features a diverse range of musical genres, including patriotic, Broadway, Hollywood, jazz, big band, jukebox, Motown, and holiday selections. In addition, The Pops Orchestra performs community concerts to honor veterans, welcome international sporting events, and feature outstanding local young musicians through its annual summer camp. The Pops partners with other areaarts organizations to provide concerts for special occasions in the Suncoast region. Local and national guest artists frequently join The Pops Orchestra, bringing additional energy and excitement to the stage. Each concert season is designed to entertain, invigorate, and project The Pops Orchestra’s passion and enthusiasm for popular-style music, featuring something for everyone. ThePopsOrchestra.org

About The Exchange

The Exchange is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization with a central purpose of supporting and enriching a variety of programs for local cultural organizations. Funds for this purpose are realized through a consignment operation in which merchandise is accepted either for donation or for consignment to be sold in its store. Grants and scholarships derived from the earnings of this store are used to enrich and strengthen arts-related programs and to encourage creativity in organizations and individuals throughout the community. Visit www.sarasotawex.com.

For more information, contact Elyza Wylder-Wilcox at Elyza@ThePopsOrchestra.org or 404-218-2478.

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