Image: John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art has announced a performance by Valerie June as part of its 2026/27 Art of Performance lineup. The concert is scheduled for December 18, 2026, at 7:30 pm at Ca’ d’Zan | Bolger Campiello in Sarasota, with tickets listed at $50. The event is presented through The Ringling’s performance program, which also includes subscription options for the season.
June is described by the museum as a genre-defying musician whose work blends Appalachian folk, blues, soul, gospel, and indie rock into a distinctive, deeply personal sound. The Ringling’s event page identifies her as a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and three-time Americana Music Honors & Awards nominee. It also notes that she has recorded three best-selling solo albums and written songs for Mavis Staples and The Blind Boys of Alabama.
The museum’s description places June within a broad field of American roots music while emphasizing the range of her collaborations and recognition. The event page says she has been praised by Bob Dylan and has shared the stage with artists including John Prine, Norah Jones, Tyler Childers, Dinosaur Jr., Booker T. Jones, Emmylou Harris, M. Ward, Robert Plant, Meshell Ndegeocello, The Avett Brothers, Dave Matthews, Angélique Kidjo, Willie Nelson, Brandi Carlile, and Elvis Costello. It also states that her albums have been featured by publications including Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, NPR Music, Vogue, Elle, Mojo, and Uncut, and that she has appeared on The Tonight Show, CBS Saturday Morning, PBS, Austin City Limits, and BBC.
A quoted line on the event page from The New York Times says, "Valerie June has built a devoted following by ignoring expectations. She is simultaneously rural and cosmopolitan, historically minded and contemporary, idiosyncratic and fashionable, mystical and down-to-earth." The Ringling’s listing also places June’s work under the headings Neofolk, Appalachian, and Roots Rock, underscoring how the museum is framing the concert for its performance audience.
The December date appears in The Ringling’s broader season announcement email, which positions the concert alongside other performances scheduled for late 2026 and early 2027. That season lineup includes a kickoff event on October 16, 2026, at the Museum of Art Courtyard, as well as performances by Compagnie Leïla Ka, Georgia Heers, Agrupación Señor Serrano, an EcoSummit 2027 collaboration, LaMichael Leonard, Jr., the Kif Kif Sisters, and MicroWIP. The June concert is one of the season’s ticketed events, with individual tickets for the series listed as available beginning September 1, 2026.
The Ringling’s event page gives the venue as Ca’ d’Zan and Bolger Campiello, and lists the concert as part of the museum’s subscription series. The page also repeats the practical details for the performance: December 18, 2026, at 7:30 pm, with the box office contact number given as 941-360-7399.
