Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation to Provide Initial Funding for Design Phase of New Sarasota Performing Arts Center
Birds-eye view of Sarasota Bay showing a rendering of the new Performing Arts Center and surrounding landscape with boats and foliage.
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Sarasota, Florida – May 6, 2024 – The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation is excited to announce that funding for the design concept phase of the new Sarasota Performing Arts Center will be entirely provided by the Foundation. This private funding represents the Foundation's contribution to the 50/50 public-private partnership with the City, ensuring a collaborative and successful development process. This marks a significant step forward for the project and demonstrates the organization’s unwavering commitment to creating a world-class performing arts center for the Sarasota community that will inspire minds for generations.
Renowned architecture firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop, in collaboration with local Architect of Record Sweet Sparkman, is set to embark on the design concept of the Sarasota Performing Arts Center immediately following the City of Sarasota's approval of the Piano contract, which is scheduled for consideration later this month.
“The Foundation eagerly anticipates sharing preliminary designs from the acclaimed Renzo Piano team with the public in early fall of this year,” said Foundation CEO Tania Castroverde Moskalenko. “We are thrilled to soon provide a tangible glimpse into the visionary design concepts that will shape the future of performing arts for everyone in Sarasota County and beyond.”
This path forward is similar to the successful approach taken during the 2018 Master Planning process for the Bay Park’s design concept phase, also initially funded through philanthropy.
“This funding commitment underscores the Foundation’s unwavering dedication to the project and charts a course that will provide the community and City Commission with much-needed information about Sarasota Performing Arts Center,” said City Manager Marlon Brown. “Thank you to the Foundation Board for this unprecedented commitment and partnership.”
“Funding the design phase of the new performing arts center demonstrates our resolve to share more information with the public and hear from the community,” added Castroverde Moskalenko. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our generous supporters who have played a role in reaching this milestone.”
About The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation
The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation’s mission is to create and sustain a vibrant performing arts center, advance education, and enrich communities by inspiring minds through the power of the arts. The Foundation has partnered with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall since 1987 to support arts education throughout our region, serving more than 35,000 students and their families annually with enriching arts-based education opportunities and professional development for more than 400 teachers across five counties.
The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation is leading the vision to build a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center as a public-private partnership with the city and in collaboration with the Bay Park Conservancy and Van Wezel Hall. For more information about the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, please visit: www.PerformingArtsFoundation.org.
About the City of Sarasota
Distinguished by U.S. News and World Report as the No. 5 Best Place to Live in the U.S. and the top place in Florida, the City of Sarasota is a diverse and inclusive community located on Florida’s Suncoast with 56,000 year-round residents, several internationally recognized cultural arts venues, stunning sunsets along Lido Beach and Major League spring training baseball with the Baltimore Orioles. Learn more about us at www.SarasotaFL.Gov.
For media inquiries:
Meredith Dropkin
Grapevine Communications
941-351-0024
mdropkin@grapeinc.com