For years, the Sarasota region’s arts and cultural assets have ranked as one of its biggest draws for visitors and residents alike. But each of our world class institutions have historically operated independently, with each committing their own energy and resources into boosting the visibility of their own organization. Sarasota Rising is the next step in the evolution of the arts in the Sarasota region.
Created in 2021 with the explicit goal of unifying the region’s arts and cultural assets into a powerful beacon, Sarasota Rising is a nonprofit organization whose primary initiative is the creation and sustainment of a weeklong inter-disciplinary arts festival centered on the performing arts that celebrates Sarasota’s rich arts assets while leveraging those assets into a catalyst for tourism and economic activation during a “shoulder” season.
We aim to activate our Cultural Coast as a year-long arts destination by collaborating with area arts organizations and the business community to produce exciting events that build community pride, elevate artistic expression and boost economic prosperity.
Our vision is to create a viable, sustainable and unified annual arts-centric festival, along with other supporting events, to highlight and uplift our region’s extensive cultural legacy, arts organizations and economic partners.
Foremost, we value empathy and welcome collaborative enterprise and artistic self-expression. We respect all races, ethnicities, ages, genders, identities and cultures and strive to be an accessible organization. We will lead by example by working with compassion and common sense to best serve our community.
To accomplish our mission and realize our vision while adhering to our values, Sarasota Rising will:
an annual, week-long, interdisciplinary arts festival with an emphasis on performing arts.
collaboration between our many arts and cultural organizations.
arts organizations and area businesses that need creative support and services.
mutually beneficial relationships between arts organizations and businesses.
with the community throughout the year with ancillary
projects that educate and inspire.
To be human is to be an artist
Art encourages human connection
Human connections make a better world
The arts are for anyone and everyone
Art is found anywhere and everywhere