City of Sarasota issues two calls to artists for downtown locations

Artwork being sought for State Street garage and upcoming roundabout at the intersection of Cocoanut and North Palm avenues

The State Street garage is the news parking facility in downtown Sarasota. File photo
The State Street garage is the newest parking facility in downtown Sarasota. File photo

Two calls to artists — one regional and one national — are underway for the creation of original pieces of art to be placed at locations in downtown Sarasota as part of the City of Sarasota’s permanent public art collection, the city has announced.

One location will be the State Street garage, which opened in the fall of 2015. The other will be a roundabout planned to be constructed at North Palm Avenue and Cocoanut Avenue, a news release says.

The call to artists for the State Street garage is limited to those who reside within, or have an office/studio within, a 150-mile radius of the city of Sarasota, the news release explains. The project budget cannot exceed $100,000, the release points out. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, Oct. 23, the release says. For more details visit www.CallForEntry.org.

The call to artists for the North Palm Avenue/Cocoanut Avenue roundabout is a national one, the release continues. That project budget cannot exceed $150,000. The deadline for submissions is Monday, Oct. 31. For more information visit www.CallForEntry.org.

Specific details about both projects — including budgets, the application process and the selection process — are posted at www.CallForEntry.org, the release notes. “Artists who have successfully completed projects of similar scale and budget are encouraged to apply,” it adds.

Complexus in downtown Sarasota is one example of the city's public art collection. File photo
Complexus in downtown Sarasota is one example of the city’s public art collection. File photo

Each artist is required to submit his or her qualifications, a brief statement, and images describing an initial concept. City staff hopes a full range of art media and styles will be represented, the release points out.

Images of completed works within the city’s public art collection may be reviewed at http://sarasotagov.org/PublicArt/index.html.

For both calls to artists, finalists will be invited to present their proposals to the Public Art Committee, the release notes. Members of that advisory board will make recommendations to the City Commission, which will have final approval of the selected works of art, the release explains.

Staff members with the city’s Neighborhood and Development Services Department, which oversees the public art program, are coordinating these projects, the release adds. “It is anticipated that the works of art will be installed in 2017,” the release says.