Arts Advocates Will Launch 3 Sarasota Public Art Walking Tours In January

SARASOTA, FL — Arts Advocates will launch a new series of walking tours featuring some of Sarasota’s public art.

The walking tours, organized and led by art lovers and docents Judy Levine, Stephenie Frasher and Nanette Crist, offer participants an opportunity to learn about Sarasota’s public art legacy, individual works and the artists who created them.

“Sarasota is a 24/7 museum with more than 80 pieces of public art continuously on display for everyone to enjoy,” the organization said in a news release. “These works are found everywhere — from parks to intersections, from the bayfront to downtown. Chances are these sculptures and murals are passed every day without thinking much about it.”

Each tour is different and highlights a variety of artwork and artists — from a sculpture inspired by a childhood experience with Hurricane Andrew, to a mural by a Brazilian street artist who has painted more than 3,000 murals across five continents and works by a New College professor who made copper look like bronze.

The three tours being offered are:

• Downtown Sarasota Five Points Park Area Walking Tour: Jan. 14, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Sarasota City Hall Area Walking Tour: Feb. 14, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Rosemary District Walking Tour: March 11, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Maximum tour size is 20 people and reservations are required. Cost is $28 per tour for Arts Advocates members and $30 per tour for non-members. Learn more at ArtsAdvocates.org.

Founded in 1969 as The Fine Arts Society of Sarasota, Inc., Arts Advocates is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with a mission of inspiring creativity, advancing education and connecting the community to the arts.

Arts Advocates has the foremost collection of works by Sarasota Art Colony artists on public exhibition anywhere. The organization also awards scholarships to local students pursuing careers in the arts, and offers arts-related luncheons, workshops, educational tours, and visits to private collections.