BRADENTON AND SARASOTA ANNOUNCE JOINT FESTIVAL
Manatee and Sarasota Counties on Florida’s southwest Gulf coast have long been known as cultural destinations loaded with outstanding performing, visual and artistic treasures. In October 2010, the two destinations will make history when they debut Festival sARTée (sar-tay), a first-time festival showcasing the region’s arts and cultural assets, concurrently with the 2nd Annual Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF). Festival sARTée welcomes local and regional artists to participate by submitting existing and creating new events to highlight during the event.
“We’re very proud to be partnering with Sarasota County on this groundbreaking event,” said Larry White, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Festival sARTée will expand the energy and excitement of RIAF by allowing visitors to experience all the wonderful arts and culture we offer in Manatee and Sarasota Counties.”
A monumental collaborative effort between the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau, Sarasota County Arts Council, Arts Council of Manatee County and Realize Bradenton, Festival sARTée combines the expertise of each organization, including industry outreach and cultural tourism marketing. To generate early interest and create a sense of ownership for the event, initial brainstorming made use of social media to invite visitors to suggest names for the festival. A New York resident and Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau Facebook fan suggested the name sARTée, which combines “art” with the two counties – Sarasota and Manatee.
“Festival sARTée is truly a grassroots marketing effort by both destinations, beginning with our social networks, expanding into the region’s arts communities and ultimately reaching our potential visitors,” said Virginia Haley, president, the Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau. “In Sarasota County, we’re pleased to offer this festival as another appealing option for cultural tourism visitors drawn to our destination during RIAF.”
Planned for October 8-24, Festival sARTée will feature a unique mix of visual arts, ballet, food art, poetry, circus art and more, along with events before, during and after the larger RIAF hosted and managed by The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Festival sARTée organizers also plan to work with local hotels and participating attractions to offer dynamic travel packages that will combine accommodations and event tickets. In addition, a multi-county cultural map is envisioned to help visitors explore the destination and each individual event.
To submit an existing or new event for consideration as part of Festival sARTée, please visit www.sartee.com and enter the information into the online calendar. All events must be open to the public and can be a single day event or multi-day experience.
