THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW SARASOTAARTS.ORG

The Sarasota County Arts Council (SCAC) in partnership with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and digital agency atLarge, Inc. has launched the new SarasotaArts.org, a centralized source for everything arts and culture. The Arts Council’s goal is for the site to increase awareness of all the services and programs offered by Sarasota County’s arts and cultural institutions, while simultaneously providing a gateway of access and collaboration for individual organizations and the community at large.

“We partnered with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and atLarge to build a site that connects art enthusiasts, visitors and residents to arts and cultural news, events and resources, as well as provides visibility for artists and arts and cultural organizations. Working with atLarge, Inc., we were able to provide new connections and a digital platform our members can use to promote their organizations," offered SCAC Executive Director Russ Crumley.

The Website was made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County (CFSC). “The Community Foundation is very excited to underwrite the creation and administration of the Arts Council’s new Website. We share a vision of not only helping to promote Sarasota County as a mecca for individual artists, lovers of the performing and visual arts and cultural organizations, but also creating awareness of how the arts are a vital economic driver for our future,” says CFSC President and CEO Stewart W. Stearns. “atLarge and the Arts Council have done a tremendous job with this dynamic new community tool and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”

The new site is the resource for Sarasota County’s arts and culture happenings, offering something for everyone in the arts:

• Aspiring artists can locate grants as well as promote their work and events.

• Teachers and families can find resources for arts education and outreach events.

• Residents can find information on local events, purchase event tickets and find volunteer opportunities.

• Out-of-towners are able to browse events with a searchable calendar and purchase event tickets.

Special features of the site include a:

• Member Portal SCAC members (such as galleries, museums, artists, performing arts organizations) have their own customized pages where they can log into the site to add upcoming events, pictures and event ticketing information.

• Events Calendar Interactive calendar where visitors can easily browse events by categories (such as dance, theatre, free and family events), date ranges or keyword searches.

• Directories Allows visitors to browse the site by artists, venues, galleries, organizations or keyword searches.

• Membership Portal Lets art enthusiasts, artists and corporations support the arts by purchasing SCAC memberships online.

• Content Management System The customized CMS allows SCAC staff to easily update the site's imagery, advertisements and copy

The new functionality provided by the site is available at no cost to anyone wishing to list an exhibition or event.

To add an event contact:
Ashley Brown
(941) 365-5118 ext. 304
abrown@sarasotaarts.org

For an additional $25 annual membership fee, individual artists and students can create and manage their personal profiles, providing a direct link to their external sites and the ability to manage event listings directly.

For more information about membership or the Sarasota County Arts Council.

FREE! Friend of the Arts – stay in touch with member events and happenings.  Email friends@sarasotaarts.org