Arts Appreciation Grants

Attention to the arts introduces our community to the art of the possible.

With its world-class arts organizations, performances, and collections, Sarasota County has earned a reputation as Florida's "Cultural Coast." Our region is a place where inspiration and artistic expression meet -- drawing new visitors and residents every year. Because the arts so meaningfully impact our quality of life and our regional economy, Gulf Coast Community Foundation is always looking for more meaningful ways to invest in this critical sector.


Arts Appreciation Gallery

Gulf Coast has invested grants in the arts since the foundation's inception. Over the years, several exceptional arts organizations have consistently earned support from Gulf Coast and our donors because of the vital and dynamic roles they play in our cultural community.

In 2014, the Gulf Coast Board of Directors adopted a new, more flexible approach to funding these groups in pursuit of their artistic missions. Gulf Coast's "Arts Appreciation Grants" offer unrestricted funding to cornerstone arts organizations to use as they best see fit. 

Our current Arts Appreciation Grant recipients for fiscal year 2024, totaling up to $725,000 are:

 

Asolo Repertory Theatre

Circus Arts Conservatory 

Embracing Our Differences

Florida Studio Theatre

Hermitage Artist Retreat

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Ringling College of Art and Design

Sarasota Ballet

Sarasota Opera

Sarasota Orchestra

Venice Symphony

Venice Theatre

West Coast Black Theatre Troupe