Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Names Four Finalists for the Sarasota Performing Arts Center

May 17, 2023 – Sarasota

Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation is pleased to announce the selection of four finalist firms for the design of a new Performing Arts Center at The Bay.

The final four firms will present at a public event held over two days, May 31st and June 1st, showcasing their capabilities and ideas for what a new performing arts center could represent for the gulf coast community, resulting in a recommendation for the City. 

The final four firms are Foster + Partners Limited, Gehry Partners LLP, Renzo Piano Building Workshop & Snøhetta.

“We are delighted at the number of outstanding architects represented in this finalist round, all four of whom have created buildings that welcome the communities in which they stand,” said Jenne K. Britell, Chair of the Architect Selection Task Force. “For this reason, I am confident Sarasota will welcome whoever is chosen from this extraordinary group to create an inspiring performing arts center. Any one of them is a gift to our Gulf Coast Community.”

After a transparent architect solicitation process that attracted 43 RFQ submissions from top design talent from around the world, 18 firms were invited to respond to the RFP. From there, 6 semi-finalist firms were selected for site visits and reference checks, with the final four firms advancing to onsite presentations on May 31st and June 1st in the Grand Foyer of the Van Wezel Hall. 

A publicly accessible deliberation by the Architect Selection Committee will take place on Friday, June 2nd, where a final firm shall be recommended to the City for approval and contracting.  

“Delivering on the founding principle of a cultural and economic legacy for Sarasota, this project represents one of the most exciting and promising opportunities for transformation in the history of Sarasota. We look forward to recommending an architectural firm that will help Sarasotans realize their aspirations for the Performing Arts at The Bay,” said Jim Travers, Chair of the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation. 

Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation anticipates that a design architect will be in place by the summer of 2023, with a master plan and implementation strategy expected to be recommended to the City of Sarasota by mid-2024. 

The plan will embrace and reflect the needs of the community and deliver on the promise of a new performing arts center that serves as the centerpiece of The Bay, the 53-acre park that has transformed the Sarasota Bayfront. 

The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation has raised funds from private sources in the community to cover the entire cost of the architecture selection and design process. 

To learn more about vision and guiding principles and to learn about the firms involved, visit www.sarasotaperformingartsfoundation.org.