Sarasota Rising Announces Collaboration with Selby Gardens and Embracing Our Differences

June 21, 2023 – Sarasota

Sarasota Rising announces a major collaboration for its inaugural The Living Arts Festival – 2024. The nonprofit’s Executive Director, Jeffery Kin, recently appeared on ABC7’s Suncoast View to reveal the festival’s first program, which will comprise a partnership with Sarasota historical staple, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and the educational non-profit Embracing Our Differences. 

The collaboration will produce one of the first events for the weeklong inter-disciplinary arts festival set for November of 2024. Intended to be a walking exhibit, art panels from this year’s Embracing Our Differences annual art exhibition will be mounted at Selby Garden’s Historic Spanish Point campus for the event. In conjunction with the artwork, live performance pieces inspired by the panels will be created and performed by select smaller arts organizations live at Spanish Point campus during the festival. Together, it will be Our Embrace Reimagined, a walking performing arts production.  

“We are very excited to have the Embracing Our Differences artwork repurposed in this meaningful way so that the messages of diversity, inclusion, kindness and respect can continue inspiring others,” says Sarah Wertheimer, Executive Director of Embracing Our Differences.  

Aligned with Sarasota Rising’s mission to lift up both large and small arts organizations through collaboration, Selby Gardens involvement provides a huge opportunity for those in the arts community who are not often given a big platform a way to showcase their talents on a larger scale.   

“Selby Gardens is thrilled to partner with Sarasota Rising for its inaugural festival,” says Jennifer O. Rominiecki, President & CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. “Creating meaningful, inspiring art on the canvas of our beautiful bayfront sanctuary is just the kind of thing that sets Sarasota apart as an arts and cultural community.”  

Sarasota Rising is currently in talks with smaller local arts organizations to choose who will create and perform this powerful, united theatrical walking tour. Sarasota Contemporary Dance, Strings Con Brio and Modern Marimba are but a few of the organizations in consideration, with openings for others to participate still available.  

“It’s really a perfect culmination of what Sarasota Rising is all about, a celebration of inclusion and diversity in our community,” says Sarasota Rising’s Executive Director, Jeffery Kin. “We’re bringing together the arts in an exciting and collaborative new way.”   

Sarasota Rising continues to raise money towards producing the best festival possible. For those interested in contributing to their mission, be it monetarily or through volunteerism, please visit their site at https://www.sarasotarising.org/.