Rotary Club of Sarasota and Save Our Seabirds Present
The Sarasota Rotary Art Festival
February 28 and March 1 § Ken Thompson Park
The two-day event features a juried art exhibit and sale benefitting Save Our Seabirds and the Rotary Club of Sarasota Foundation.
A call to area artists is through February 15.
(Sarasota, FL) The Rotary Club of Sarasota and Save Our Seabirds present their annual Sarasota Rotary Art Festival, Saturday, February 28, and Sunday, March 1, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Save Our Seabirds, 1708 Ken Thompson Parkway, City Island, Sarasota. Tickets are $5 for adults; children 12 and under are admitted free. Admission entitles guests to free entry to the Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Learning Center and a $5 discount on admission to Mote Marine during the festival. Ample free parking is available on site. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Proceeds from the festival will benefit Save Our Seabirds and the Rotary Club of Sarasota Foundation. For information, visit sarasotawildlifefest.com or call 941-840-1193.
For the third year in a row, the Rotary Club of Sarasota and Save Our Seabirds are presenting their annual art festival, designed to raise funds and awareness for Save Our Seabirds and the Rotary Club of Sarasota Foundation. Last year’s festival, called the Sarasota Wildlife Art Festival, had more than 4,000 visitors and enabled the Rotary Club to grant more than $10,000 to the Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Learning Center and other charitable organizations.
“What sets this exhibit apart is its location, in close proximity to Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Learning Center, Mote Aquarium and the lovely natural setting of City Island,” says Robert Gaglio, vice president of Comerica Wealth Management and chair of this event. “We bring together artists, creators and outdoor enthusiasts–all of whom have a passion for fine art and wildlife.”
Gaglio adds that the event will feature a juried exhibition of art and fine crafts by more than 40 painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelers and other craftspeople. The works, which will be for sale, are juried by local artists and art professionals. This year’s featured artist is Deborah LaFogg Docherty, who received the Masters Circle award from the International Association of Pastel Societies, and countless other awards throughout her career. Her work has been featured in museums, national and international art shows and international magazines.
Along with the art festival there are plenty of family-friendly activities to enjoy, including guided tours of Save Our Seabirds and the Sarasota Ski-a-Rees will perform their free water team ski show adjacent to the Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Learning Center.
“We’re very impressed with this year’s entries and with the depth and scope of the area arts community,” says Gaglio. “We’re still accepting applications and we invite all artists to apply. Space is limited but if they get to us soon, we’ll do our best to make room.” Interested artists should visit www.sarasotaartfestival.com to apply. Application deadline is February 15, 2015.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available as well.
“This has become one of our most popular and successful fundraising events, and proceeds from ticket sales, sponsors’ and artists’ admission fees directly support Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Learning Center and the Sarasota Rotary Foundation,” says Gaglio. Interested sponsors can visit www.sarasotaartfestival.com.
For more information about the Sarasota Rotary Art Festival, visit sarasotaartfestival.com.
Save Our Seabirds
Save Our Seabirds rescues and cares for about 2,000 birds per year. The organization receives distress calls from caring citizens throughout the Sarasota-Manatee area. Its initial response is to ascertain what might be wrong with the bird and whether it is feasible to catch the bird and bring it to the organization’s hospital. After this determination is made, the nearest available volunteer rescuer is dispatched to transport the bird to the hospital for treatment. Save Our Seabirds does everything it can do to rehabilitate and release the bird back into the wild, preferably near the place where it was rescued. The most common injuries are caused by fish hooks, automobiles and golf balls.
The Rotary Club of Sarasota Foundation
The Rotary Club of Sarasota Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3), is the charitable arm of The Rotary Club of Sarasota. The Foundation’s mission is to support the Rotary Club of Sarasota’s efforts to improve the surrounding community through humanitarian, educational and charitable endeavors with a focus on youth and children.
