ABOVE: Concept art for the Pride Walk & Street Mural, scheduled for installation April 2-12. Photo courtesy Project Pride.
SARASOTA | Project Pride will install a Pride-focused crosswalk and street mural in Downtown Sarasota April 2-12, an unprecedented tribute to LGBTQ inclusion and visibility.
The Rainbow Pride Walk and Street Mural will be the first major installation of its type in the city, covering the five-corner intersection of Cocoanut Ave. and 2nd St. Fundraising for the 2,500-square-foot piece is currently underway, with more than $70,000 raised as of press time to cover its cost, maintenance and the organization’s other LGBTQ-focused campaigns.
Early planning for the venture began more than a year ago at Project Pride’s inception, an extension of the nonprofit’s mission to celebrate, unite and support the community it serves. Its board partnered with local officials and businesses to commission the mural’s design.
“We decided to focus our first year on visibility for the LGBTQ community,” Project Pride President Jordan Letschert says. “One of the ways we did that was to reach out to a famous artist named Joey Salamon, who created the largest LGBTQ street mural in the United States.”
The 7,000-square-foot piece is located in Michigan, which Salamon calls home. He’s known for his eye-catching patterns, colorful palette and three-dimensional geographic shapes.
The LGBTQ artist’s Project Pride-commissioned design utilizes the colors of the Progress Pride flag, expanding on the traditional Pride flag’s red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet to include black, brown, white, pink and light blue. The additions are meant to uplift the more marginalized voices in the LGBTQ community, individuals of color and those who are transgender.
“We wanted to make sure it was truly as inclusive as it could be,” Letschert says. “Once we had the design we took it to the city commission and they approved a resolution letting us put the mural down, where it will remain at first for 12 months. After that, we’ll go back and ask for it to be renewed again and if it is, it will become a permanent fixture.”
To help make the installation a reality, Project Pride turned to supporters. They created a variety of sponsorship opportunities ranging from $100-$25,000, donations will also be accepted until March 29.
“We’ve had just an outpouring of support,” Letschert says. “Not just from the LGBTQ leaders in Sarasota but also from younger LGBTQ entrepreneurs who in the past had not really gotten involved. They’ve really stepped up … There’s been a big community push.”
Every penny raised is appreciated, Project Pride notes, and will also benefit the organization’s efforts during this year’s Pride Month. Letschert promises a renewed focus on June in the city, with new events and unprecedented support from officials.
Letschert says not only will the city of Sarasota formally recognize Pride Month, but in another first Project Pride will display 75 LGBTQ-focused flagpole banners throughout downtown. They’ll serve as the perfect complement to the incoming mural, which will serve as the hub for the organization’s other June surprises.
“Sarasota does its current Pride in October, which we plan to support, but in June we’re going to bring a lot of the community and business leaders together,” Letschert explains. “The funds from this will go towards our visibility campaign where we show just how valuable the LGBTQ community is to Sarasota. All of this money is going back out into the community.”
For more information about Project Pride and to donate to its Pride Walk & Street Mural campaign, visit ProjectPrideSRQ.org.
