Four Sarasota-area artists will each earn $7,000 to create original artwork for free collectible postcards handed to travelers at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, City Hall and the Visit Sarasota County Visitor Center.
The Spirit of Sarasota Postcard Project, a partnership between SRQ and the city of Sarasota's Public Art Committee, won unanimous approval at the committee's Aug. 5 meeting. A competitive call for artists will open this fall.
The program is among the cultural initiatives under SRQ President and CEO Paul Hoback, who took the helm in October 2025 after 25 years at Pittsburgh International Airport. SRQ served approximately 4.5 million passengers in 2025, according to SRQ Magazine.
"We definitely want to create that sense of place, and with such strong art here, we really lack that at the airport," SRQ marketing and air service analyst Emma Klostermeyer told the committee on Aug. 5. "... For the time being, with space and budget constraints, we figured that this would be our best opportunity right now."
Klostermeyer coordinated the project with public art administrator Ciera Coleman.
Postcards to rotate quarterly with print runs of 500 per design
The airport will print an initial run of 500 postcards per design, with more produced if demand warrants it. Designs rotate quarterly, giving travelers a new collectible each season.
Artists may reference themes of travel or tourism, but artwork cannot directly promote commercial products or services, including the airport itself. Final pieces must be formatted for standard postcard printing.
Sarasota-area artists eligible; finalists go before Public Art Committee
Eligible artists must live in the Sarasota area or demonstrate strong ties to the region. The stipends come from the city's Public Art Program budget.
A selection panel of city and airport staff, arts and culture partners and community stakeholders will review submissions and forward finalists to the Public Art Committee for final approval at either the Nov. 4, 2026, or Feb. 3, 2027, meeting.
The program also leaves the door open for further exposure of selected artists' work beyond the postcards, according to the Your Observer, which first reported the project.
What's ahead
- Fall 2026: Competitive call for artists opens (exact date not yet announced)
- Nov. 4 or Feb. 3, 2027: Public Art Committee selects final artists
- Quarterly rotation: New postcard designs distributed at SRQ baggage claim, City Hall and the visitor center
