Public Art Committee approves mural for Cantam Vintage building on 12th Street

The Sarasota Public Art Committee voted unanimously to approve a Call‑for‑Walls mural proposal for the Cantam Vintage building on 12th Street. Property owner Ashley Rogers introduced the proposal and said she plans to hire the artist and repaint surrounding brick to complement the new work.

Sierra, the committee’s public art staffer, described the site as approximately 210 square feet of cinderblock where infilled windows will be unified by a single composition under a 10‑year agreement with the property owner. The committee reviewed an artist budget with an artist fee the file listed at $7,500; members flagged an arithmetic typo in the materials line (initially shown as $300). Sierra said she would correct the math and indicated the city could treat materials either as part of a flat artist fee or revise the materials allowance (staff suggested $500 as an illustrative correction to make totals align).

Owner Ashley Rogers said she expects to cover repainting of the surrounding brick and welcomed the committee’s input on color and design. Artist Annie (listed on the City of Sarasota artist roster) described a concept inspired by the migration of monarch butterflies and using warm, uplifting colors to animate the alley as a community gathering spot.

During discussion committee members asked for an itemized materials list in future proposals and for staff to confirm UV and anti‑graffiti coatings; Sierra said the program requires such coatings and that smaller projects often use a lump sum artist fee rather than line‑item budgets. After questions and a second, a motion to approve the proposal passed with all present saying “aye.”

What happens next: staff will follow up with the property owner and artist to finalize the contract terms, resolve the materials/fee accounting, and schedule installation. The project will proceed under the standard 10‑year agreement the city uses for Call‑for‑Walls private‑wall murals.