Committee approves site and budget for 'Above the Nest' mural at Gillespie Park substation

The Public Art Committee approved site placement and budget support to adapt Trinity Rivard’s 'Above the Nest' mural for the Sarasota Police Department substation at Gillespie Park, directing staff to continue neighborhood outreach and work with the artist on community engagement.

Staff explained the mural concept had been selected previously for a different location and that neighborhood input and a park master-plan request prompted exploring the substation as an alternative site. Kelly Brown, speaking for her neighborhood association, told the committee the neighborhood had prioritized a mural on the substation as part of park improvements and voiced support for locating the design there. Trinity Rivard, participating remotely, described prior community-engaged mural projects, offered a volunteer-based painting model with waivers and supervision, and said he would welcome local youth and school involvement.

Committee members discussed how community participation could be structured and whether volunteer engagement would affect the budget; Trinity said volunteer hours and community paint events typically did not add material cost and that he would provide supplies and supervision as needed. The committee voted to approve the site and budget allocation and requested staff to conduct additional neighborhood outreach and return with any feedback at the May meeting.