A Town Beyond the Beaches
This coastal Florida town is world – While Florida is synonymous with sun, sand, and surf, Sarasota County offers more than just coastline charm. Known as the Sunshine State’s “Cultural Coast,” this Gulf Coast city has captivated residents and visitors alike with its vibrant artistic scene. For Tammy Hauser, a lifelong arts enthusiast, the decision to relocate from Minneapolis was sealed during a casual visit to a French bakery. “I found it,” she said, recalling her 2014 trip. “A town with depth, beauty, and a downtown that feels alive.”
The Legacy of a Visionary
Sarasota’s cultural identity is deeply tied to the legacy of John Ringling, a circus magnate whose influence shaped the city’s artistic evolution. Ringling and his wife, Mabel, purchased the land in 1911 to build a winter home in what was once a small fishing village. By 1927, the town had become the headquarters for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, shifting its operations from Connecticut to Florida. This move laid the foundation for Sarasota’s reputation as a hub for creativity.
Their former estate, now The Ringling, spans 66 acres along Sarasota Bay and houses more than just art. It includes the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, a major cultural institution featuring Baroque and Renaissance masterpieces, along with one of North America’s largest collections of Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens’ works. The complex also holds a Circus Museum, showcasing historical artifacts and a full-scale replica of a circus tent.
At the heart of the estate stands the Venetian-Gothic mansion Ca’ d’Zan, a 36,000-square-foot structure with 56 rooms, ornate cypress ceilings, and colorful glass windows. Brian Hersh, CEO of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, emphasized the city’s unique artistic offerings. “You’d expect to see this level of excellence in New York or a major metropolis,” he noted. “But here, in Sarasota, it’s all within reach.”
“When I experienced this work, I realized, in that moment, that this is the kind of thing you would only debut in New York City. And here it was in Sarasota, with a crowd that was just lapping it up.”
Supporters like Hauser credit Ringling’s contributions for transforming Sarasota into a city of wealth, sophistication, and culture. The area’s arts scene thrives through organizations such as the Sarasota Opera, Sarasota Orchestra, and Asolo Repertory Theatre, alongside contemporary venues like the Sarasota Art Museum, which is part of Ringling College of Art + Design. With a population of about 60,000, Sarasota blends small-town warmth with big-city artistic ambition, just an hour’s drive south of Tampa.
