A B corp born on the notion to create environmental good and social change, Sarasota's DreamLarge is at it again—cultivating and accelerating initiatives for the benefit of the community at large. The organization behind the PINC Experience announced the formation and launch of the Rosemary Art + Design District, or RADD. The mission of RADD aims to further the hip, urban neighborhood into an artistic hub and cultural destination.

Though RADD remains a DreamLarge initiative, the idea was spurred back in 2020 by a diverse group of community-centric creatives and luminaries with the shared desire to boost the visual and social aspects of the Rosemary sector. Through the strategic application of artistry and design, RADD has since evolved into a local movement dedicated to advancing the Rosemary District as the pre-eminent "Art & Design District of Sarasota." Leading the coalition includes Anand Pallegar (Founder of DreamLarge), Julia Groom (Director of DreamLarge), Tim Jaeger, Susan McLeod, Walter Gilbert and Mark Zeitouni. 

“We are a group of creatives who are passionate about our community and who believe art has the power to inspire people and make our community better,” says Pallegar. “We seek to establish a future vision for The Rosemary that brings together art and design to celebrate and honor the history of the area, while cultivating a foundation for future creatives to embrace.” 

This Friday, RADD will be hosting an outdoor launch event at the DreamLarge Yard located in the heart of the Rosemary District. This kick-off event is free and open to all—featuring live music, food trucks, drinks, a *very* interactive art exhibit/project for attendees, as well as the unveiling of RADD’s upcoming and ongoing initiatives for 2021 and beyond. 

“RADD is more than just art—it’s about transformation and it’s about our community," says Groom. "It’s an initiative designed to celebrate the deep history of the neighborhood while cultivating a foundation for future creatives. RADD is about advancing our position as the creative and cultural epicenter of Sarasota. This starts with the launch of the Gilbert Mural Initiative - a mural program intended to document the chapters of this evolving neighborhood on the walls of our community’s own historic buildings.” The group has locked up eight different sites in the Rosemary District to showcase future murals by commissioning both local and national artists to bring the bare walls to life, all the while preserving the deep, cultural history of the neighborhood once known as "Overtown." 

In addition to the mural series, another programming event, Groom shares, will be RADD Walks - monthly art walks and open houses of local art, culture and design businesses in the Rosemary. "Bringing these walks back to our community will be one of the first of many exciting activations happening in 2021," she says.

Meet the RADD team on Friday, April 30, starting at 8pm at 600 Central Avenue as they celebrate the launch this exciting launch. For more information, or to learn how to support RADD, visit rosemarydistrict.org.

Photo courtesy of DreamLarge.

To register for this free event, click here.