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After decades of making creativity synonymous with our region’s identity, Dr. Larry Thompson, President Emeritus of Ringling College of Art and Design, will receive Visit Sarasota County’s inaugural Florida’s Cultural Coast® Legacy Award. The recognition ceremony will take place during the tourism bureau’s Indicators & Insights Summit, returning November 19, 2026, at the Art Ovation Hotel. The Florida’s Cultural Coast® Legacy Award celebrates individuals with a lifetime of distinguished achievements and contributions to Sarasota County, whether the recipient worked directly for the benefit of the tourism industry or by helping shape the destination’s broader cultural identity. Presented as part of Visit Sarasota County’s Haley Hall of Fame Awards, this distinction differs from the peer-nominated Haleys in that its recipient is selected by the bureau’s Board of Directors and staff.

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