Pictured: Concept art by Joey Salamon, scheduled for installation April 2-12. Rendering courtesy Project Pride.

Project Pride SRQ  is preparing to celebrate the installation of Sarasota's inaugural Pride Walk & Street Mural in the heart of Downtown Sarasota. The LGPTQ-supportive organization pay tribute to unity, inclusion and visibility in a big way for upcoming Pride Month. 

Enlisted for the project is Detroit-based artist, Joey Salamon, who gained national attention already by creating one of the largest Rainbow Street Murals in the world, located in Grand Rapids, MI—measuring 7,000 square-ft. The artist will now create what will be the first major and largest mural installation ever in Sarasota. His painting style combines head-turning patterns, rainbow-colored palettes and three-dimensional geometric shapes. At the Five-Point intersection of Cocoanut Avenue and 2nd Street, each crosswalk will be connected in a striped assembly of colors from the Progress Pride flag—including black, brown, white, pink and light blue to expand upon Pride flag's traditional six-stripe rainbow design of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. The additional colors promote a greater emphasis on “inclusion and progression” for the marginalized people of color. trans individuals, those living with HIV/AIDS and those who have been lost. 

Project Pride's board partnered with various local officials, businesses and donors to commission the mural’s design—with more than $70,000 raised so far to cover its cost, maintenance and the organization’s other LGBTQ-focused campaigns. Fundraising for the 2,500-square-foot piece is still underway, however, every dollar counts to continue the nonprofits year-round efforts. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available and donations will be accepted until March 29. 

Pictured: Concept art by Joey Salamon, scheduled for installation April 2-12. Rendering courtesy Project Pride.