Contact:  Jan Thornburg, Sr. Communications Manager   941-954-2613
                  jan.thornburg@sarasotagov.com

Sarasota, FL:  To accommodate the installation of a new public art sculpture within the Palm Avenue/Cocoanut Avenue roundabout, the northwest quadrant of the roundabout will be temporarily closed Saturday, Feb. 2 from approximately 6:45 a.m. – 10 a.m.  Installation is anticipated to begin around 8 a.m.  The road will reopen as soon as the installation is completed.

Created by Indiana and part-time southwest Florida resident and artist Jeffrey Laramore, the colorful sculpture “Jumping Fish” will stand 16 feet tall.  A cr­ane will be used to hoist the piece into the center of the roundabout. 

The City Commission approved the fabrication of "Jumping Fish" in December 2017.  $150,000 in public art funds was allocated to the project.

To enhance aesthetics and a sense of place, public art is installed within the center of  new roundabouts located in the city limits.  Two Calls to Artists are currently open for sculptures within two roundabouts under construction:  10^th Street/U.S. 41 and 14^th Street and U.S. 41.

To minimize traffic impacts, City staff planned the installation of "Jumping Fish" to occur during non-peak hours.

Learn more about the City’s public art program at www.SarasotaFL.Gov.

For more information about the installation contact David Smith, Long Range Planning Manager:  941-365-2200 ext. 4175.

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About the City of Sarasota:  Distinguished by Google as a Digital Capital in the U.S., the City of Sarasota is a diverse community located on Florida’s Suncoast with 55,000 year-round residents, several internationally recognized cultural arts venues, stunning sunsets along Lido Beach, a 45-hole municipal golf course at the historic Bobby Jones Golf Club, and Major League spring training baseball with the Baltimore Orioles.  Learn more about us at www.SarasotaGov.com