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The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Receives $50,000 Arts Appreciation Grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation Contact Name: Virginia Harshman Contact Email: virginia.harshman@ringling.org Contact Phone Number: 941-35-5700 Ext 2803 SARASOTA, Florida.—Gulf Coast Community Foundation has awarded a generous $50,000 Arts Appreciation grant to The Ringling that will support the museum’s Art of Our Time initiative during the 2019-2020 season. The foundation’s Arts Appreciation grants provide unrestricted funding to cornerstone arts and cultural organizations in the region to help them pursue their artistic missions. Through its support of Art of Our Time, Gulf Coast is recognized as a sponsor of the contemporary exhibitions Remaking the World: Abstraction from the Permanent Collection (Nov. 10, 2019-Aug. 1, 2020), Ai Weiwei: Zodiac (2018) LEGO (Nov. 17, 2019- Feb. 2, 2020), Syd Solomon: Concealed and Revealed (Dec. 15, 2019- April 26, 2020), Skyway 2020: A Contemporary Collaboration (June 21, 2020-Oct. 4, 2020), Being Seen (April 19, 2020- Sept. 13, 2020) and Howie Tsui: Retainers of Anarchy (March 15, 2020- June 14, 2020). “We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support of Gulf Coast Community Foundation for the exhibitions and programs presented through the Art of Our Time initiative,” said Steven High, executive director of The Ringling. “Gulf Coast’s leading sponsorship enables us to engage our community with the works of visionary contemporary artists at The Ringling.” Since its launch in 2011, The Ringling’s Art of Our Time initiative has played a vital role in an international network of living artists whose work moves beyond traditional practices in visual and performative art. Gulf Coast Community Foundation has been a committed sponsor to the Art of Our Time initiative, supporting visual art exhibitions, Ringling International Arts Festival, and New Stages performing arts series. Gulf Coast will be recognized at events held in accordance with Art of Our Time exhibitions as well as Friends of Art of Our Time events and programs. ### About The Ringling The Ringling is a center for art, history and learning situated on 66 acres on Sarasota Bay. It is built on the legacy of circus entrepreneur, collector of art and financier John Ringling and his wife Mable. The Ringling inspires visitors with an acclaimed collection of Old Master paintings, explores with them the diverse cultures and art of Asia, delights them with the story of the American circus, and transports them to the Roaring Twenties during a tour of the magnificent Ca’ d’Zan mansion. The Ringling is also committed to exhibiting the work of an emerging community of living artists that moves beyond traditional practice and features dynamic and engaging contemporary visual and performing arts, including a diverse roster of theater, music and dance. The Ringling is the State Art Museum of Florida. Affiliated with Florida State University, it is one of the largest university art centers in the nation. Media Contacts The Ringling: Virginia Harshman Public relations specialist Virginia.harshman@ringling.org 941-359-5700 X 2803 About Gulf Coast Community Foundation Together with its donors, Gulf Coast Community Foundation transforms our region through bold and proactive philanthropy. Gulf Coast is a public charity that was created in 1995 through the sale of the Venice Hospital. Since then, it has become the philanthropic home of nearly 1,000 families, individuals, organizations, and businesses that have established charitable funds there and has invested over $340 million in grants and initiatives in the areas of health and human services, civic and economic development, education, arts and culture, and the environment. Learn more at GulfCoastCF.org.