The "Grow the Heart" VIP Program, is an essential part of the Sarasota Int’l Chalk Festival community outreach. This outreach program provides resources for underserved individuals of all ages and abilities, offering them FREE tickets to the festival, as well as access to workshops where they can participate in creating masks and costumes for the grand Flora & Fauna Parade, a central feature of the festival.
Anyone can become a supporter with the purchase of the $150 "Grow the Heart" VIP Ticket that provides the ticket holder a 3-day pass and a ticket to the Friday Night Wine Tasting. It also ensures that others in need can also partake in the festivities. The festival runs from November 8-10 in Historic Burns Square, Sarasota, and your support helps fund the event's free workshops, now underway, where participants from various nonprofit organizations create art that will culminate in the festival’s vibrant closing celebration. Recently, we made a dozen BIG carnations and hibiscus with a fun group at the Senior Friendship Center for example. These large flowers will adorn a storefront on Pineapple Avenue, which is the Festival Grounds, to celebrate the “Floralia Infiorata” themed Chalk Festival.
Here’s what you get when you purchase a "Grow the Heart" ticket:
- Three-day admission to the Sarasota Int’l Chalk Festival, where you can witness world-renowned artists creating stunning pavement paintings, 3D illusions, and flower tapestries.
- VIP access from, offering you an exclusive festival experience.
- A ticket to the Wine Tasting event on Friday evening from 5:30-7:30 PM.
- 20% off Chalk Festival merchandise (excluding handmade art).
- Your name proudly displayed on the 'Grow the Heart' supporter banner, showcasing your contribution to the community.
Nonprofits benefiting from "Grow the Heart"
The list of nonprofits benefiting from the program is extensive and spans a wide range of services for individuals in need. Here are the organizations that receive support:
- All Star Children’s Foundation
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota & Desoto Counties
- Booker Middle School Visual & Performing Arts
- Children First
- Child Protection Center
- Easterseals Southwest Florida
- Flourishing Margwine Organization, Inc.
- Girls Inc.
- The Haven SRQ
- Learn My History Foundation
- Mothers Helping Mothers
- Resilient Retreat
- Riverview High Enterprise Program
- The Robert L. Taylor Community Complex
- Safe Children’s Coalition
- Senior Friendship Center
- The Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab
- The Twig Cares
- Local Artists & Residents of all ages
The "Grow the Heart" program has an ambitious goal to raise $50,000, and with only 14 tickets sold so far, we need to sell an additional 319 tickets to meet this target. Each ticket sold contributes directly to helping underrepresented groups participate in the festival. Your purchase will enable individuals served by these nonprofits to attend the event and engage in the workshops that make the festival an inclusive and community-centered experience.
Purchase your Grow the Heart ticket here
The Mission of the Sarasota Int’l Chalk Festival
The Sarasota International Chalk Festival is dedicated to making world-class public art accessible to everyone, fostering community engagement through its diverse offerings. The festival, a three-day event, brings together artists from across the globe who transform the streets into a "Museum in Motion," with larger-than-life masterpieces and interactive 3D illusions.
This year, the festival is adding even more unique cultural experiences, including intricate flower carpets and a grand Sunday celebration featuring masks, human puppets, and stilt walkers. Returning to its original location on S. Pineapple Avenue in Historic Burns Square, the festival remains a vital part of Sarasota’s rich cultural landscape.
The Struggles
Unfortunately, this year the Sarasota Int'l Chalk Festival faces significant financial challenges. The festival is currently short $70,000 due to a combination of factors, including the Sarasota County Commission's denial of a longstanding grant and additional fees imposed by the City of Sarasota. These unexpected losses, coupled with the costs associated with Hurricane Ian, have made it harder for the festival to cover essential expenses like flights, accommodations, meals, and supplies for the 150 artists who will be traveling to Sarasota to participate in the festival.
Despite these challenges, the festival organizers are working tirelessly to ensure that the event remains a vibrant and inclusive celebration of the arts. There are many opportunities for individuals, businesses, and organizations to partner with the festival through sponsorship, advertising, and volunteering. Your support, whether through purchasing a "Grow the Heart" ticket, making a donation, or simply spreading the word, can make all the difference in keeping the festival thriving.
Community Impact
In recent years, the Sarasota Int'l Chalk Festival has worked with many local organizations to bring the arts to the broader community. For example, the Child Protection Center (CPC) was involved in the Avenue of Art exhibit, a collection of 300 paintings displayed on the sidewalks around the festival area in Burns Square. Supported by Sarasota Paint, the exhibit brought together people from all walks of life—young and old, amateur and professional, local and international. The "Grow the Heart" program continues to foster this spirit of inclusion and creativity, inspiring children and adults alike to explore their artistic potential.
In addition to its work with CPC, the festival recently partnered with the Patterson Foundation to offer free classes in large 3D illusion painting, flower carpets, and mask-making at the festival's Warehouse Studio. The Exchange, another neighborhood nonprofit, provided a grant to support the teaching of flower carpet techniques at Sarasota High School. These collaborations underscore the festival's commitment to community engagement and its goal of making art accessible to everyone in Sarasota.
The Sarasota Int'l Chalk Festival is more than just an art event—it's a platform for creativity, community building, and cultural exchange. By supporting the "Grow the Heart" program, you can help bring the joy of art to those who need it most.
Join Us in Growing the Heart
Please consider donating to the "Grow the Heart" program and helping us bring the festival to life for everyone in the community. Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a real difference in the lives of the individuals and families who benefit from the program. Together, we can create a festival that is all-ages/all-abilities inclusive, inspiring, and unforgettable.
Purchase your Grow the Heart ticket here.
Thank you for your generosity and support!