As organizations and small businesses brace for another wave of equity and inclusion rollbacks across colleges, government offices, and major corporations, a new artist development series, Creative Nexus, is emerging to support marginalized artists in Sarasota.
This series, spearheaded by Mosaic Movements and WSLR+Fogartyville, announced its Call for Artists for diverse creators to apply for a collaborative interdisciplinary art installation set for spring. Mosaic Movements invites teams of two or more artists from diverse disciplines to explore themes of resilience, justice, and sustainability through their work. The application is open to visual artists, performers, designers, and other creatives, with at least one member identifying as BIPOC or LGBTQ+ and one based in Florida.
Selected artists will receive a $5,000 stipend. The deadline to apply to the inaugural art project is midnight Friday.
Amplifying diverse artists in Sarasota
Creative Nexus debuted in October after weathering delays from Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, which disrupted businesses and stifled artistic opportunities across the region. Despite the challenges, the kick-off event at Fogartville drew more than two dozen attendees, generating enthusiasm for collaboration and innovation event leaders believe.
Founded by Yoleidy Rosario-Hernandez, Mosaic Movements aims to create transformative spaces for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists. Hernadez welcomes the return to zeir/their artistic roots and plans to position Mosaic Movements as a platform to nurture creativity.
“Our goal is to empower artists of color to elevate their careers while fostering connections and collaboration,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez, who previously served as New College of Florida’s diversity dean ahead of the school’s controversial overhaul in 2022, reflected on her journey back to art after facing systemic barriers.
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“I’ve found it difficult to be in areas that didn’t really have spaces for artists of color,” Hernandez said.
“I walked away from everything but felt myself starving for that artistic space again. The takeover at New College gave me the opportunity to rediscover my artistic voice here in Sarasota.”
The year-long Creative Nexus series combines mentorship, workshops, and networking to help artists advance their careers. Upcoming events include career planning and branding workshops, a youth artist meet-up, and a full-day artist summit in late May. The highlight of the initiative is a collaborative art installation designed to engage the community in dialogue about how marginalized communities thrive amid systemic challenges.
“Arts and culture are the foundation of Black and brown expression,” they said. “As an artist, particularly an artist of color, to build a foundation to be at the next level of your artistic career is our goal.”
Creative Nexus event schedule returns in early spring and continues through May. Here’s the full series schedule:
- March 5, 2025, 6:00 – 8:00 pm: Career Planning for Artists Workshop
- April 16, 2025, 6:00 – 8:00 pm Branding for Interdisciplinary Artists Workshop
- April 26, 2025, 1:00 – 5:30 pm: NextGen Creators Youth Artist Meet-Up
- May 16, 2025, 7:00 – 9:00 pm: Art Installation Unveiling & Artist Social
- May 17, 2025, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. Creative Nexus Full-Day Summit
For more details or to apply for the Call for Artists, visit www.mosaicmovements.org.
Samantha Gholar covers social justice of USA Today Network-Florida. Connect with her via email at [email protected].