A new exhibit in the Richard and Barbara Basch Gallery at Ringling College of Art and Design showcases student artwork that places surrounding Newtown Neighborhood front and center, paying tribute to the contributions of African Americans in Sarasota from its earliest days to the present.
The Courage, Dignity, and Determination: The Newtown History Series exhibition showcases the work of these Ringling College students who placed in a college-wide competition.
- Briana Uchendu ’21, Illustration
- DeAnna Boyer ’22, Illustration
- Emily Ehlen ’21, Illustration
- Juniper (Jiana) Johnson ’22, Creative Writing
- Jithesh Beeharry ’21, Film
- Katelan Thomas ’21, Visual Studies
- Luna Krizan ’22, Film
- Ezar Savaro ‘22, Illustration
- Steven Staub ’22, Illustration
- Will Mauricette ’24, Film
The exhibition is a collaboration between the Newtown Alive organization and Ringling’s INDEX program. INDEX provides students with the chance to work on real-world projects with real-world clients to gain crucial work experience before graduation.
Through the INDEX program, the Newtown Alive Exhibition Series sent out calls for submission multiple times throughout the school year. Each call focused on a specific person, place, or event from Sarasota’s African American history, and included supporting explanatory materials to help inspire and inform student submissions. A panel of judges selected the exhibition winners.
“Our partnership with Ringling College is helping to fulfill the mission of preserving, celebrating and sharing the history, arts, and cultural heritage of African Americans,” said Vickie Oldham. Oldham, along with a team of professionals and volunteers, is leading the Newtown Alive initiative to compile, organize, and package the history of Newtown, the historically black neighborhood of Sarasota in which she grew up.
The exhibit will be on display through October 22 and is open to the community. The gallery is open to visitors from 9 am to 3 pm daily. The gallery is located on campus, on the first floor of the Larry R. Thompson Academic Center. Visitor parking is available in the lot directly in front of the building.
This exhibition was made possible, in part, by the Thompson Creative Fund, The Community Foundation of Sarasota County, The Exchange, and by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues. This exhibition was also made possible, in part, from the support of the Ringling College INDEX Program, Newtown Alive, and Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition.
Contact:
Laura Neff-Henderson, APR
Director of Marketing and Communications
941-330-7436
