Organizations collaborate to showcase the lively lifestyle of Sarasota County.

Executives leading three local agencies focused on tourism, business relocation, and cultural development have united to showcase Sarasota County as an attractive destination for living, working, and visiting. Their collaboration depends on various funding avenues from the county government.

At an Aug. 22 workshop, representatives from these agencies engaged with the Sarasota County Commission to discuss their partnerships and shared resources, aiming to avoid any overlap in efforts.

Commissioners heard insights from the leadership of Visit Sarasota County, the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, and the Sarasota Arts and Cultural Alliance about their distinct roles in enhancing the local economy and maximizing the county’s investment returns.

Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Erin Silk described the collaboration as a “force multiplier.”

The leaders—Erin Duggan of Visit Sarasota County, Brian Hersh of the Arts and Cultural Alliance, and Silk—began their roles simultaneously around 30 months ago.

“I’ve known Erin for about a decade,” remarked Silk regarding Duggan. “Brian was newer, but upon entering our roles, we recognized the opportunity to educate our community and stakeholders about our individual missions and collaboration.”

Their shared objective is to enhance business, tourism, and cultural awareness locally and globally, emphasizing the lifestyle offerings in Sarasota.

The Economic Development Corporation and Visit Sarasota County have even shared office space on Cattlemen Road, which they consider a boon for teamwork.

Silk elaborated, “Our collaboration focuses on coordination, not duplication. We want our branding to be cohesive across the county.” Valuing the expertise of Visit Sarasota County’s marketing efforts, Silk noted that their organizations often utilize the same imagery.

Cross-promotion has begun online, with various URLs directing visitors to explore their collective resources. One of the vanity URLs, workwhereyouwanttolive.com, leads users to both the EDC and Arts and Cultural Alliance websites.

Duggan highlighted that the primary site serves as a hub for insights about the local healthcare system, education, and neighborhoods, which are not typically explored on the Visit Sarasota site.

Recognizing the potential retirees considering relocation, a new URL, LiveWhereYouWantToPlay.com, was developed.

Beyond their websites, the agencies extend their cooperative marketing strategies to trade shows and campaigns, promoting Sarasota as a vacation and relocation destination enriched by a vibrant cultural scene. This initiative is supported by another URL, FloridasCulturalCoast.com, hosted on the Visit Sarasota County website.

Hersh underscored the economic impact of the arts, stating it represented approximately 4% of the U.S. GDP, generating over $1 trillion in 2023 and supporting more than 5.4 million jobs. He noted that Florida’s arts nonprofits contribute over $5.8 billion in economic activity annually.

Sarasota’s arts reputation significantly contributes to this business-tourism-arts synergy.

“Florida leads the nation in net income migration, with Sarasota County ranking fourth in the state,” Hersh noted. “If Sarasota were a state, it would rank eighth for net income migration. Our mission is to ensure that newcomers are drawn here by our quality of life and amenities.”

Key Information

• Collaborating Agencies: Visit Sarasota County, Economic Development Corporation, Sarasota Arts and Cultural Alliance
• Date of Collaboration Meeting: August 22
• Objective: Strengthen tourism, business relocation, and cultural awareness in Sarasota County
• Collaboration Benefits: Avoid duplication of efforts, cohesive branding across agencies
• Economic Impact of Arts: $5.8 billion generated annually in Florida, with 4% contribution to national GDP
• Key URLs:
  • workwhereyouwanttolive.com
  • LiveWhereYouWantToPlay.com
  • FloridasCulturalCoast.com