Removal of Avenue of Art sidewalk paintings has begun

Three-hundred murals, created by 240 artists from 20 countries, have come to adorn the streets in Burns Square Historic District.

Yet in its place is expected to be bare pavement.

The Avenue of Art, created by the Sarasota Chalk Festival, started during COVID-19 to serve as an art venue.

However, the project is now being dismantled due to an FDOT mandate requiring the removal of pavement paintings on sidewalks and roadways.

An announcement through the Chalk Festival's social media stated that along a stretch of Orange Ave., the surface has already been ground away from the sidewalk, removing the first 19 murals, which were painted in 2021.

Those include paintings that depict the historic figures of Emma Booker and Bertha Palmer, and a mural of two students training with Sailor Circus Academy.

Photo by Ian Swaby

The installation has been supported by the city of Sarasota and funded in part by Sarasota County.

"All four areas within the city limits where artwork was installed on the pavement or sidewalk will be removed in order to comply with FDOT’s revised pavement art policy," said city Communications General Manager Jan Thornburg in a statement to the Observer. "FDOT’s June 20, 2025, memo clearly states that non-compliance shall be cause for withholding state funds. The City is not in a position to jeopardize state funding."

Denise Kowal, the chair and founder of the Chalk Festival, says 80%-90% of its artists are local residents and students. She says the project was the first time anything like it had been created in the world.

"To see each artist now being traumatized by the removal of it is disheartening," she said. 

Photo by Ian Swaby

Kowal said the festival staff were not notified of the removal and were not told whether the city tried to obtain an exception for the project.

The FDOT has stated that markings can cause "distractions or confusion that compromise roadway safety." However, Kowal disputes the rationale. 

"There's just so much data that supports that this actually creates a safer community, safer intersections, safer for the public, makes cars more aware," she said. 

Kowal says she hopes that leaders of the community will stand up for the installation and its significance for the community.

"They really need to think about how important our identity is here, and they really need to fight for things that create a community that people love living in," she said.

The Chalk Festival is not taking place this year. Kowal said this was decided after the last event, due to concerns around the November weather in recent years and the need to set a new date.

She also noted concerns around the current climate, including mandates like the one from FDOT, and immigration, with many Chalk Festival guests being from other countries.

She said the hope is that the festival will return in 2026. 

Correction: This article has been updated to correct the title of Communications General Manager Jan Thornburg.