Sarasota Art Museum Continues Participation in Blue Star Museums Program

May 18, 2023

SARASOTA, Fla. (May 18, 2023) – Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design is proud to continue its participation in Blue Star Museums, a program that provides free admission to U.S. military personnel and their families this summer. The Museum, which already provides free admission year-round to veterans and active-duty military members with ID, will also offer free admission to their families from Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, to Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4 through its participation in Blue Star Museums.

“Sarasota Art Museum is honored to welcome hundreds of veterans and active-duty service members through our halls each year at no cost to them,” said Virginia Shearer, executive director of Sarasota Art Museum. “Our continued participation in Blue Star Museums gives us a wonderful opportunity to extend that offer to their loved ones. Providing our military families with engaging experiences in an intimate setting is our way of thanking all of them for their past and ongoing contributions to our nation.”

Nationally, the Blue Star Museums program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military — Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.

Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America. For a list of participating museums, visit arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

About Sarasota Art Museum

Sarasota Art Museum is Ringling College of Art and Design’s dynamic laboratory for the exploration and advancement of contemporary art. Sarasota Art Museum shares the Ringling College Museum Campus with Ringling College’s Continuing Studies program comprised of the non-credit Studio and Digital Arts program and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College.

Located in the historic Sarasota High School, Sarasota Art Museum opened to the public in 2019 and features 15,000 square feet of dedicated exhibition space, the outdoor Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza, the Great Lawn featuring temporary sculpture and site-specific installations, Bistro, and SHOP. Sarasota Art Museum is home to a robust portfolio of education programs for all ages, including the Studios @ SAM, a vibrant studio arts program, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College, which offers a variety of courses for adult learners.

Sarasota Art Museum is located at 1001 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida, 34236. To stay in the know, become a Sarasota Art Museum Member, sign up for Museum email updates, visit our website at SarasotaArtMuseum.org, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Blue Star Families

BlueStar Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest chapter-based military and veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach fosters strong communities with a focus on human centered design and innovative solutions. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered millions of dollars in benefits and impacted more than 1.5 million people each year. For more information, click here and follow along with Blue Star Families on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.