Want to make Sarasota history? The City of Sarasota is currently having a contest to a design new City of Sarasota seal. The city has partnered with DreamLarge to recreate the city’s seal and its logo. Let’s learn more about the current seal and see how it can be improved upon.
Current City of Sarasota Seal
The current City of Sarasota seal is over 100-years-old. It features marine life, coastal imagery and the words “May Sarasota Prosper.” It has been used on official city documents and dates back to the City’s incorporation in 1902. Viewing the black and white version of the seal requires the viewer to guess at what the shapes may be. However, upon viewing the seal in color, you can see that the aquatic animal in the center of the seal is a mullet. It’s surrounded by palmettos and shells.
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“As Sarasota evolves, so does the City’s brand,” said Sarasota Mayor Erik Arroyo. “Our image should reflect the vibrancy of Sarasota to the greater community and the world. Our image should reflect our standing as a top destination, as a cultural hub, as an innovation driver, and the best place to live.”
The seal differs from the city’s logo. The current logo, which features a silhouette of the statue of David, will be refreshed by DreamLarge later this year and will be presented to the commission in the fall. The Seal Design Contest is solely for the redesign of the City seal, NOT the logo.
How to submit a design
Starting May 1, the public will be able to submit their seal designs digitally through an online form. All digital submission types (JPEG, PNG, PDF, etc) will be accepted. Hand drawn seals can be scanned or photographed and submitted through the same online platform. For those that cannot submit digitally, physical submissions can mailed to the address below:
The proposed seal may include images, text, or a combination of both, but all components must be circular. The seal can be black and white or in color. All participants will be required to submit a narrative that explains the submitted design. Submissions must be received online or by mail by June 15 to be considered.
The seal design competition is open to all, regardless of age, skill level and background. Since designs can be submitted in multiple formats from a variety of skill sets, DreamLarge may tweak or change them to promote equitability amongst submissions.
Submissions will be posted publicly to this website as they are received. Publicly posted submissions will be kept anonymous.
Following the closure of the contest, the top five seals will be selected by a diverse panel of community members across different industries and backgrounds. Top designs will be presented to the City Commission later this summer. A backup of all designs will also be submitted for public record.
What is DreamLarge?
DreamLarge is the company partnered with the City of Sarasota to find a new seal and logo. DreamLarge provides marketing help and other services to nonprofits who want to reinvigorate their logo, brand and design.