Residents invited to submit new Sarasota city seal design

At 120 years of age, the official seal of Sarasota is in need of an update.

And who better than its citizens to help design it.

The city of Sarasota is inviting the community to submit designs for a new seal during a public design contest, which begins May 1. The intent is to provide residents an opportunity to play a role in developing the city’s present and future brand. The current seal, which dates back to the city’s incorporation in 1902, pays homage to marine and coastal life with the words “May Sarasota Prosper.”

Sarasota has indeed prospered, having been named by U.S. News and World Report as a top-10 place to live in the U.S. As such, the seal design contest is part of a rebranding effort approved by the City Commission in 2021. The city has partnered with Sarasota’s DreamLarge to conduct community outreach efforts that include the seal contest and last month’s public survey on how the community sees Sarasota. 

DreamLarge is the first registered benefit corporation on the Gulf Coast of Florida, offering design and communications services to nonprofits.

The seal design competition is open to all regardless of age, skill level and background. The top five submissions will be selected by a panel of community members and will be presented to the City Commission later this summer. 

Entries may be submitted and viewed online at BrandSarasota.com. Entries will be available for viewing by the public as they are received. Physical entries can be mailed to DreamLarge, at 1421 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236.

The contest closes June 15. 

The city seal is not the city logo — a silhouette of the statue of David adopted in 1988. The logo will be professionally refreshed by DreamLarge later this year and will be presented to the City Commission in the fall. 

Discussion of a new seal and logo began among city commissioners in May 2021, when they voted 4-1 to explore options. 

In November, commissioners also voted 4-1 to initiate the rebranding process, which included hiring DreamLarge at $25,000 to hold a community engagement campaign. The process will be more involved than simply adopting new imagery. Once a new seal and logo are selected, the city will have to invest in replacing the badging on street signs, uniforms, vehicles and letterheads. 

DreamLarge has previously led rebranding efforts for community projects including All Faiths Food Bank, the Library Foundation for Sarasota County and The Bay Sarasota.