Progress Pride flag on display at City Hall through May 14

Visitors to Sarasota’s downtown might notice the brightly colored flag flying at City Hall this week through May 14.

At its May 1 regular meeting, the Sarasota City Commission unanimously approved a request to fly the Progress Pride flag at City Hall from Shannon Fortner, president and founder of the Fabulous Arts Foundation. 

The city has flown the progress flag or pride flag for 13 years, City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch explained to the City Commission. “It’s a continuation of something we have been doing.”

The Fabulous Arts Foundation is a local nonprofit, whose mission is to foster “the arts as a catalyst for social change and to heal, while amplifying LGBTQ+ people,” according to the organization’s website.

Artist Daniel Quasar created the Progress Pride flag in 2018, combining the 1978 traditional pride flag with the transgender pride flag. The chevron design on the progress flag represents the need for forward progress.

The flag’s display at City Hall is intended to coincide with the Fabulous Arts Foundation’s hosting of its annual Pride: Be Fabulous Music & Arts Fest on Saturday, May 13 at the Fogartyville Center, 525 Kumquat Court.