Hemmed in by the ivory monoliths of condo towers and cranes marking a steady churn of development is a time capsule of Sarasota’s creative spirit. The historic Burns Square district is known for its Mediterranean Revival architecture, brightly colored storefronts, walkable streets, a conspicuous mix of institutions—an independent cinema, a boutique hotel, an eclectic backyard-feel restaurant—and until recently, a sprawling collection of public art known as “Avenue of Art.” That vibrant visual identity received a blow last year when hundreds of sidewalk artworks were destroyed following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signing of legislation requiring municipalities to remove “non-standard” art from sidewalks, crosswalks, and intersections.

Months later, though, it’s clear that art, color and community still have a place here, even if it's not underfoot.

Nearly every day for more than four months, Sarasota artist Beck Lane—usually alongside fellow artist and friend Sam Conable, as well as a growing orbit of creatives and community members—has set up in Burns Square Park at the corner of South Orange and South Pineapple avenues, unpacking paints, prints and, of course, a shade umbrella. It’s for “Plein Air in the Square,” the grassroots movement that invites the public to witness and participate in the creative process. 

“I hate painting outdoors—I hate the easels, I hate the wind, I hate the sun,” Lane says with a laugh. Still, Lane insists she’ll keep returning day after day, continuing the area’s tradition of bringing art into the shared public space. A constant stream of residents and curious passersbys stopped to chat with her, listen or linger nearby, recalling a time where people knew their neighbors and gathered outside without an agenda. Here, the triangle-shaped enclave seemed like it was a part of a bigger city known for its street culture and public creative life. 

That atmosphere is precisely the goal behind “Plein Air in the Square.” While you can find the artists in Burns Square every day, the group gathers on Saturdays for a more concentrated meet-up beyond the canvas. The events blend open-air painting, spontaneous pop-up performances and casual community interaction that feels both nostalgic and progressive, especially in the digital age.

The initiative began after Denise Kowal, founder of the longrunning Sarasota Chalk Festival (of which the Avenue of Art was a part) and owner of the Herald Square Building that anchors Burns Square, commissioned Lane for a mural. Once the piece was complete, Kowal and her partner, Bill Baranowski, chief operations officer of the chalk festival, encouraged her to keep coming back. 

Now, Lane, Conable and friends are “reclaiming space for creativity and connection.” It’s their belief that art, especially in an era becoming increasingly saturated with AI-generated content, should be experienced “in real time, in community, where people can engage with it directly,” says Lane. 

“When John Ringling was stirring things up here,” Conable points out, “you had this weird mix of people coming in, all these circus bungalows and Italian Renaissance stuff. It was a really cool thing that was blending together. We want to try and hang on to it as much as possible.”

Conable, who’s lived here since “any place beyond Beneva Road was the boonies,” has seen a lot of changes since he first arrived. Decades ago, he was deciding between moving to California or going to Ringling. “I walked out onto Siesta Beach—it was the most gorgeous beach I’d ever seen in my life—and there was no one there. I fell in love with the place,” he recalls. “At the time, [Sarasota] was considered the cultural jewel of Florida, with the circus being here and the opera and Van Wezel. For me, it totally fit. My first apartment was a $375 two bedroom apartment right on the beach”. At the time, nightlife thrived with an array of venues that nurtured a bustling live music scene. Since then, things have shifted. “Condos were built, people didn’t want noise around. Things got quieter, there was less music, less creation. We’re fighting back against that,” Conable says. 

The public’s response to the revival has been interesting in unexpected ways. “It’s been more spiritual than, ‘Oh, I like the art,’” Conable says. “People are saying it makes sense, that they’re somehow comforted by it in a more existential way.” 

That reaction seems natural in Burns Square, a mecca for artists and enthusiasts around the world. The Chalk Festival has drawn hundreds of thousands of people since its birth in 2007, and have landmark murals from the “Going Vertical” initiative, which welcomed work by artists from Brazil, Israel, Mexico, France, and beyond. Businesses like 502 Gallery provide plentiful opportunities for appreciating the works of local Southwest Florida artists as well as established figures with ties to Sarasota. 

Lane, Conable, Kowal and their collaborators hope these informal gatherings will foster collaboration, idea-sharing, and artistic exchange—with all sorts of unexpected and imaginative features. Pop-up performances—what Kowal calls “intermezzos”—have become a regular occurrence. One day a poet may suddenly appear on a balcony to read a few verses; on another, a flutist might emerge to set the atmosphere with a delicate melody. 

“Our goal is to create moments,” Kowal says. “Last weekend a girl came to read poetry and ended up wearing a fish mask. It’s all very spontaneous.” Over the years, larger-than-life costumes and art pieces have been created for the chalk festival, and Kowal hints there may be a re-emergence of these surreal works as part of the Plein Air in the Square events. A number of surrounding businesses are participating, as well, as are neighbors.

 “We have our own baker, Stephanie, who comes every weekend,” says Lane. “She comes down here of her own free will to give away the most delicious baked goods for free. She’ll sit out here for a while, enjoy talking to people, and when she gets tired of that she’ll get up and walk around and give cookies to everyone in the neighborhood.”

For the organizers, it’s a kind of renaissance—one that’s perfectly at home in an area inspired by the romantic, Old World movement that developer Owen Burns and society architect Dwight James Baum sought to recreate on our coast. It’s also a way to connect people across cultures and generations and bring the spirit of Avenue of Art back to its former home.