Village of the Arts

"Interesting painted houses and art installations along several blocks. Can drive by to look or easy walk. Many of the houses have open galleries. Some houses in the area are private."

"The Village of the Arts was a nice afternoon drive through all the local artists. Due to COVID-19 many stores were closed but the ones that survived were still open. The amazing artists and their products were worth the drive, especially being able to personally talk with each one. We drove through the area looking for open stores that were there and came across many that were still open and very friendly.They had an enormous amount of various items at reasonable prices. It was a good feeling to support area artists. They were all friendly and more than willing to discuss their products."

"Bradenton's Village of the Arts is a unique concoction of art galleries, studios, restaurants, and shops, and more centered in a live-work community. Over the past 20 years, pre-war bungalows have become a rainbow of lime green and electric yellow, an architectural vibrance that puts artists front and center. The Village of the Arts is not only a great place to visit but an enchanting place to reside. we met with (sorry I forgot her name), and she was so friendly, she guided us and told us how this community started and how they are going strong since the beginning. She even invited us into her home to see the painting and I was like why? She said" It’s a mix of both (Home and gallery). it’s a 1 BHK apartment, directions are there, you enter, you see the painting, and art collection in the hall, room, and common area (except kitchen & Bathroom) if you liked anything, the number is there -so cool concept. if you are visiting the Sarasota area and want to explore some out-of-the-track things, you wanna come here. Few stops you wanna check out- Frank Peter Antiques Art Junkies Birdrock Taco Shack Motorworks Brewing Forest to Finish Designs 11th Street Gallery Jerk Dog Records Parking: Street-side parking."

"Check the website to see which galleries are open before you visit!!! Extremely unique arts district. Gallery owners live inside or next to their galleries, many of them have been there for decades and have so much great knowledge of art and the local area. I really enjoyed chatting with gallery proprietors while browsing the art. Looking forward to going back for their Skeleton Celebration (Day of the Dead) when all galleries will be open."

"Such an eclectic place! We came on a day when everything was closed because we were in the area, but it was still amazing to see all of the art. I'm sure it would have been even better to go into the shops and talk to the people, as well. I honestly don't know why this doesn't have more great reviews. It's such a cool gem in a small city. If you are specifically coming for the shops, just make sure you come on the right day at the right time. I think most of them are open Thursday through Saturday from 11 to 4. Covid might also affect these hours. Either way, it is definitely worth a visit here just to see the houses and the art."