Citizens to Protect the Ringling
The State of Florida's Official Art Museum
Dear Ringling Patrons, FSU Alums, Locals and Visitors,
As former Board Chairs, Trustees and Donors of The Ringling Museum, we are writing you, our fellow citizens, about the Governor’s proposal to allow New College to take over The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art. It is clearly a waste of taxpayer resources to disrupt a proven Florida State University-Ringling partnership that has delivered significant benefits to our students, state and local community.
The Ringling has enjoyed a marvelous 25-year partnership under FSU’s excellent and supportive stewardship. FSU has provided infrastructure, resources, expertise, programs and masters and PhD level student programing to The Ringling. FSU has benefitted from its association with the Museum’s nationally recognized collections, educational programming and Gulf Coast footprint. Each has enhanced the reputation of the other. A takeover by an institution that lacks FSU’s resources, infrastructure, experience, expertise, academic programing and strategic plan would significantly harm The Ringling and FSU.
The Ringling Museum estate contains 66 acres of land. The property includes Ca' d 'Zan (the Ringling mansion), the Museum of Art, the Circus Museum, the Historic Asolo Theater, Bayfront Gardens, and other buildings and grounds. The Museum has been recognized as one of the top six art museums in the United States for visitor experience and one of the most visited museums in the US. The strong arts community and history of Sarasota/Manatee drive tourism and the historic Ringling is the Crown Jewel of a rapidly growing Gulf Coast.
While the physical proximity of New College to The Ringling may seem convenient, the proposal would negatively impact Taxpayers, The Ringling and FSU in the following ways:
Risk to Taxpayer Dollars
The cost of transferring the stewardship, to an institution, much smaller than either FSU or The Ringling and without the resources, infrastructure, expertise and plan will be costly to our community and the State. This change could bring protracted lawsuits by donors or others.
Risk to Collection, Assets, and Local Economy
- Potential sale of post-1936 art collection and buildings.
- Disruptions to programs, performances and professional curatorial level exhibitions.
- Absence plan for maintaining standards, certifications and its national museum accreditation.
- Disruption to donor relationships. Key donors are signaling an end to contributions and others plan to remove The Ringling from their wills.
- Risk to future acquisitions and donations.
Loss of Academic & Professional Integration
- The Ringling enhances FSU’s stature as a world class university with its integrated programing.
- FSU students pursuing advanced degrees in arts administration, museum studies, and museum education gain invaluable hands-on experience through The Ringling.
- The unique partnership between the Asolo Theatre, Conservancy, and FSU Theatre Department creates distinctive educational opportunities unavailable at New College.
Jeopardy to Facility Preservation and Management
- New College cannot match FSU’s facilities management capabilities required for the Museum – an institution both larger and more complex than New College itself.
- FSU preservation experts and architects provide an ongoing invaluable resource to the historic and partially restored Ca' d 'Zan, and the Museum. New College has no such experts.
- Annual review of the Hazardous and Comprehensive Facilities Assessment Reports by professionals at FSU and The Ringling staff is required to deal with the complexity of the Museum’s buildings and grounds. New College does not have the staff, expertise nor infrastructure to assume this role.
Imperiled Emergency Response
- FSU's rapid emergency and recovery team prevented damage to the buildings and collections in the aftermath of the 2024 hurricanes. As an example, FSU provided an emergency chiller in just 24 hours preventing catastrophic mold damage to the collection and facilities.
- New College lacks the expertise, staff or a facilities network to handle such a crisis.
These are just a few of the concerns we want to share about this proposal. The Ringling and FSU have spent 25 years building a thriving, productive, mutually beneficial relationship, cultivating donors, collections and awareness of our two incredible organizations globally.
We are asking the citizens of and visitors to Sarasota to help by becoming involved and also calling representatives in the Florida Legislature requesting their support of this thriving FSU-Ringling synergistic collaboration.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Former Chairs of the Ringling Museum of Art Foundation
Mr. Warren R. Colbert, Sr.
Mr. Jeffrey Hotchkiss
Mrs. Dorothy Chao Jenkins
Mrs. Nancy J. Parrish
Mr. Michael E. Urette
Mrs. Carolyn Johnson
Former Board Members and Donors
(list in formation)
Mr. Robert “Bob” Blalock
Mr. Andrew Economos
Mr. Charlie Huisking
Ms. Margaret A. Rolando
Mr. Edward Swan
Mr. And Mrs. Phillip Kotler
Dr. Sarah H. Pappas
Dr. Frances D. Fergusson
