by Dawn Kitterman
BRADENTON — Bradenton's Village of the Arts (VOTA) became another victim of a new state law targeting the removal of all "asphalt art" on roads, sidewalks, and crosswalks. The local art community was awakened before dawn on Tuesday to the sight of their sidewalk murals being pressure-washed by city officials without prior notice.
It’s happening in communities across the state as the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis issued written notices to local governments warning that refusal to take action to remove asphalt artworks would result in the withholding of state funds.
VOTA is a unique artist’s colony that is home to an eclectic mix of art studios, galleries, shops, cafes and restaurants, healing and wellness spaces, a record store, and the Motorworks Brewery.
Established in 1999 by the Artists Guild of Manatee County, VOTA spans from 9th Avenue West to 17th Avenue West between 9th Street West and 14th Street West. The live/work community was born through an artful and vibrant restoration of once-neglected century-old cottages.
On Wednesday, a Village of the Arts Facebook post read in part, “This morning, with tears in my eyes, I watched them wash away Frida Kahlo, Skeleton Fest, Our Lady of Guadalupe, A Celtic Cross, The Great Goddess, and more from my home and my gallery. And I’m sure every one of you felt the same way when they came to your street and house, too.”
Zoe Von Averkamp, owner of VOTA’s Divine Excess Folk Art Gallery, authored the message. Through her words, she encouraged fellow artists and VOTA residents to come together in the face of adversity and to remember the value of art and creativity to a community.
“We have been dealt a big blow along with other communities, but we are Artists, and we must continue to create what is in our artistic hearts and souls. Artists have always made the world a more beautiful place, be it a big place or a little place like us,” Von Averkamp wrote. “The best thing we can do is… Make More Art!”
A City of Bradenton worker is seen removing the art from the sidewalk in front of the Divine Excess Folk Art Gallery in the Village of the Arts in downtown Bradenton.
Photo via VOTA Facebook page/by Zoe Von Averkamp
The removal of artwork from roadways, crosswalks, and sidewalks across the state follows an FDOT update to its Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The update includes a prohibition on "non-uniform traffic control devices, such as pavement markings on state and local roads."
The updated policies follow the signing of a new state law, Senate Bill 1662, by Gov. DeSantis in June. The legislation instructs local governments to adhere to FDOT's statewide policies and traffic design standards.
In June, FDOT issued a memorandum stating that the updated policies are for “the safety of the traveling public,” and that local governments must comply with the FDOT policies as required by state law.
The memo advised, “Examples of non-compliant surface pavement would include any pavement markings that do not meet the color, shape, or dimensions provided in the MUTCD or FDOT Standard Plans; including elements such as bicycle symbols, crosswalk marking, or other pavement surface art that is associated with social, political, or ideological messages or images and does not serve the purpose of traffic control.”
Last week, FDOT followed up on its initial memo, demanding that local governments that had not taken action to comply with the initial order must do so, or risk penalties. The City of Bradenton was one of the municipalities to receive a notice of noncompliance.
The notice, dated Aug. 21, included a list of locations within the city where “pavement markings” were required to be removed by Sept. 4—all of them in VOTA.
The notice further advised that should the city fail to remove the artwork, FDOT would remove it “without further notice,” and the costs of the removal would be assessed against the city.
“Please note,” FDOT warned, “the Department (FDOT) will pursue withholding of state funds as permitted by law should the City of Bradenton reverse course and decide not to comply.” On Tuesday, August 26, at approximately 5:30 a.m., residents of VOTA were awakened by the sound of the city’s compliance.
Alyssa Santiago shared photos she captured of the scene on the Village Connectors Facebook group.
In an accompanying post, Santiago wrote, “All of that noise you're hearing... It's the city removing ART that has been on these sidewalks for years. History. Talent. Beauty. Erased.”
City of Bradenton workers removing artwork from the Village of the Arts on Aug. 26, 2025.
Photo courtesy of Alyssa Santiago
Santiago moved to VOTA in 2023 and is a member of the Artists Guild of Manatee County. Speaking by phone, she told TBT that the lack of notice from the city before workers began the removals added insult to injury.
“To my knowledge, no one in the village knew this was about to happen,” Santiago said. “I’m on the Guild, I receive copies of all official email communications, I didn’t know this was coming until I woke up, saw it, and realized what was happening.”
Santiago explained that if VOTA residents had received a heads-up from the city before it removed the art, the community would have prepared, and efforts could have been taken by those who wished to preserve the artwork by photo to do so before it was destroyed forever.
Following the morning’s events, village artists and community members shared their heartbreak and frustration in a group email chain—a portion of that email thread was shared with TBT.
Bonni Brown, one of VOTA’s original pioneers, recalled the art colony’s humble beginnings and urged its residents to remain positive and creative.
“Those of us who were there at the dawn of the Village of the Arts faced blocks of run-down houses, dull colors, and a neighborhood of ‘blah.’ Together, and individually, we reimagined a vibrant future. Houses were repainted in bright colors, a variety of art started appearing on lawns, and a positive, infectious attitude began to spread. Gradually, this run-down section of town established itself as a place of joy and wonder. It took a commitment of hard work and creativity, something artists possess in abundance,” she wrote.
"This outrageous attack on art has nothing to do with art. It's a power play. Don't let them diminish your power... Make more beautiful art and display it proudly on your property so it can be loved and shared with all who live and visit here.”
Brown purchased her small cottage in 1999, where she opened a bakery, Bonni Bakes. After 16 years, Brown closed her bakery, but she still owns the cottage, which is now the Arte Cafe.
Roughly twelve hours after VOTA was awakened by city workers removing the art from their sidewalks, the City of Bradenton issued a statement on social media about the FDOT directive.
“While these changes are necessary to protect critical funding that benefits our entire community, they do not take away from the character and creativity that make Bradenton unique. The City remains committed to supporting a vibrant, welcoming Bradenton, and we will continue working with residents, businesses, and artists to highlight our community spirit in safe and lasting ways,” it said.
VOTA restaurateur and chef, Dave Shiplett, says he was “shocked” to see the sidewalk art removed. Shiplett owns Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen and is the presiding President of the Artists Guild of Manatee.
He told TBT that, after some initial tension over a decade ago, the city and VOTA came to an understanding about the community’s vision and artistic expressions, including those along village sidewalks.
Shiplett believes that VOTA’s galleries, shops, restaurants, and ArtWalks have positively impacted tourism, but he also recognizes the importance of the visually artistic atmosphere that makes VOTA unique.
“The village needs public art for its very survival,” Shiplett explained. “If you walk through our Village, it shouldn’t look like any other neighborhood. This is who we are.”
“I’m disappointed that we got sucked up into a political storm that we never asked for,” he added. “Decades, and zero politics have ever found their way onto our sidewalks, until now.”
Shiplett said he thinks the mandated removal of art requires a collective response, “An utter explosion of every art we are capable of producing, and then we can point back to this time in our history and say that we took a bad situation and turned it into inspiration.”
“Ground to Dust”
Less than 15 miles south of the Village of the Arts, the Historic Burns Court arts and culture district in the City of Sarasota also saw local officials come to erase their community’s public art.
The Avenue of Art was introduced in 2021, supported by the City of Sarasota, in commemoration of the county's 100th anniversary, while also serving as a pandemic-safe alternative to the Sarasota Chalk Festival.
An art installation, funded primarily by a combination of local government grants and the reallocation of Chalk Festival funding, featured 300 murals created by 240 artists from 20 countries. These murals told the stories of Sarasota’s rich cultural history through beautiful designs—and now they are being erased by order of FDOT.
The Chalk Festival’s Facebook page has been chronicling the erasure of the artwork through daily posts, announcing the total number of pieces removed and providing photos and background information on the artwork, artists, and inspiration.
On Friday, August 22, the social media page shared a post announcing that the process of sand-blasting the treasured artwork by city officials had begun.
“Without any notice, the first 19 stunning murals painted in 2021 have been removed,” the Chalk Festival shared. “Starting with Emma Booker by Lori A. Escalera—erased. Ground to dust.”
City of Sarasota Communications General Manager Jan Thornburg said in a statement to the Observer that artwork on pavement or sidewalks within the city was being removed “in order to comply with FDOT’s revised pavement art policy.”
"FDOT’s June 20, 2025, memo clearly states that non-compliance shall be cause for withholding state funds. The City is not in a position to jeopardize state funding," Thornburg said.
Sarasota artist Truman Adams created five of the Burn’s Court sidewalk murals, and just last year, he personally restored and retouched about 20 Avenue of Art pieces completed by other artists.
Reached by phone, Adams shared skepticism of FDOT’s claims that the art needed to be removed for safety reasons.
“Art makes the streets safer and the community stronger. The Bloomberg studies prove that. Taking art away doesn’t protect anyone—it just takes away culture, expression, and connection,” he said.
Adams was referring to a 2022 Bloomberg Philanthropies study that found a 50% drop in pedestrian and cyclist crashes, a 37% reduction in injury-causing crashes, and a 27% increase in drivers yielding to pedestrians when art was incorporated into asphalt sites.
A graduate of Sarasota’s Ringling College of Art and Design, Truman Adams knows a bit about art—and Sarasota. He has amassed a decades-long career through the commissions of fine art, portraits, and murals locally and has participated in every Sarasota Chalk Festival since 2009.
“This is about fear, not safety,” said Adams. “All destruction is, at its root, hatred of oneself. The pendulum will swing back from destruction to creation again.”
Truman Adams' mural "Amphitrite"—created in 2024—was the first of Sarasota’s The Florida Legacy Arts Mural Series.
City of Sarasota/sarasotafl.gov
Statewide Initiative
Numerous other local governments across Florida are being forced to destroy public art pieces under FDOT's demand. In many instances, the art was approved for installation by the local officials. Here is a non-exhaustive list:
The City of Gainesville removed the rainbow crosswalks it approved in 2019.
The City of St. Petersburg announced that five street murals it approved would be removed under order of FDOT, including one celebrating Black History.
FDOT ordered the City of Jacksonville to remove six murals in its crosswalks and pavement.
In the City of Tampa, 47 city-approved art pieces are scheduled for removal, including a “Back the Blue” mural.
In Daytona Beach, city officials painted over their iconic checkered-flag crosswalks outside Daytona International Speedway.
Officials in the City of Sebring were forced to remove decorative art throughout its downtown that was added as part of beautification efforts last year, as a chosen city for HGTV’s Hometown Takeover.
The City of Largo announced that a crosswalk mural, a gift to the community from a local artist in 2024, would be removed.
In Miami, Delray, and Key West, officials have so far stalled the forced removal of their street and sidewalk art, hoping to find options for appealing the order or to be granted an exception.
After the City of Fort Lauderdale announced that it would fight FDOT’s order to remove a rainbow pride flag and three other street murals in its community, the state issued a letter listing seven more art pieces that city officials are required to remove.
Pensacola officials asked FDOT to remove the "Black Lives Matter" street mural in their community, citing limited resources and too tight a deadline to comply with the order.
A community memorial in Port St. Lucie in honor of local high school student Jessica Clinton, who died from an undiagnosed heart condition, was removed by city officials following FDOT orders.
Two Lake Nona fourth graders who won a Florida Department of Transportation art contest in May will see their artwork—which was painted in bike lanes outside their school as the contest prize—removed by order of FDOT.
Elsewhere in Orlando, a memorial outside of the Pulse Nightclub—the site of a 2016 mass shooting—was painted over by the FDOT in the cover of night.
During a press conference in Orange County last week, DeSantis told reporters, “The legislature passed a change in law recently, which said there’s no street art allowed, and the Department of Transportation put out guidance recently, a couple months ago, reminding everybody.”
The governor added that the updated FDOT standards were being applied statewide, and that no particular issue or type of art was being targeted unfairly, but that all asphalt art was being ordered removed “uniformly throughout the state.”
“I think the street art got out of hand,” he added. “I think it’s much better that we use crosswalks and streets for their intended purpose.”
Using left/right arrows, toggle through the gallery below to view artwork that was removed from the Village of the Arts' sidewalks. These photos were sourced from the VOTA website, social media accounts, and residents.
Dawn Kitterman is a staff reporter and investigative journalist for The Bradenton Times, covering local government news. She can be reached at dawn.kitterman@thebradentontimes.com.
David Daniels
This is yet another attack on home rule. Please, do we not have a single elected representative that will stand up and fight? Where is State Senator Jim Boyd, Mayor Brown? Give in to a bully and they will keep bullying.
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
lib224
The not so free state of Florida. Thanks, Republicans.
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
Cat L
Desantis defunded art statewide, so this is unfortunately not a shock. This administration is adversarial to creative and smart people. F the FDOT for this incredibly disrespectful set of actions. (That's not home rule, but maybe that's the point.)
Can't help but notice there was 0 pushback from Sarasota or Manatee counties on this. Sarasota used to be known for art, but what they've been doing over recent years has driven artists away. Manatee county looks less able or willing to protect it's artists, as well.
Unconscionable.
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
kmskepton
Fascists remove art. Chicken-**** fascists do it under the guise of “safety.”
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
jimandlope
Who is Senator Boyd? Never seem to hear from him on much of anything especially any “home rule” issues. The, “destruction of VOTA is unconscionable but so is, “Alligator Alcatraz,” detention center for Haitians and on and on. Where did DeSantis come from? He doesn’t care about anyone who dances to a different beat. He destroyed years of hard work, a unique community and people’s visions all because he wants a population that resembles only him.. Jim Tierney
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
rayfusco68
The voters in the State are the only ones that can change things. If our currently elected State Senators and Representatives are not following the will of the people they need to be voted out. If you don't stand up and vote them out then you are part of the problem. I can see no reason why sidewalk art is a traffic problem and it is a real stretch to call street art an issue also. Perhaps some guidelines for street art, not just draconian removal and threats.
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
gwtenery
Shades of 1930's Nazi obliterating any art not deemed ... Aryan? Remember history ...
Response to Right-Wing whitewashing of culture ... outlawing Freedom of Speech ... Freedom of Expression?
Make Art ... then ... Make more Art ... then ... Make Art that makes Autocrats unnerved ...
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
Ladyred4Justice
This is Fascism.
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
nellmcphillips
So what about my grandchildren’s sidewalk chalk? This is absolutely ridiculous.
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
chrisluvspoodles
This is what terrified me about the proposal to take over the Ringling Museum by New College. Would we find dumpsters filled with “woke” art in the morning that had been collected in the dark of night? They did it with the books at the school.
Sunday, August 31, 2025 Report this
Lktinsanfran
This measure is beyond infuriating. It is exactly like the Krystallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) in Germany. The Nazis destroyed Jewish-owned stores, businesses and synagogues. DeSantis starts by erasing public art under the ruse of sidewalk safety. What a bunch of BS. Wake up people! DeSantis and his fellow henchman, Trump, want to homogenize America into a white, "christian-right," country by erradicating anyone who is different than them and what they believe in. We have to stop this tyranny. They have already censored books, eliminated DEI, stopped teaching black history, persecuted anyone not straight or white and now they are erasing art. This regime want to destroy our freedom so that only fat, rich, white, oligarchs are in power. Don't believe it? Just look at the majority of politicians in office.
Monday, September 1, 2025 Report this
klmsinc
Hate to tell you this but that wonderful picture that says Arts Not A Crime, well, you are correct but where you placed it is. A mailbox is Federal Property, and we all know it if you bothered to read the stipulations of installing a mailbox. Hard but true.
Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Report this
Ladyred4Justice
For the person stating the art on the mailbox is not legal--that is incorrect. Yes, after installation the box is considered Federal Property and covers vandalism and theft from said property. However it only needs to meet the Federal requirements for size and placement. Have you not seen all the mailboxes with flags? or Rainbows? Or Unicorns? Maybe one that is a huge cement manatee, dolphin, or lion? The home owner is responsible for maintaining the mailbox. The artist's statement is correct and legal. Art Is NOT a Crime.
Friday, September 5, 2025 Report this