With the City of Bradenton Community Redevelopment Agency and 42 community partners, Realize Bradenton develops downtown Bradenton as an attractive, vibrant, and healthy community for residents, visitors, young talent, and businesses, and as a model for other cities.
Our 75+ events attract 110,000 people annually to downtown, generating $4.4M (Americans for the Arts national survey) in economic impact each year. Over 352 artists and musicians increase their income, while showcasing their talents at Realize Bradenton events.
Since 2010, ArtSlam annually engages 400 students and 25 teachers with 12,000 residents in the arts and creativity.
Project Art Connects has engaged over 75 students in three years. More than 4,000 in Blues in the Schools.
As I travel the globe talking about placemaking, I can tell you that Realize Bradenton has developed a comprehensive approach to place-centered community vitality. In a relatively short period of time, Realize Bradenton has achieved what many other places aspire to.”
— Dr. Katherine Loflin, 2014 Recipient of the International Placemaking Award
Thank you for what you do, Realize Bradenton. I love the free music concerts. I used to tell folks that we live near Sarasota. Now I proudly tell them I live in Bradenton!”
— Rudi Floyd, Resident
Realize Bradenton is the kind of community development organization that we all wish we had in our communities. It supports the efforts of the city by engaging residents, business people, and visitors in community planning activities and public events. In doing so, Realize Bradenton improves the quality of life and livability of the city.”
— Kathie Ebaugh, Principal Planner for Lee County Department of Community Development
Well, I can now argue with someone who says Bradenton is boring! I now look at my town with more ideas and new possibilities!”
— High School Student, Project Art Connects