#BeTheOne THE RINGLING & THE 2018 GIVING CHALLENGE

The Ringling is proud to participate once again in the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Giving Challenge—a 24-hour online event supporting over 625 nonprofits serving Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. The 2018 theme, “Be the One,” is inspired by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s belief that each one of us has the potential to impact a person, a cause, a community.

This year, The Ringling’s iconic sculpture of David will be getting a lot of attention. David has stood in his current position overlooking the Museum of Art Courtyard for close to 90 years. Through the Giving Challenge, the Museum aims to raise $25,000 to support the conservation of the nearly 17-foot-high bronze cast of the classical work by Michelangelo. Every dollar raised through the 2018 Giving Challenge will go towards the conservation process.

“David is cast in bronze, which is a durable material, but susceptible to deterioration in the form of corrosion, particularly when displayed in an outdoor environment,” said Barbara Ramsay, chief conservator. “In the salt-laden air of Sarasota, with both plentiful rainfall and sunshine, the protective coatings applied to the bronze to prolong its life gradually wear off. The metal is then eaten away and the surface becomes pitted, mottled, and discolored.”

Through an intensive conservation treatment process carried out on site, the degraded coatings are removed, along with the accumulation of corrosion products, salt, grime, and biological deposits. New protective coatings will then be applied to the entire surface. This effort will help to ensure preservation of the bronze and restore David’s original appearance for all to enjoy.

The 2018 Giving Challenge takes place May 1-2, 2018. Again this year, The Patterson Foundation will match all new gifts up to $100 1:1. This allows each and every person to #BeTheOne and make a difference through their philanthropy.

In 2016, The Ringling successfully raised over $34,000 through the Giving Challenge to support the restoration of the stunning early 18th-century Italian oil painting, The Watermelon Regatta. The beloved painting is still undergoing major conservation treatment in The Ringling’s Conservation Laboratory.