Bradenton is removing street art, including in Village of the Arts. Here’s why
The City of Bradenton has begun removing art on public roads and sidewalks to comply with a state order amid the threat of lost funding.
City officials said they received notice from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on Aug. 21 that certain artwork on sidewalks and streets must be removed by Sept. 4. If they did not meet that deadline, they could have missed out on millions of dollars in state funding, Bradenton leaders say.
The removal includes artwork along sidewalks in the Village of the Arts and other paintings on the streets of downtown Bradenton. The Village of the Arts is a special district within the city that has specific regulations to promote public art.
“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’s Facebook post stated. “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.”
City Administrator Rob Perry said FDOT provided a list of specific areas where the city needed to remove art. If the city refused, he said FDOT would have sent crews to remove the art and charge the city for the removal.
Bradenton begins removing public street art
At the Bradenton City Council’s Wednesday meeting, Mayor Gene Brown admitted the city could have pushed the information to the public more efficiently, but emphasized the city faced consequences if it didn’t act quickly.
“It did not matter if we did it or not, the state was going to remove it at great penalty to us,” Brown said. “We had to get going to get it done so we did not lose federal and state funding.”
The city received over $8 million in state appropriations from the 2025 legislative session, all of which could have been at risk if the city did not comply.
“FDOT has informed the City that failure to comply with this directive could place state and federal funding at risk,” the city’s Facebook post stated.
Councilwoman Jayne Kocher said, while residents might be upset about the move, she understood the need.
“As a past member of the public art committee, my heart is very heavy to see the art being taken off the roads right now,” Kocher said. “Unfortunate feelings aside, we don’t have any choice, and we are committed to following the law. The bottom line is we had to follow the law whether we like it or not.”
Brown added that he hopes the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency can work with the Village of the Arts to incorporate restoring some pieces on private property like driveways during an art festival next year.
Residents react to street art removal
Comments on social media showed residents’ frustrations about the decision to remove public art.
“This is kind of late notice since removal has already been attempted in The Village of the Arts,” one person commented. “The erasure of art and storytelling puts us on the wrong side of history. Why not ask for exemption in arts districts. Most of the painting in question is on sidewalks not streets or crosswalks.”
“This is downright disrespectful to the citizens,” another person wrote. “I can see crosswalks for safety but as someone mentioned, this isn’t about safety.”
Another commenter was frustrated with how the city went about removing some of the art, claiming the city began loud work at 5:45 a.m. without any notice.
Others commented in favor of the removal or against people concerned about the issue.
“These are town and state roads and sidewalks. What if you don’t like what someone else puts up? I think if people want to do something, do it on private property. Problem solved,” one comment said.
“I am an artist too. However, I wouldn’t expect my work to endure on a surface that doesn’t belong to me,” another person said.
Removal follows order from Florida officials
The City of Bradenton is not the only target of FDOT’s directive to remove street art.
In June, FDOT issued a statewide memo titled “Traffic Control Device Compliance on All Public Roads.” The memo stated that pavement markings that do not meet shape and color guidelines of existing FDOT standards would be found in non-compliance and would need to be immediately removed.
The memo said non-standard road markings could lead to “distractions or misunderstandings” that jeopardize driver and pedestrian safety. Examples include “pavement surface art that is associated with social, political or ideological messages or images and does not serve the purpose of traffic control,” the memo stated.
“This memorandum showcases Florida’s proactive steps to ensure that all transportation traffic control devices and pavement marking are installed for traffic control purposes and the safety of the traveling public,” the memo continued.
FDOT also said in the memo that failure to comply would be cause for withholding state funds.
St. Petersburg is also removing street art per FDOT order, like the “Black History Matters” mural outside of the city’s Woodson African American Museum. St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said in a Facebook post that the city pursued exemptions, but the FDOT denied the request.
The state also removed a rainbow crosswalk outside of Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, which was the scene of one of the deadliest mass shootings in the country’s history.
