New College welcomes inquiries from outside groups interested in renting our campus and its facilities for public or private events. In addition to weddings and other social occasions, we provide an ideal venue for conferences, meetings, concerts and educational convocations, especially during the summer when the College is not in session.  Five new "green" residence halls are available from June 1 through August 1.

Planning an Event

For social occasions and events, please contact Jeff Thomas, Director of Campus Space Scheduling at css@ncf.edu or contact him at (941) 487-4665.

For conferences and educational convocations, please email Greg Hite, College Events and Conferences Coordinator, at events@ncf.edu or call him at (941) 487-4155.

Refer to the links at right for information about hotels, activities and amenities in the greater Sarasota-Bradenton area for your out-of-town guests or conference attendees.

Campus Description

The College is situated on a beautiful 110-acre campus in northern Sarasota County, just two miles from the heart of one of America’s most admired small cities and within minutes of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.  We are located in the emerging University district, an area of higher education, culture and arts that includes New College of Florida, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, the Florida State University Ringling Center for the Cultural Arts and the Ringling School of Art and Design, along with area businesses and property owners.

Our beautiful bayfront, with its natural foliage and historic mansions facing Sarasota Bay, is a popular location for weddings, fundraisers, art fairs, receptions, dinners, cocktail parties and dances. Large tents can be accommodated on the expansive lawn. The elegant, early 20th century College Hall is the former home of circus magnate Charles Ringling.  It offers a gracious fireplaced living room with curving wrought-iron staircase, enclosed portico overlooking the bay and wood-paneled music room with high, fresco-timbered ceilings, burnished wood floor and grand piano.  College Hall can be blended seamlessly into the outdoors, and is generally available on weekends throughout the academic year, as well as throughout the summer months.

For meetings, concerts, lectures and convocations, we have two popular spaces.  On the East Campus is the Harry Sudakoff Lecture and Conference Center, whose 400-seat auditorium can be subdivided into meeting rooms for groups of 50 to 400.  This is a great space for fairs and exhibits, a well as cabaret-style concerts.

Located on Bay Shore Road just south of the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the modern Caples Fine Arts Complex is a quadrangle of five buildings arranged around a picturesque courtyard. The 260-seat Mildred F. Sainer Art & Music Pavilion is ideal for small theatrical and musical performances (a grand piano is available), as well as lectures and panel discussions.  Receptions can be held in the lobby, in the nearby Isermann Gallery or outdoors in the PepsiCo Arcade and Forum, which can accommodate outdoor receptions with plenty of space for large serving tables, a bar and cabaret tables under the covered arches forming a square around the courtyard.

In addition, there are smaller classrooms and auditoriums located on campus that may be available for meetings and lectures.