In the heart of the downtown business district, nestled in a historic building that was once known as Rutland’s Department Store, stands Florida CraftArt. As a statewide, nonprofit organization, Florida CraftArt’s mission is to grow Florida’s creative economy by engaging the community and advancing fine craft artists with their works. It’s a big mission, and the woman behind it is Chief Executive Officer Katie Deits.

“The best part of my position as CEO is feeling like I am making a difference in the lives of artists and bringing the joy of art to the community with the gallery, exhibitions, and educational programming,” she says.… Read More

Were charcuterie boards a “thing” 37 years ago? If so, they certainly weren’t served when American Stage first started producing outdoor theatre shows at Demen’s Landing Park in 1986. Back then, American Stage park shows were much smaller-scale productions, but this April, organizers expect an estimated 17,000 people – and yes, charcuterie boards. 

On April 12, Demen’s Landing will come alive for opening night of Ragtime – the Musical. It’s the St. Pete theatre company’s largest park show yet, featuring 24 actors and a nine-piece live band for a two-and-a-half-hour musical that famously tells the story of three ethnic groups surviving (and sometimes thriving, though mostly not) in New York City during the turn of the century. … Read More

Now we come upon the months of love and luck – of the Irish! We’ve got a sampling of some of the new and original art to discover in St. Pete in the new year.  

Galleries

ArtLofts: Valentwe’en 2023: Kiss of Death. 10 5th Street South, second floor. Opening reception February 11, 5-9 pm; 12-4 pm Saturdays and by appointment through February 28. Brandybstark132@gmail.com.

This marks the 8th annual holiday combining concepts of second Halloween with gothic romance. This year, the show features those sexy, powerful, and predatory paranormal creatures: vampires! The opening reception is during Second Saturday Artwalk.… Read More

It started with an angel. No, not a real angel –  a folk angel. More accurately, a folk-art angel.

Emily Kleine met Tash Elwyn at Emory University. “We had no money,” Emily recalls. “He was a cold caller for Ray Jay, and I worked for a nonprofit [Atlanta Preservation Center].” Emily was headed toward the world of historic preservation – in St. Petersburg, she’s known for her work with Preserve the ‘Burg – and Tash was still wet-behind-the-ears in the finance world (he’s still with Raymond James, now as vice president).

The one thing they knew about each other? “We liked art,” Emily said.… Read More

With just 43 seats, Studio Grand Central could be considered a little theater, but “intimate” and “engaging” are better descriptions for this unique venue, home to the Off-Central Players theater company, a “professional arts organization committed to providing instruction, development, and theatrical storytelling for St. Petersburg’s diverse community.”

The building located at 2260 1^st Avenue South was home to the Andi Matheny Acting Studio for ten years until siblings Ward Smith and Karen Riffe bought it in February 2021. The property, already complete with theater seating and lighting, had come on the market just a month before. The brother-and-sister team had been talking about the prospect of starting up a theater in downtown St.… Read More

Drive over St. Pete’s downtown district atop I-275 N, and you’ll look down on a city painted with murals, street art, and zany signage, all caressing the Sunshine City in a trendy blanket of art. But what about the neighborhoods surrounding downtown? 

The Historic Old Northeast and nearby neighborhoods are becoming more colorful every day, as murals pop up on walls and in unexpected places, such as the Northeast Water Reclamation Facility. 

Zipping by this new public art, it’s easy to forget the intricate – and sometimes goliath – works were created by people, oftentimes local. In a sea of talented artists, here’s a few whose creations you may recognize.… Read More

St. Petersburg is a city of the arts thanks, in part, to the long-term efforts of one man: Wayne Atherholt. A steady presence in the artistic circles of the state, Atherholt has worked at many of the local arts powerhouses of the area, from the Dali Museum to the Morean Arts Center. He has interacted with the Smithsonian Institute Affiliates program, and undergone accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, where he also served as a peer reviewer. And, if that is not prestigious enough, he served on the boards for the Florida Association of Museums and Foundations. 

For the past eight years, Atherholt also held the title of the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs in St.… Read More

Though sadly First Night St. Petersburg has been cancelled, there are still plenty of creative seasonal events to go around. Here is just a sampling of some artsy stuff to get the good times going during the holidays.

Galleries

Ekeko Gallery: The White Art Party, 290 Dr. M.L.K. Jr Street N. December 10 to January 6.  Opening reception is December 10, 5-9 pm. More at facebook.com/ekekogallery.

Ekeko Gallery, a local community favorite known for its stock of beautiful gemstones and Mexican art, shows that it is possible to have a white Christmas in St. Petersburg. All works in the show are based on the color white.… Read More

Chad Mize, a St. Petersburg artist known for his punchy graphics and mural work, is closing the locally renowned MIZE Gallery this December. The space will become an extension of Uptown Eats, a breakfast and brunch spot next door. In 2017, Mize opened the small space after swearing to never open another gallery again; he previously owned now shuttered St. Pete gallery Blue Lucy. 

“I just got the itch and I had too,” Mize said of his change of heart. “So, I opened MIZE. I think it turned out.”  

For five years, Mize put on one exhibit a month and invited artists, art-lovers, and anyone eager to check out local art to his gallery on M.L.K.… Read More

The first few weeks of rehearsals for American Stage’s production of The Colored Museum were joyful, full of smiles and African-style beats from the drums of Malick Faye, a Senegal-born percussionist. But the script is a dark one, full of hyperbole and racial stereotypes designed to make the audience feel uncomfortable.

George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum is made up of 11 exhibits, or skits, commenting on what it means to be Black in society. In one scene, Jemier Jenkins plays a peppy flight attendant on a “Celebrity Slaveship.” She delivers her lines so smoothly, you forget she’s demanding you tighten your shackles. … Read More