St. Petersburg Arts Alliance Launches Community Tours Murals in Mind - Pride in the Arts
St. Petersburg, Florida, (June 21, 2023) – The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance (SPAA) is launching a series of self-guided public tours of murals across the city to promote its new community art and wellness initiative, Murals in Mind. The tours kick off with Pride in the Arts, a suggested tour of a selection of SHINE murals and accompanying recorded performances and stories that promote community inclusiveness. Tour participants are invited to visit each public mural and scan a PixelStix marker with any smartphone to view recordings by community artists.
“The Murals in Mind initiative is designed to provide unrestricted public access to art accompanied by recorded performances focused on community wellness, beauty, and inclusion. These murals are meant to offer an experience that leaves the participant feeling inspired, uplifted and hopeful. While this is not a replacement for therapy, it is therapeutic in nature and thoughtfully delivered by performing artists that match the inspired images by the muralists themselves,” says Terry Marks, SPAA CEO.
The SPAA Pride in the Arts tour includes a visit to four must-see St. Petersburg murals, starting with Nowness is the Portal at 3000 Central Ave. and Pride & Love at 2437 Central Ave., continuing to Rooted in Community at 1000 3rd St. S. and culminating with Love Shines at 330 Beach Dr. NE along the 2023 Pride Parade route. Recorded performances and stories are accessed on any smartphone.
1. Nowness is the Portal by illustrator Miss Crit (Laura Spencer), featuring a performance by the Studio@620 founder Bob Devin Jones and a poem by Anastasia Wirick, is located at the Absolutely Beautiful Flowers building at 3000 Central Ave.
2. Pride & Love by Jay Hoff and Chad Mize with the assistance of 27 gay, transgender and non- binary teens from Metro Inclusive Health, featuring an interview with partners John Huls and Jay Hoff, is located in the Grand Central neighborhood at 2437 Central Ave.
3. Rooted in Community by Break Maiden graphic designer Kenny Coil and business partner Marc Berenguer, featuring interviews with community members by Your Real Stories, is located at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg Harbor Hall at 1000 3rd St. S.
4. Love Shines by Ya La’Ford with a poem by Helen Pruitt Wallace, is located on the Smith & Associates Real Estate building at 330 Beach Dr. NE.
Murals in Mind shifts negative perceptions and offers hope and help for day-to-day living. This 24/7 accessible gallery is a public and daily reminder that there is hope, help, and resources to provide a shiftin thinking, feeling and action. To learn more, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/580602110639954
SPAA’s Mission
The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance is the umbrella organization serving this vital arts and cultural community. We do so by driving arts-related economic development and funding, advocating for art and artists, educating at all levels and facilitating the growth of our City of the Arts.
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