Tampa marketing firm invites local artists to create murals

Kendra Langlie | Tuesday, August 30, 2016

As part of its 30-year anniversary celebration, HCP Associates, a Tampa-based marketing firm, is launching an Art Mural Program that aims to engage local artists using its recently renovated Port Tampa Bay offices as a mural gallery while promoting the individual artists with an aggressive PR strategy.

“We wanted something inside our newly designed space that was bigger than life and sparked thought and emotion for our clients, staff and friends,” says Eric Polins, HCP Senior Brand Strategist/Partner.

Polins says that art and artists are important to the firm. In addition to the “numerous” creative designers on staff, HCP has a collection of original art throughout the offices and works with a few dozen artists around the globe to create everything from original illustration to 3D animation for client projects. Polins has been a professional artist for over 25 years.

“We hope this program helps each artist get a shot they deserve to have their work promoted heavily,” says Polins, noting that he feels the local arts community has “low support” especially for painters. “With all the wonderful things changing and growing, we feel this is our way of promoting artists that might not get a chance to get into a gallery or have their own show. We would love to see an ‘unknown’ artist emerge from the program through our grass roots connections and traditional public relations.”

The first Call to Artists is currently open and accepting samples for consideration through the HCP website. The winner will have their 10’ x 20’ wall mural on display from October 1, 2016 until year’s end. HCP covers supply costs, food and drink and provides a $250 stipend to each artist. The firm also promises to lend their expertise in the form of an aggressive PR strategy (valued at $2,500) for each artist to help them promote the work, including a launch party prior to each mural being unveiled. The finished mural and artist will be photographed and published in an online gallery. The firm hopes to eventually produce enough content to create a coffee table book.

HCP Associates plans to have three murals per year on different subject matter. First up? “Election,” of course.

Read more articles by Kendra Langlie.

Kendra Langlie is a freelance writer and communications consultant for regional and global businesses. Though she has always been passionate about arts and culture, she spent many years in the tech and B2B corporate worlds both in the U.S. and abroad. With a degree in Economics and International Relations from The American University in Washington, DC, she considers politics her favorite sport and follows it avidly with as much humor as she can muster. Based in the Carrollwood neighborhood of Tampa, Kendra is a mother and wife, a news junkie, and lover of all things creative.