Mayor Bob Buckhorn officially proclaims the entire month of March as Gasparilla Arts Month in Tampa.
It all kicks off the first weekend of the month with the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts March 2 – 3 featuring traditional fine arts, such as ceramics, glass, pottery, jewelry, sculpture and photography, and two brand new, non-traditional mediums showcasing a different side of the arts.
Exploring Pirates
"PIRACY REDUX: Re-examining the Myth of the Buccanneer," looks at the contemporary vs. traditional idea of the pirate. A diverse group of artists will interpret and re-contextualize the idea of piracy in our local culture, whether it be in the traditional sense or the more modern piracy of copyrighted information.
The pod installation will feature art, video, dance and music in Kiley Gardens through the Sunday. The installation is presented by
The Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts and curated by
TEMPUS PROJECTS and
Hampton Arts Management.
"It’s a new venue for art in Tampa, a cultural middle ground," says Tracy Midulla Reller, creative director for TEMPUS PROJECTS.
Kiting Tampa Bay
Kites will also be flying high, along with miniature kite displays featuring aerial photography produced by rigs attached to kites that take photographs while in mid-air. If the weather is right, a 252-square-foot kite will make an appearance.
The project is organized by
Kiting Tampa Bay, a club with more than 50 members across the region who will also be on hand with information about kiting.
"Our goal is to share our passion for kiting with others," says Kelly Nunes, co-founder of Kiting Tampa Bay.
Kiting Tampa Bay was founded in October of 2011 with the motto "Just Friends Flying Kites." They chose the arts festival for a kite display because of the two organizations’ mutual goal of supporting children’s cancer charities.
Other Arts Events
Additional arts events in Tampa during the month of March include:
The
Gasparilla Music Festival the weekend of March 9. This year's bands include Best Coast, Dr. Dog, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Dawes, Lord Huron, Ozomatli, The Meter Men with special guest Page McConnell, The Iguanas, Applebutter Express, Ozokidz, The Hip Abduction, Nervous Turkey and more.
The
Gasparilla International Film Festival the week of March 19-24. Film showings take place in downtown, South Tampa and Ybor City.
Details about all the events can be found on the websites for the
Arts Council of Hilsborough County and
Visit Tampa Bay.
Writer:
Megan Hendricks
Sources: Kelly Nunes, Kiting Tampa Bay, Tracy Midulla Reller, TEMPUS PROJECTS
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.