West Tampa signal box art reflects community’s history, culture, creativity

In West Tampa, eight traffic signal boxes once overlooked as dull city infrastructure have been transformed into public art thanks to a project led by the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).

For CRA Arts and Cultural Project Coordinator Cory Robinson, the initiative is about more than aesthetics; it’s about community identity.

“The Tampa CRA is a community-driven agency focused on eliminating slum and blight in designated areas of the city,” Robinson explains. “But beyond the physical transformation, we’re also uplifting culture and creativity, giving artists visibility, and bringing residents joy in their daily lives.”

A community idea takes shape

West Tampa CRA  Community Advisory Committee member Sandy Sanchez was the spark who suggested the signal box art initiative and helped shape it as a member of the art selection committee for the project.

The CRA launched a community survey in August 2024 to gather input on how the artwork could represent West Tampa’s rich history and culture. Following delays from back-to-back hurricanes that strained many Tampa neighborhoods, the signal box art wraps were completed a year later in August 2025.

The results: eight signal boxes covered in vibrant, original designs created by eight Tampa-based artists.

“This project was designed with community at its heart,” Robinson says. “We received 29 applications and selected eight artists. Every artist was local. Supporting and compensating artists is essential. Each one received a $1,000 stipend. It wasn’t just visibility; it was meaningful financial support.”

Artists at the intersection of place and identity

The selection process reflected the collaborative spirit behind the project. A committee of community members, city representatives, and arts experts reviewed applications, assigned themes, and chose final designs.

For artist Mishou Sanchez, the theme was personal: women of West Tampa and the area’s historic architecture.

“I put a lot of thought into capturing the quiet strength of women of color from diverse backgrounds, and people have really connected with that intention,” Sanchez notes. “One deliberate choice I made was orienting all the women to face right. Traditionally in art, that symbolizes looking toward the future. I wanted that cue: forward-looking, hopeful, strong.”

Her connection to West Tampa made the project even more meaningful. 

“It’s a huge honor anytime I get to create public art in my own hometown,” she says. “Tampa has transformed so much in the past 10–15 years, and to see its uniqueness celebrated, it fills me with pride.” 

Her signal box installation is at N Boulevard and Green Street.

Multidisciplinary artist Markanthony R. Little says the project aligned with his philosophy that art should be embedded in everyday spaces.

“The idea of transforming something as everyday as a traffic signal box into a piece of art felt natural,” he says. “Public art like this is accessible to everyone. It helps change neighborhoods into more inspiring spaces.”

Little chose “historic architecture of West Tampa” as his theme. His design drew from West Tampa’s architectural story: brick buildings, cigar factories, and corner businesses that anchor the community

“Those details tell the story of the city,” explains Little, whose box is located on Willow Avenue and Main Street.

Range of voices and styles

Each artist approached the project through their own unique lens, and that was the point. Diversity of voices, subjects, and styles turned the signal boxes into a mosaic of community identity.

Veteran artist Michael J. O’Connell brought decades of experience with similar wrap art installations across Florida. 

“I try to keep my designs neutral so everyone can relate to them,” he says. “Anytime you get an opportunity to show your work in public, it’s a great opportunity. It can lead to other things. I’ve even talked with my hometown in upstate New York about starting a similar program.”

His signal box at N Boulevard and Main Street represents the drum major/marching band theme and more than a century of performances at community parades, cultural celebrations, and civic events.

Meanwhile, Hannah Lorra, a public muralist who grew up in West Tampa, brought attention to the underrepresented history of Tampa Bay’s Indigenous people with her artwork at Willow Avenue and Cypress Street.

“My theme was the Indigenous peoples of Tampa Bay,” Lorra says. “We often only see them represented by their crafts or tools, but I wanted to depict a portrait of an actual Indigenous woman to bring more humanity into their history.”

She says it’s been deeply rewarding to see her art become part of the community identity in the neighborhood where she grew up. As a public mural artist, she says it’s also exciting to see Tampa’s CRA fund the project.

“Hopefully, this is just the beginning,” Lorra says.

Building community through public art

The public feedback on the signal art project has been overwhelmingly positive. Some residents stopped to tell Robinson and the artists that the art brought them pride. Others messaged the artists that the designs brightened their daily commute.

“Wrapping these signal boxes not only brightens the community landscape but also fosters joy, pride, and a stronger sense of place,” Robinson reflects. “That’s the value of arts, making neighborhoods feel more alive, more connected.”

Similar projects are being considered in Tampa’s other CRA districts, though it would require coordination with county or state agencies for the boxes they own.

Looking ahead

For now, the eight boxes in West Tampa are a testament to what happens when city agencies, community members, and artists collaborate. What began as one resident’s idea blossomed into accessible, impactful public art.

Sanchez sums up what’s at the heart of the effort. 

“To contribute to this narrative feels meaningful,” she says. “It’s about honoring history, identity, and community in a way that faces forward – toward the future Tampa we’re all building together.”

For more information, go to Tampa CRA Facebook