by Illsol and New Roots Art Collective
2020 mural located at Crab Devil, 3800 N Nebraska Avenue.
This collaborative work celebrates the cultural vibrancy of Tampa's Nebraska Avenue arts district, blending Afro-Futurism, African traditions, and contemporary illustration.
"Cultural Currency" mural by Illsol (Michelle Sawyer & Tony Krol) and New Roots Art Collective (Melvin Halsey Jr., Jaurice Moore, Ron Simmons, and Briauna Walker).
by James Vann
2011 mural series at Tampa Police Department District III, 22nd Street and E. 31st Avenue.
Reflections of East Tampa steps into East Tampa's vibrant history through James Vann's bold Neo-Cubist murals that celebrate the community's cultural heritage. Created through extensive neighborhood research and collaboration, these six connected works honor the people, traditions and institutions that shaped East Tampa—from bustling Central Avenue businesses to the Black foot patrol officers who served Tampa in the 1940s and '50s. Vann's distinctive style of bright colors and geometric shapes transforms this public space into a gallery of community pride, inviting visitors to discover the stories embedded in every panel.
James Vann's mural celebrates East Tampa's rich musical heritage with bold geometric figures and vibrant colors.
Vann depicts the heart of Central Avenue's business district, where Black-owned establishments like pharmacies, beauty salons, groceries and insurance offices formed the economic backbone of East Tampa's community.
by Mike Parker
2016 installation at Perry Harvey Sr. Park, 1000 E Harrison St.
Leadership takes on many forms. Some are forceful and dominant, while others work behind the scenes and offer quiet support and encouragement. Regardless of style, the substance is the same. Motivating, prodding, assisting, nurturing, and even financing the dreams and aspirations of single individuals and whole communities, the men and women featured here provided both a bedrock foundation to build upon and boundless success to strive toward. Each one left their mark on the city and on the lives of those they inspired. Earth walls, sandblasted and stained concrete, hand plasma cut aluminum tell the story of the most influential individuals in the community through images and a Sanborn map. Representations on the wall include: Georgette Gardner, Henry Joyner, Christina Meacham, Moses White, Robert Saunders, Lee Davis, and Garfield Rogers
"Leaders Row" by Mike Parker at Perry Harvey Sr. Park
By Ya La'Ford
2020 mural at R.I.C.H. House, Robles Park, 3305 N Avon Ave
"Reflection" by Ya La'ford adorns the R.I.C.H. House at Robles Park, created through Mayor Jane Castor's Art on the Block initiative to bring art directly into Tampa's neighborhoods. Working collaboratively with youth who attend the R.I.C.H. House, La'ford guided students through the process of designing and creating this mural featuring her signature geometric style with bold white lines forming an intricate circular pattern against a dark background. A first-generation American with Jamaican roots, La'ford uses geometric shapes like circles, triangles, and spirals to represent unity, change, and growth, reinforcing themes of success, self-worth, love, hope, and connection.
"Reflection" by Ya La'ford at the R.I.C.H. House, Robles Park.
by Pep Rally, Inc and Edgar Sanchez Cumbas
Bob Buckhorn River Center at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, 402 W. Laurel St., Tampa, FL 33607.
This striking mixed-media installation honors Roberts City, a historically Black Tampa neighborhood that once flourished along the Hillsborough River. Artists Pep Rally, Inc. and Edgar Sanchez Cumbas layer photographs, text and symbols to tell both documented histories and the immeasurable stories that records alone cannot capture.
The collaged panels reference Phillips Field, medical practices and daily life, representing the "countable" facts of census data alongside the "uncountable" richness of cultural traditions and human connections. The artwork makes visible a community whose legacy remains essential to Tampa's story.
The Countable and Uncountable Stories of Roberts City by Pep Rally, Inc. and Edgar Sanchez Cumbas