News Art and Cultural Affairs

Tampa Convention Center
Unveils Three New Works of Public ArtThe award-winning Tampa Convention Center, already renowned for its beauty, elegance, and waterfront location, is now three times more gorgeous thanks to three new public art pieces…

Tampa’s AAPI Film Celebration Returns to Ybor CityThe City of Tampa Mayor’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Advisory Council will host Tampa’s 2nd Annual Asian Film Screening on Sunday, October 19…

On what would have been the 95th birthday of singer, songwriter, and pianist Ray Charles, Tampa unveiled a new historical marker honoring the music legends of Central Avenue, the street where Charles once played and found his voice.The marker, made…

2025 Miss Asia Pacific Pageant and Singing Idol Contest Set for SaturdayThe City of Tampa Mayor’s Asian American Pacific Islander Advisory Council is proud to host the 2025 Miss Asia Pacific Scholarship Pageant…

Tampa Parks and Recreation is set to officially open another fully inclusive and sensory-friendly playground, funded by the City of Tampa and approved by the Tampa City Council.The New Tampa All Abilities Playground, located at 17302 Commerce…

2025 Miss Asia Pacific Pageant and Singing Idol Contest Set for May 3The City of Tampa Mayor’s Asian American Pacific Islander Advisory Council is proud to host the 2025 Miss Asia Pacific Scholarship Pageant…

The Tampa Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Festival is back, bringing a day of authentic flavors and dynamic performances to the heart of downtown. The community event, set for March 22, 2025, from 12 pm to 7 pm at Curtis…

The City of Tampa is excited to unveil the newest addition to its extensive public art collection that dates back to the late 1800’s. Located outside City Center at Hanna Avenue, the new towering sculpture is a visual metaphor of dreams coming to…

A nationally-recognized artist has completed a mural at the Wayne C. Papy Athletic Center honoring the young athletes that attend the center, its renowned gymnastics program, and the diverse community it serves.Naomi Haverland was commissioned by…

"Lights on Tampa," a program of the City of Tampa, Division of Arts & Cultural Affairs, was presented as a self-guided tour of the new & existing works of public art in the downtown core. Music, dance, and other cultural programming took…

The City of Tampa is partnering with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful to invite a dozen local artists to create works of art on storm drain concrete tops at Robles Park in Tampa. The artists' designs will focus on the "Only Rain Down the Drain" educational…

The newly opened City Center at Hanna Avenue is proud to announce a “Meet the Artist” event featuring Nneka Jones, the artist behind the Tampa-inspired piece on display inside the center lobby. Jones spent months teaching the skill of embroidery to…

City of Tampa Kicking Off Soulwalk Community Cookbook   The City of Tampa is announcing its latest Soulwalk initiative, the Soulwalk Community Cookbook, with a launch event and call for recipes. The city is seeking community…

The City of Tampa and Mayor Jane Castor invite the public to view a new art exhibit, Shine A Light Youth Art Contest, produced by the Tampa Jewish Community Centers & Federation.

This exhibit, on display now in the lobby of the…

Mayor Jane Castor and the Department of Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management will be honoring the 2023 3R’s Art & Poetry Contest winners. 

A ceremony will be held at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park on Wednesday, April…

City of Tampa Conducting Nationwide Search for Artists For City Center at Hanna Avenue   The City of Tampa has issued a nationwide call for artists to create an engaging, impactful sculpture for the City Center at Hanna…

 Mayor Jane Castor will celebrate National Walk to School Day by announcing Grady Elementary School as the newest location of her Crosswalks to Classrooms program.

The Mayor will join walk-to-school organization…

Today, Mayor Jane Castor, City of Tampa staff and neighborhood leaders will celebrate the creation of a new mural at the Gwen Miller Community Center, created by award-winning local artist and activist, Nneka Jones. The mural, "History Starts Here…

Honors to Mothers of the World now on display at her new location, the Children's Board of Hillsborough County.
Now at Children's Board of Hillsborough County

Date: Thursday, May 5, 2022 (TODAY)
Time:…

In an effort to practice safe social distancing we will be holding a media availability via Facebook Live at 4:30 pm today.   WHO: Mayor Jane Castor and:   Marggie Nichols, CPA, the Altura Group Monica Martino Angel,…

             Robin Nigh City of Tampa, Arts & Cultural Affairs Manager, Robin Nigh, was recently named one of the top 25 creative revolutionaries that lead the way for positive change by CODAworx, the hub…

On Friday, November 20, the Mayor’s Hispanic Advisory Council will present 260 copies of Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist to Hillsborough County School District officials.  The event will occur at…

What: Old City Hall, Downtown Bridges and the Tampa Riverwalk will be lit up in teal for cervical cancer awareness.
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021
Time: Sunset, approximately 5:36 p.m. The…

The City of Tampa is showing its support for afterschool programs by proclaiming Oct. 28 "Lights On Afterschool Day".

Lights on Afterschool is a national event being celebrated this year on October 28, 2021, when local…

In honor of National Poetry Month, the City of Tampa Wordsmith, Gianna Russo, is launching a city-wide community project through a poetry challenge. Russo is seeking poems about our fair city, Tampa, otherwise known as T-Town, the Big Guava,…

Mayor Jane Castor, along with Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, will be dedicating the most recent installment of Art on the Block program, a mural at the R.I.C.H House at Robles Park. Local artist Ya Levy La’Ford, who was commissioned to create the…

On Saturday and Sunday, October 3rd and 4th, from 9 am to noon, two new Crosswalks to Classrooms murals will be painted at Edison and Dale Mabry Elementary Schools (weather permitting).  Artist Jay Giroux of the READ…

In celebration of the City of Tampa’s fifth Crosswalks to Classrooms project at Broward Elementary School, on Friday, September 19th at 11 am, Mayor Jane Castor and Jacobs, a local engineering consulting firm, will distribute children’s…

Mayor Castor Appoints Gianna Russo as Wordsmith TAMPA, FL (September 11, 2020) Mayor Jane Castor has appointed the City’s first Wordsmith, local writer and educator, Gianna Russo. As part of the Art on the Block program, an initiative by…

Get creative with the written word and participate in Haiku from Home, a new project developed by local poet and educator, Gianna Russo, and launched by our Division of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Write a haiku about a distinct moment…

As part of Mayor Castor’s commitment to Vision Zero and transforming Tampa’s tomorrow, the City of Tampa will unveil our fifth Crosswalks to Classrooms project at Broward Elementary Monday, August 31 at 7:30 a.m., enlivening the crosswalk at…

On Friday, August 21st from 9 am to noon, a new Crosswalks to Classrooms project will be painted at Broward Elementary School (weather permitting).  Artist Jay Giroux of READ will paint a crosswalk mural featuring designs from popular…

Original artist, Matt May, will be installing new artwork that features the athletes that attend the New Tampa Community Center. The artwork is a complement to his original installation of large-scale photographic transparencies featured in the…

The City of Tampa has commissioned local artists to paint five intersections throughout the City, all on Saturday, June 27th, with the intent of unity and inclusiveness.  To date, more than a dozen street murals have been painted in the City of…

The City is Tampa is launching a pilot public messaging campaign reminding people to practice social distancing in high-density public pedestrian right-of-ways. The messages will reflect the stay calm, stay kind, and stay safe …