No Result
View All Result
Tampa Magazine
  • Local Knowledge
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Tampa Culture
  • ADVERTISE
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ABOUT
  • PURCHASE A COPY
  • DIGITAL ISSUES
  • EMAIL NEWSLETTERS
  • CONTACT US
  • SHOP
  • MY ACCOUNT
    • Your Membership
    • Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Login / Logout
Tampa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Tampa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
The 2018 Gasparilla Festival of the Arts

The Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Turns 50

The story behind Tampa's "Little Art Show That Could"

Molly Urnek by Molly Urnek
September 26, 2019
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Tampa’s Gasparilla Festival of the Arts was not always the prestigious outdoor art festival we know it to be today. In a previous iteration, the highly accredited, avant garde (sometimes risqué) juried art exhibition sat between the cows, cactuses and corndogs of the Florida State Fair, stunning families and causing controversy among fairgoers.

Complaints led the art to be shunned to a private room. The exhibition eventually left, and the fair’s art exhibit became a mere display of high schoolers’ artwork.

Dreaming of a bustling city rich with culture, a group of downtown Tampa businesspeople concocted the idea of a sidewalk art festival in 1970, incorporating not only the informality of the previous exhibit but also the architecture of a growing city.

In 1971, their idea came to life as the Gasparilla Sidewalk Art Festival (nicknamed “The Little Art Show That Could”), now known as the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. It offered $3,900 in prize money to the best artist and hosted Pierre Apraxine, then assistant curator of painting and sculpture at New York’s Museum of Modern Art as a juror, whose reputation would put the festival on the map for years to come.

“The point of it is to bring fine art to the masses, and some of the greatest artists in the country exhibit in Tampa,” says Jennifer Malin, a member of the festival’s board of directors.

Each year the festival selects one piece of art to use on all of its marketing materials, including the annual poster. An exhibit showcasing all of the festival’s posters will be on display at the Tampa Bay History Center from January 22 to March 29, 2020.

Since 1971, the festival has attracted hundreds of thousands of people from across the nation to see highly talented artists vie for the $15,000 Raymond James Best of Show Award and an additional $59,500 in prize money. The festival is all volunteer-run, and the proceeds all go back to the artists. Each year, the festival’s board and committee selects an image from a pool of artists’ submissions as the official image of the festival to appear on promotional items.

“Though it’s moved around a bit, gotten larger and is all volunteer-run, we have a well-oiled machine that keeps this festival alive,” says Patt Fosnaught, who has worked for the festival for the past 28 years.

The Gasparilla Festival of the Arts will celebrate its 50th anniversary on the grass of Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park on February 29 and March 1, 2020, with juror Paul Galloway from New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

“It’s the major art extravaganza each year in Tampa, and it adds to our city’s celebration and appreciation of the arts,” says Fosnaught.

Tags: art festivalart showavante gardeCurtis Hixoncurtis hixon waterfront parkdowntown tampagasparillaGasperilla sidewalk festivaljulian b. lane riverfront parkTampa art
Next Post
Made in Tampa: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea

Made in Tampa: Joffrey's Coffee & Tea

INSTAGRAM

🍷 It’s wine o’ clock somewhere. Check out t 🍷 It’s wine o’ clock somewhere. Check out these 6 amazing places to meet for a glass of vino at the link in bio.
Exercising on the Riverwalk > Exercising on the Riverwalk >
Tampa is stocked with unique thrift stores to brin Tampa is stocked with unique thrift stores to bring new life into your homes and closets for less. Check out our list of 11 thrift shops to explore at the link in bio.
Thank you tblightning for a spectacular season! Thank you tblightning for a spectacular season!
It’s Pride Weekend 🌈 It’s Pride Weekend 🌈
A new waterfront luxury tower is coming to marinap A new waterfront luxury tower is coming to marinapointetampa 🏙 tell us in the comments how you feel about Tampa’s growth/development.
Who makes the best burgers in Tampa Bay? Over 11,0 Who makes the best burgers in Tampa Bay? Over 11,000 of you voted. See the 2022 winners at the link in bio. (Pictured: tntburgertampa’s Covid-19 Vaccine Burger, Best Local Burger Winner)
⚡️Game 4 tonight. Where are you watching? Link ⚡️Game 4 tonight. Where are you watching? Link in bio to our list of 11 spots to catch the Stanley Cup Final on the big screen. (📷: irish31pub)
No doubt, we are grateful to have the Viniks in Ta No doubt, we are grateful to have the Viniks in Tampa. #GoBolts ⚡️ Last year we featured Penny Vinik on the cover of our Art & Philanthropy issue, photographed at Tampa Museum of Art. It’s that time of year again to reserve your ad space and get to give away a free space to the charity of your choice! Email info@TampaMagazines.com for details. 💙
#BOLTSNATION ⚡️ y’all ready for game 2 tomor #BOLTSNATION ⚡️ y’all ready for game 2 tomorrow? Where are you going for your #StanleyCup final watch party? We’ve got recommendations via the link in our bio 🏆
Load More... Follow on Instagram

  • Local Knowledge
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Tampa Culture
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Purchase a Copy
  • Digital Issues
  • Email Newsletters
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2018 Tampa Magazine. All rights reserved. Part of the Tampa Magazines Network.

No Result
View All Result
  • Tampa Culture
  • Food and Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Local Knowledge
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Purchase a Copy
  • Shop
  • Digital Issues
  • Email Newsletters
  • Contact
  • MY ACCOUNT
    • Your Membership
    • Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Login / Logout

© 2018 Tampa Magazine. All rights reserved. Part of the Tampa Magazines Network.