Art News

Take a picture, it’ll last longer

Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast invites photographers of all ages and experience levels to enter their original work in Conservation Foundation’s annual Summer Photo Contest. In its second year, the exhibition will be entirely virtual with website and Facebook displays. Works submitted should showcase Florida’s natural lands and reflect one of four categories: The Big Picture, A Way of Life, Wild and Wondrous, and Attention to Detail. There is also a Youth Perspective category specifically for photographers age 15 and under. Up to three photographs may be submitted per person and must be received via email no later than midnight on May 31. Prizes will be awarded to category winners as selected by the jury as well as People’s Choice winners determined by popular vote on Facebook. For details, entry rules and submission forms visit www.conservationfoundation.com/ photocontest.

The Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete is exhibiting highlights from its photography collection for an exhibition called From Margins to Mainstays. This exhibition features artists whose careers and personal lives were sidelined, ignored, or impacted by their gender, race, sexuality, or nationality. From Margins to Mainstays illustrates how photography has changed since the medium first began being shown in museums in the 1940s, with particular emphasis on rectifying the small percentage of women and artists of color historically acquired by and displayed in public collections. Artists include Berenice Abbott, Lotte Jacobi, Carrie Mae Weems, Lee Miller, Cornelius Marion Battey, James Van Der Zee, and Manuel Álvarez Bravo. On display now through Sept. 26.

Starry, starry night

Don’t miss A Starry Night at The Dalí, a fundraising evening under the stars sponsored by Publix Supermarkets Charities. Enjoy exclusive after-hours access to the Van Gogh Alive special exhibition, tarot card readings, music, and a complimentary Van Gogh Vodka craft cocktail. Light fare from Café Gala will be available for purchase. The museum store will be open from 7-8pm during the event. Proceeds will support The Dalí’s nonprofit mission. Date: Sunday, May 23, 7-10pm Cost: $80 general public, $70 members. Tickets are limited to meet COVID safety standards, and masks are required inside. For more information see www.thedali.org/ event/a-starry-night-at-the-dali-5-23-2021/.

Follow that artist!

Interested in learning more about the artists you love? Artnet, a great source for the latest news about the events, trends, and people that shape the global art market, introduces Artist Alerts. The free tool delivers customized email updates of new works by all your favorite artists available in galleries, auction houses, or online sales, along with artworks that have recently been added to the Artnet Price Database. For more information and to sign up click to www.artnet.com/help/artist-alerts.

Pop-Up performance

American Stage returns to in-person performances with Pop-Up! Performances: “Uncaged” presented at The Factory St. Pete’s outdoor venue, 2622 Fairfield Ave. S, May 14-16 at 7pm. It’s an evening of songs, scenes, and sketch comedy celebrating the art of laughter. The company is implementing several health and safety guidelines to ensure the well-being of audience members, staff, and artists. These include socially distanced seating, mandatory mask-wearing, cashless transactions, and touchless entry. Tickets, available online at www.americanstage.org/ popup/. $30 general lawn admission, $24 members. Bring blankets and chairs, food and beverages, but no alcohol.

Celebrate what would have been Sterling “Mr. Satan” Magee’s 85th birthday at 7-10pm on Thursday, May 20 at the Village Courtyard stage in Gulfport. Sir Rod and the Blues Doctors, with frontman and Magee’s nephew Rod Patterson, will rock the house along with Adam Gussow, who played with Magee in a band they called “Satan and Adam.”

Voices of the Community

The Straz presents Voices of the Community, virtual town hall meetings, the third Thursday of each month through June, at 8pm. Each free meeting is held on Facebook Live and features different presenters and themes, with the consistent goal of amplifying Black voices. Voices of the Community provides a safe space for sharing stories and experiences, cultivating relationships, and highlighting topics or pieces of art created by or about Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color (BIPOC) or groups. The goal is to educate those who want to more fully understand Black lives and the contributions of the Black community and other less-heard minority groups.

Thursday, May 27: Dance, Dance, Dance

Artists and experts, representing a broad range of the African American tapestry of dance in the Tampa Bay area, will discuss how the art form helped define the communal and cultural richness of our communities of color.

Thursday, June 24: TBD

For more information and to participate go to www.facebook.com/StrazCenter.

Tampa Bay is known for cultural diversity and local raw talent. The first annual Vibe Fest 2021 plans to showcase some of this talent to raise the visibility of the urban entertainment community. Vibe Fest will feature jazz, R&B, spoken word, and hip hop performances. The event will also celebrate the release of the Afrodisiac music compilation titled “Afrodisiac Vol.1 SoulXperience,” conceived by event founders DJ Royce and Dwayne “SoulHop” Golson. Featured performers: Marlon Boone, Yoshi, C-Renā, Malcolm Lang, Nasja Monè, Jus Henry, and Telicia Da Poet Special performances: Cienna Alida, Jroc Jones, and Vallery Valentine Date: May 8, 9pm - 1am Location: Avalon Event Space, 10051 W Hillsborough Ave. For more information and to purchase tickets see www.eventcreate.com/ e/vibefest2021

Notes on (summer) camp

The Morean Arts Center is hosting Summer Art & Clay Camps for kids ages 5-16. The weekly camps run June 14 - August 6 with art camp taking place at the Morean Arts Center (719 Central Ave.) and clay at the Morean Center for Clay (420 22nd St. S). The weekly cost for ages 5-10 is $220. Teen camps offer even more mediums! Photo, glass, and metalsmith camps are $350; digital drawing, clay, yarn, and animation are $250. Members receive a 15% discount on all camps. For more information and to register call 727-822-7872 ext. 2121 or click to www.moreanartscenter.org/ summer-camp-2021. Unleash your inner artist at the Museum of Fine Arts! This July, the MFA is hosting three summer camps: two week-long art and science camps for grades 1-5 and one week-long art and empowerment workshop for female students in grades 6-9. Join us as we explore the world through art! Each summer camp and workshop is $190 for members; $250 for not-yet-members. Scholarships are available from Creative Pinellas (www.creativepinellas.org/ gotosummercamp). July 12-16: Art & Archaeology Grades 1-5 July 19-23: Art & Nature Grades 1-5

July 26-30: Wild Creations: Art & Empowerment Workshop

Grades 6-9, identify as female

Learn more and register at www.mfastpete. org/programs/youth-programs. Space is limited, so register now.

Powerstories Theatre is launching the

Voices of Youth Theatre Festival July

16-August 1. The inaugural festival will feature 10 youth playwrights live or online and a virtual showcase of shorter original works. Powerstories is reaching out to 8- to 18-year-olds for original plays, scenes, monologues, spoken word, songs, and dance with original music, to be performed in the theater at 2105 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. Guests can attend masked, socially distanced productions in the theater or purchase tickets to watch live streams at home.

Requirements: ● For plays: the writer’s original story, either a full production with a minimal set or a staged reading ● For virtual showcase: shorter works of the writer’s original scene, monologue, spoken word, song, or dance with original music. Cost: $10 per submission. Scholarships are available. Deadline for submission: May 15 Learn more and register at www.powerstories.com/ voices-of-youth-theatre-festival.

Broadway is back! The Straz Center for the Performing Arts

is bringing Broadway back for the 20212022 Bank of America Broadway at The Straz season, sponsored in part by the Tampa Bay Times. Health and safety information is changing rapidly, so measures that are in place now could look very different in the fall. The Straz will always consult with its partners at Tampa General to refine health protocols, and, if necessary, continue implementing safety measures for staff and guests like health screening, temperature checks, and mask-wearing. Current season ticket holders will receive renewal invoices and must renew by May 28 to guarantee their seats. Prices for the eight-show season package range from $215 to $739.05. For more information, call the Straz Center Ticket Sales Office at 813-229-7827 or visit www.strazcenter.org. Individual show tickets will go on sale at a later date(s), to be announced.

The 2021-2022 season features: Tootsie Oct. 26-31 Cats Dec. 7-12

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Jan. 11-16, 2022 The Prom Feb. 15-20, 2022 Disney’s Frozen March 23-April 3, 2022 My Fair Lady April 26-May 1, 2022 The Band’s Visit May 4-8, 2022

Pretty Woman: The Musical

May 17-22, 2022