As a local, watching the SHINE public art murals go up around the city is one of the most exciting things you can see. Watching the artistic process, and getting to hear international artists talk about their work is a treat for local communities.
What is SHINE?
For the fifth year in a row, SHINE brings local and international artists to St. Petersburg to adorn outside walls of city businesses and recreation areas. SHINE started in 2015 by local community members, and every fall since then has curated a selection of artists to paint murals throughout the city. St. Petersburg has long been an arts and cultural destination, with its many art and history museums. SHINE rounds that out by bringing colorful art to public spaces throughout the city that are accessible to all.
What’s in store for SHINE 2019?
For 2019, SHINE has commissioned pieces by 17 artists to participate in the event, and they got to work this past Saturday, despite a storm system that moved in late Friday. New and notable for 2019 is a mural specially designed for the North Shore Pier by artist Cecilia Lueza. Encouraging community participation, volunteers are invited to paint the design alongside Lueza throughout the week. Something new added to the mix this year includes a partnership with PangeaSeed Foundation Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans, an international non-profit public art project that brings oceans into streets around the world to raise awareness of environmental issues. The partnership includes the largest mural going up along the Pinellas Trail, a collaboration between St. Petersburg locals, Vitale Brothers with Blaine Fontana and Plastic Birdie, both hailing from Portland, Oregon, the mural will highlight the unique aspects of Tampa Bay/s marine life and can be seen at 301 20th St. S.
What’s the best way to see the murals?
While you can drive to each wall, there are more eco-friendly ways to get your mural fix. As you can see on the map, a good amount of this year’s murals going up are clustered in certain areas. Riding a bike along the Pinellas trail is a great way to see the public art, and you can offshoot onto the side streets. Walking will take a bit longer, but this is also a great way to visit the sites. While you can create your own mural tour, there are also paid bike tours with knowledgeable guides, they often stop by past murals and speak to artist inspiration and the history of art in St. Petersburg.
Get out there!
Artists will be painting all week, October 19th-26th with a grand finale event at The Factory from 2 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 26th. Make sure to get out and see the mural progress! A comprehensive list of artists, events, and mural locations can be found in the SHINE magazine. Not only is St. Petersburg lucky to be host to such an exciting project, but events like SHINE help to stimulate the local economy and bring communities together through art.