ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Thirteen muralists will spread out across St. Petersburg from Nov. 6 through Nov. 15 as the SHINE Mural Festival returns for its 12th year.
The festival is produced by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, and since 2015 it has left close to 200 murals across downtown and the nearby arts districts. Organizers bill it as a way to turn the city’s walls and streets into an open-air gallery.
This year’s lineup mixes five artists from the Tampa Bay area with painters from across the country and overseas, including one from the United Kingdom and two Italian-born artists, one now living in Charlotte and one in Miami.
The painting happens in daylight at each artist’s assigned wall, and visitors are welcome to walk up and talk with them. Sites include the Skyline Building at 2600 Dr. MLK Jr. Street N., Parc Center for Disabilities at 3190 Tyrone Blvd. N., and The Factory St. Pete at 2606 Fairfield Avenue S.
A free opening reception runs Thursday, Nov. 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the FloridaRAMA Impact Gallery. The closing reception is Saturday, Nov. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Morean Arts Center, paired with its annual holiday show and sale.
Other walls this year include Harbor Hall at USF St. Petersburg, 1000 3rd Street S., and the Duncan McClellan Gallery at 2342 Emerson Avenue S. The visiting painters include an artist from Durham, England, who manages a mural festival back home, and a muralist based in San Antonio, Texas.
People who want to pick up a brush can join a community-painted piece, the Happy Mural Project, open Nov. 6 through Nov. 8 in free time slots that require registration. No painting experience is needed.
SHINE also says it was the first mural festival in the world to offer an accessible audio tour, and its walking-tour app covers more than 185 city murals. Property owners in the city can apply to host a future SHINE wall, while artists take part by invitation only.
Section: More St. Petersburg FL events news
Filed under: St. Petersburg FL Events News
