Art is about to hit the streets. Quite literally, in fact. And a group in Tampa is hoping its gallery will enhance art and business in a Tampa retail district.
The
Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts (TBBCA) is hosting the third annual
Chalk Walk art festival from March 18-20 in Tampa's
Hyde Park Village. To augment the event, the TBBCA is fashioning a gallery from a village storefront to showcase the art of artists participating in the Chalk Walk festival. The gallery is currently open and will remain open until April 2.
Christina Campbell, TBBCA's general manager, says the event and the gallery are part of the group's mission to enhance business and art through cooperative partnership.
"We firmly believe that art is good for business and business is good for the arts," says Campbell. "Individuals can not only stroll in and out of the gallery looking at the beautiful works, but also see the space that is available."
Campbell says the gallery is a win-win for artists and commercial realtors.
The Chalk Walk artists that participate in the gallery make 100 percent on their sales. The donated retail space from Hyde Park Village not only helps the artists by providing them the perfect opportunity to display their works but to also make and save some money. The gallery space benefits Hyde Park Village because it activates and shows the space in a different light, full of exciting and engaging images. While people walk through the gallery space they are also able to see the type and size of some of the spaces available for retail.
Campbell says the gallery idea seems to be working. "Last year's gallery location is now occupied by a business."
Writer:
Missy KavanaughSource: Christina Campbell, Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts
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