The City of Tampa, Art Programs Division oversees Lights On Tampa, the Photographer Laureate program, the cultural plan for the Riverwalk, Public Art program, Public Art in private development, Zack Street as an Avenue of the Arts and Portals.  www.tampagov.net/dept_art_programs


Big Picture Photographer Laureate Program
The Big Picture Photographer Laureate Program began in 2003. Each Year, the committee commissions an artist/photographer to explore, and photograph life and the crucial issues and events within the city of Tampa for one year. The objectives of this project are to build an archive and resource for the citizens of Tampa; to enhance city facilities with images that are reflective of the life, and character of Tampa; and build the portable works collection of the City of Tampa, Art Programs. View the galleries of artists/photographers.

Lights On Tampa
Lights On Tampa bridges Tampa’s commitment to the arts, technology, and education and offers free access to artistic excellence. It is a cultural and aesthetic event designed to engage, entertain, and educate Tampa’s visitors and diverse community. Lights On Tampa is a biennial program that puts Tampa in the spotlight by bringing contemporary artists into its urban core. Some of the installations remain permanently, some are temporary, and some live only virtually through www.lightsontampa.org. Lights On Tampa is an innovative project of the City of Tampa, Art Programs Division which debuted January 7, 2006, and returned to Tampa January 10 - February 1, 2009. The Art Programs Division of the City of Tampa is in partnership with Friends of Tampa Public Art, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization to commission the selected artists to create the installations.

Riverwalk Cultural Plan
The Riverwalk Cultural Plan recognizes that for the Riverwalk to be a destination—physically or virtually—the Riverwalk must provide a consistently pleasant, subjective, and a culturally specific experience. Hence, the plan approaches the Riverwalk as a whole and neutral palette—a basic kit of parts with a unified aesthetic. The Riverwalk Cultural Plan is built on the premise that inclusion of arts, culture, and creativity is meaningful when it reflects the values and interests of a wide range of community stakeholders.

Portals
Riverwalk Portals are pedestrian friendly, digital screens that will be placed at fixed locations along the Riverwalk. These Portals will function as a linear gallery of images and poetry and will be integrated with short educational messages about the Environment, Well-Being, and Culture. All content for the Riverwalk Portal is pushed through the lens of the arts, culture, and history.

A companion to the Riverwalk Portal is the Portal website; an internet access point—or portal—to educational content specific to the Riverwalk, City of Tampa, Tampa Bay, and beyond. It is here that more in-depth information, including links, drill-sown lesson plans, general “Did You Know?” facts, and activities will be found. Content for both the Riverwalk on-site Portal, and the Portal website will be coordinated and updated regularly.

The Public Art Program
Public Art is woven into the fabric of Tampa’s streets, parks, cityscapes, and public spaces. You can find Public Art in parks and community centers. View highlights of Tampa's Public Art Collection.

Public Art / Private Development
The Art Programs Division offers technical assistance and various resources for developers within the Central Business and Channelside Districts. For more information, please contact the Art Programs office at (813) 274-8531 or click here.

Zack Street as an Avenue of the Arts
Zack Street provides key fundamental characteristics and conditions for an Avenue of the Arts with opportunities for unique permanent and temporary Public Art identifiers. Art Programs is leading the aesthetics and design integration throughout the urban planning process. It is one of the few city-owned streets in downtown Tampa that, being on a direct axis from the cultural hub developing in the new Curtis Hixon Park to the historic Tampa Union Station, provides a vista from end to end.

Educational Resources
The Art Programs division offers many free educational tools such as lesson plans and information sheets on each artist & project are accessible through this website. Also available are mp3s of James Tokley's poems during his tenure as Poet Laureate, as well as a variety of educational videos on select public art projects.

Calls to Artists
All calls to artists will be available through the City's website, when released. However, if you are interested in applying and would like to receive the call to artists directly via email, please contact us and kindly provide your email address.