St. Petersburg’s SHINE Mural Festival returns November 7-14, 2020 with a special edition of SHINE – Sea Walls: St. Petersburg.
In these unprecedented times, the SHINE Festival is adapting to meet the challenges that St. Petersburg and many cities around the globe are facing. Now, more than ever, we recognize the critical need to nurture the arts, celebrate our connection to the environment and use art as a unifying force.
Our sixth annual SHINE Mural Festival will expand our partnership with PangeaSeed Foundation’s Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans program to present Sea Walls: St. Petersburg.
This year’s artist lineup will focus entirely on Florida-based artists with an emphasis on Tampa Bay muralists, who are the backbone of SHINE and make St. Petersburg pulse all year long. Invited artists will be announced in September.
Building on last year’s collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), all 10 new murals will explore the interconnectedness of human health and environmental health as we navigate an ongoing global pandemic. The economic and social devastation experienced worldwide is juxtaposed with cleaner air, clearer waters and newfound focus on the importance of human and animal interaction.
As a coastal city, climate change and sea level rise are ongoing threats to the well-being of St. Petersburg. Beach tourism is an important part of the area’s economy and issues of storm surge, plastic pollutants, clean drinking water, harmful algae blooms and sustainable fisheries are important community education topics. Intersectionality – environmental justice for our most vulnerable communities – will be a focal point of this year’s event.
Other highlights of Sea Walls: St. Petersburg include virtual events and a “Bright Spot” mural collaborating with local youth to educate and inspire.
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