In St. Petersburg for the first time!

presenters include: becky flanders | april childers | robert neff | ellen mueller | michelle malott | raina benoit | tom wagner | kathy gustafson hilton

Come join us at studio 620 in St Petersburg at the studio@620 | 620 1st ave S, St Petersburg
7:00 doors, 8:20 presentations, $5 at the door, cash bar

Pronounced (“peh chak cha”) is the Japanese word for “chit-chat.” It is also a blend open mike, happy hour and forum for new ideas. Designers, adovocates and overall creative people are given 20 slides shown for 20 seconds a piece. Originated in Japan, Pecha Kucha has spread virally over 260 cities around the world. follow us on facebook.

Start Time: 7:00 PM
Date: 2010-01-15
More information: http://pecha-kucha.org/night/tampa/4

Full story in the St. Petersburg Times

Part of me didn’t want to comment on this subject. Part of me was content to just let it slip away and sit back while the rest told their side of things. One day, my grandchildren would gather at my feet and I would ramble on about how “Grandpa used to be a musician.” But, recently, my friend and die-hard local music supporter, Julie Garisto, interviewed me via e-mail for a piece she’s working on for the Soundcheck blog about the past 10 years in the local music scene. And answering her questions got me thinking about the past decade — how I entered the scene around 1998 and fell in love with it — and about my time as a musician, promoter and all-around local music supporter. Golly, I even won a Best of the Bay award from Creative Loafing in 2003 for “Best Local Cheerleader for the Music Scene,” an award that I’m still hoping was tongue-in-cheek.

Full story: http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2009/12/17/the-decade-in-local-music/

2009 was a tiptop year for theatre in the Tampa Bay area. Here’s the cream of the crop:
http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2009/12/27/the-best-of-2009-in-theater-the-years-top-10-productions/

            “Bio-diverse native gardens typically require less maintenance, water and herbicide treatment,” said Jason Green, the college’s Sustainability Coordinator.  “Because of that, in Florida we expect to see an increase in this responsible way of gardening as natural resources become scarcer.”

            The botanical garden will be used as a teaching tool for upper and lower level biology classes, according to John Williams, academic chair of the Natural Science Department.

            “The garden will allow students an excellent opportunity to leave the classroom and learn in a more natural environment,” Williams said.

            According to Williams, a number of partners will be involved in the development of the garden:

• Bruce Turley of Wilcox Nursery, who designed the garden, will deliver the plants the morning of Jan. 11.
• Tom Fowler, St Petersburg College’s Landscape Crew Leader, will install a drip irrigation system and construct a compacted mulch pathway for wheelchair access soon after the planting is completed.
• Plans are being made for a site specific sculpture suitable for the garden which will be designed and developed by members of SPC Fine Arts Department under the direction of Department Chair Paul Miehl.
• Jason Green will oversee the planting, which will be handled by volunteers from SPC’s “Club Green,” Emerging Green Builders, Honors College and other interested faculty, students and staff.

            The garden will be 60 feet wide by 25 feet deep.  Plantings will include spider lilies, yaupon holly, Florida golden aster, coontie, wild petunias, flatwoods plum, Bahama cassia, beautyberry and other native species.

This one day family oriented event will feature a British Classic Car Show, Live Music, Kids Events, Pram Races, business exhibits and more.  Sponsors include the St. Petersburg Times, the South Tampa Community News, Tampa General Hospital, Sweet Bay Supermarkets, Peter O. Knight Airport, Studio Cabello

The event will take place on Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 10 am to 5 pm, at the waterfront Sea Plane Basin Park and the Peter O. Knight Airport.

This will be the third year for an art show component to the Islands Fest. The show will provide a mix of Bay area artists, first-time exhibitors to older favorites. The range of mediums presented will include everything from watercolors, acrylic and oil painting to jewelry, sculpture, photography, printmaking, mixed media, metal, wood, ceramics and more. 

This will be a judged show with awards for various categories.

To be eligible to enter, the artist should submit photos/slides of 3 of their works with a description of their medium and subject matter. Upon acceptance,  a fee of $40 will be due to the Islands Fest Committee.

All requests to enter must be received by Feb. 15, 2010.  Notification of acceptance will be made by March 1, 2010.  Fees must be received prior to March 20, 2010 in order to participate.

Set up will be allowed from 8 AM, breakdown at 5 PM. Awards will be presented at 4 PM.

For more information and to exhibit at Islands Fest:

Entries can be emailed to bill@southtampatoday.com or by mail to:

Bill Sharpe, 1906 N. Armenia Ave.  #306, Tampa, FL  33607.  813-283-0760

Arts in the Park is an artistic event celebrating the second anniversary of the Carrollwood Cultural Center. The art show will take place on Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 10 am to 5 pm, in the beautiful oak-shaded park behind the Carrollwood Cultural Center, which will be transformed into a vast outdoor gallery of original work.

Inspired by the success of its previous art festival, this second annual Arts in the Park will include 100 artists, live entertainment, hands-on activities for children, food and beverages, and an artist’s welcome breakfast. The show will provide a mix of Bay area artists, first-time exhibitors to older favorites. The range of mediums presented will offer an eclectic visual palette  including everything from watercolors, acrylic and oil painting to jewelry, sculpture, fiber (includes fine wearable, rugs, and basketry), photography, printmaking, mixed media, metal, wood, ceramics and more.

The Carrollwood Cultural Center is a partnership between Hillsborough County and the Friends of Carrollwood Cultural Center. It is the first cultural center in the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department system.

The center is located 4537 Lowell Road Tampa FL 33618.

 For more information and to exhibit at Arts in the Park, please contact Laure Pericot at (813)269-1310 or email laure@carrollwoodcenter.org.

For more information, visit: www.gorillatheatre.com