Neighborhood News Bureau

Category: Arts

  • Rising rents threaten artists’ presence in Warehouse Arts District

    Rising rents threaten artists’ presence in Warehouse Arts District

    By Jack Hernandez and Madelyn Siner

    In the eyes of the community, The Warehouse Arts District in St. Petersburg has been a key part of the city’s cultural fabric. Known for its repurposed industrial spaces, the district has provided artists with places to work and opportunities to thrive. However, as property values rise and redevelopment changes the area, local artists are facing new challenges that could impact their ability to continue working in the district. 

    Artists and organizations are responding with efforts to maintain the district’s creative focus while adapting to ongoing changes. From securing affordable studio spaces to increasing public awareness, these efforts reflect broader discussions about how to preserve the cultural identity of growing cities. 

    One artist navigating these challenges is Juan Alonso-Rodriguez, who moved to St. Petersburg in 2022. With decades of experience in the art world, Alonso-Rodriguez provides a firsthand perspective on how the changing district is affecting its artists. 

    Surrounded by minimalist contemporary works in his studio, Alonso-Rodriguez reflected on his journey as an artist. His clean, geometric designs and use of bold colors convey a simplicity that belies the thought and emotion behind each piece, he said. 

    Born in Cuba and raised in Miami, Alonso-Rodriguez began his career in San Francisco, California, before spending 40 years in Seattle, Washington, where his work gained recognition in galleries and public spaces. 

    “In Seattle, I was able to grow because there were opportunities to show my work and support systems like public funding for the arts,” he said. “It made a big difference for my career and the art community overall.” 

    When Alonso-Rodriguez moved to St. Petersburg in 2022, he was drawn to the Warehouse Arts District for its reputation as a creative hub, he said.

    While he said he appreciates the district’s collaborative spirit, he noted that the lack of large-scale galleries and rising costs can make it challenging for artists to thrive in the area. 

    Like many artists in the district, Alonso-Rodriguez faces increasing expenses. His studio lease includes a 3% annual rent increase—a manageable amount for him, but a potential barrier for others. 

    “I’m lucky because I have galleries in other cities that sell my work,” Alonso-Rodriguez said. “But for artists just starting out, it’s tough to afford the cost of working here.” 

    He also observed differences in public funding for the arts between Florida and Washington. Programs like Seattle’s Percent for Art initiative, which allocates a portion of public construction budgets to art, provided critical support for the local art scene. 

    “Public funding helps artists and enhances the city as a whole,” Alonso-Rodriguez said. “It encourages developers to include art in their projects, which benefits everyone.” 

    Despite these challenges, Alonso-Rodriguez said he values work spaces like the ones provided by ArtsXchange, a project led by the Warehouse Arts District Association that offers affordable studios and collaborative opportunities. 

    “Spaces like this help artists stay in the area,” he said. “They’re essential for keeping the district creative, even as the city grows.” 

    He also stressed the importance of community involvement, encouraging artists to advocate for policies that support the arts. 

    “Engaging with city officials and educating the public about the benefits of art can make a big difference,” he said. “Art isn’t just something extra, it’s an important part of the city’s identity and economy.” 

    The Duncan McClellan Gallery is a local glass gallery that features rotating exhibitions from national and international artists. Irene McClellan is the manager of the gallery and the wife of the creator, Duncan McClellan. 

    Blown glass art pieces are displayed at the Duncan McClellan Gallery. (Photo by Madelyn Siner/NNB)

    “St. Petersburg is an arts destination,” Irene McClellan said. “We have people come in from all over the world for the arts. We represent artists from all over the world and we have their artwork here, but the rents are going up through the roof.” 

    Susan Antoinette, a local abstract and mixed media artist, has been with ArtsXchange since their grand opening in 2017 and in the Warehouse Arts District since 2015. 

    “We had purposely moved to St. Pete for its art community,” Antoinette said. “It was really exciting to be a part of a grassroots organization for artists. I really wanted to find a community of other artists to be able to collaborate with and to be inspired by, and St. Pete definitely offers me that.” 

    WADA offers Antoniette an affordable space to create her art through ArtsXchange, she said. She has also been on the project’s membership committee, events committee and education committee, and she later joined the board as chair for WADA. 

    “I feel very fortunate to have a studio at the ArtsXchange,” Antoniette said. 

    WADA’s mission is to offer affordable and sustainable studio space for artists and support the local art community. According to Antoniette, there are no other art spaces nearby that are “even comparable by price.” 

    However, as the city of St. Petersburg continues to grow, rent prices in the Warehouse Arts District have risen, making the space less accessible to local artists.

    “The city of St. Pete has been coining St. Pete as the city of arts and culture, but the money has not showed up,” Antoniette said. “It’s not getting back to the artists. There are a lot of great wonderful things in St. Pete that could continue if we had the support from the government.” 

  • AI challenges St. Petersburg’s art scene

    AI challenges St. Petersburg’s art scene

    By Tyler Tran

    Artificial Intelligence, known as technology that allows computers to imitate human intelligence, is reshaping the art world by introducing new opportunities and ethical concerns. 

    As AI-driven creations enter mainstream galleries and artist studios, St. Petersburg’s vibrant art scene may face a significant transformation. Some fear AI’s influence could dilute the authenticity for which the city is known. 

    “As a creative in the modern world, I am neither ‘strongly against’ nor ‘strongly for’ AI in the art world because I see how it can have both a positive and negative effect,” said Hailey Kammerer, an upcoming traditional artist navigating AI’s growing presence in today’s art.

    As AI becomes more prominent, St. Petersburg’s art scene is confronting new challenges. While some artists embrace the creativity that AI can offer, others, like Kammerer, express concerns about ethical issues and the potential loss of authenticity in the city’s creative spaces. 

    “Keeping up with all the AI technological advances nowadays can be challenging,” Kammerer said, emphasizing her openness to learning while not abandoning traditional methods. 

    Kammerer, who recently interned at Evolve & Co., — a team of brand researchers and digital strategists– uses AI for specific design tasks like quick selections and background removals. 

    She believes artists shouldn’t feel pressure to discard established techniques just to adapt to new trends. Instead, she believes artists can balance innovation with tradition by integrating AI tools selectively. 

    One of the ethical concerns surrounding AI in the art world involves the question of originality and the respect owed to human artists. Kammerer criticized AI’s reliance on data that often includes other artists’ works without consent or compensation– a method she finds both disappointing and devaluing. 

    “As a creative who genuinely loves the process of creating, I find it disappointing that typing in a compilation of words to generate a complete design or illustration gives it the potential ability to replace certain jobs and individuals,” Kammerer said. 

    Although she doubts AI can fully replace human artists, she worries that reliance on AI may undervalue the personal touch and experiences that can be seen in human-created art, she said.

    McArthur Freeman, a traditional artist and USF associate professor who has incorporated AI into his work, views technology as a tool with unlimited potential. Freeman’s project, “Imagine Blackness,” expresses representation in AI-generated art. 

    An AI-generated portrait from McArthur Freeman’s “Imagine Blackness” series in early 2023 explores themes of identity and representation. Freeman uses AI to visualize alternate realities, creating a vision that challenges traditional perceptions of Black identity. (Photo Illustration by McArthur Freeman)

    He shared that over the years, as technology has advanced, he now sees the computer differently. He sees the computer as his medium, and he uses AI as one of many tools for tasks like concept development. However, Freeman also acknowledged its ethical concerns.  

    “One significant issue is whether or not AI companies can use the work of others to train models,” he said, noting the lack of consent and compensation in training datasets.  

    Despite these concerns, Freeman sees the technology’s potential to work collaboratively with artists in a way that would elevate creative expression. 

    Freeman also acknowledges that AI could disrupt commercial art jobs, particularly in roles like illustration or video editing where speed and cost may outweigh artistic vision.  

    Fine arts, like gallery and museum pieces, are less likely to be overshadowed by AI given their emphasis on unique perspectives and personal expression, Freeman added. 

    As AI art continues to make its way into the art scene, St. Petersburg may see its artistic landscape shift in many ways. For a city known for its street murals, galleries and art studios, the area thrives on its hands-on community driven approach to art. The rise of AI generated work could allow artists to experiment with new forms, possibly broadening the city’s art appeal.  

    While technology makes it easy to produce art that’s convincing and at a fast pace, there’s a possible risk of ruining the character of St. Pete’s local art community. The individuality of local artists could be in jeopardy and residents like Reece Townsend fear that this could undermine the city’s creative spaces. 

    “St. Pete’s art is about the people, the stories and the creativity that make it unique,” Townsend said. “AI-generated sort of feels lifeless, like it’s taking shortcuts that don’t really end up having that human touch.” 

    Townsend said that pieces like the Vitale Brothers’ mural, a tribute to the Tampa Bay Rays and their new City Connect uniforms, authentically represent the city’s spirit for art. 

    “Look at the City Connect mural by the Vitale Brothers,” Townsend said. “That’s a piece that truly represents our city.”  

    As AI technology continues to evolve, St. Petersburg’s art community faces an uncertain yet intriguing future, with artists and the community debating whether AI is a valuable complement or a disruption to the city’s vibrant culture. 

  • Local longboard company takes the skate to the people

    Local longboard company takes the skate to the people

    By Aaron Otis, Marilyn Bloomberg, Kelli Carmack,  Erik Mishiyev, and Vanessa Rivera

    “We take the skate to the people.”

    This is the mantra of Local Longboard Company, a locally-renowned skateboard business in St. Petersburg, Fl.

    Frequent visitors to downtown St. Petersburg may be familiar with the company being on Central Avenue. But, Jon Stine, one of the original business owners, sold that store location Aug. 1, 2017. He realized a more cost-effective manner of running the business was to transition into using a van and promoting it near local events.

    The van is located right outside the Stine Custom Woodworks LLC. warehouse which is in the Child’s Park area of Midtown. With the help of his new business partner, Aron Retkes, Stine handcrafts their boards for their customers.

    Stine and Retkes handcrafting their locally-renowned longboards. Erik Mishiyev

    Decorated with brightly colored skateboard trucks hung on the doors, the van houses displays with a variety of different types of wheels to choose from in clear plastic cases. Beyond the initial displays are the actual longboards.

    Close up shot of some of Local Longboard Company skateboard trucks. Kelli Carmack.

    Ranging from small to large, the boards line the inside of the truck. Some are painted, and others are polished to a shine.

    The smallest boards, called Penny boards, nestle in the bottom of the board racks while the more expensive boards find home directly above them. A single board can take six to eight hours to manufacture.

    Inside shot of Local Longboard Company’s van. Erik Mishiyev.

    “You can’t buy a bicycle without trying it first, same with a longboard,” says Stine.  That is why the van supplies demo boards for customers to try and figure out which one suits them best before buying it.

    The Local Longboard Company prides itself on having its own niche in the St. Petersburg community.

    “We try to deal with other local businesses as much as possible when it comes to material and art supplies. Part of the gig is supporting other smaller businesses,” says Stine.

    The company has been at the starting line of the “Keep St. Pete Local” movement; they still believe in that mission but have started branching off into a more regional sense. They have taken their business as far out as Clearwater and Sarasota, but they still call Child’s Park home.

    When asked if they would ever expand their business, Retkes replied by saying “If this stuff starts selling like hotcakes and we need a fleet of five trucks that cover the whole state, then yes, we are all about that.”

    Since going mobile, the pair believes in going to the customer rather than having the customer go to them. Their demographic reaches nearly everyone, but most of their sales come from college students and adults.

    Stine and Retkes are constantly on the prowl for new events that they can take part of, whether it’s an exhibition or a midnight market.

    “All we have to do is ask ‘will you have us?’ and that’s our store,” says Retkes.

     

  • Mt. Zion Community Marching Band

    By Tamiracle Williams, Neighborhood News Bureau.

  • Cooking with Chef Collins: BBQ Cooking Class

     

    By: Alyssa Fedorovich

    At the St. Pete Culinary Center, Chef Patrick “PT” Collins was the guest chef at their BBQ cooking class. Chef Collins is an entrepreneur and owner of Deuces BBQ in Midtown, St. Petersburg. As guest chef, he taught the students the importance of cooking as a trade as well as the art of cooking of BBQ. The program is designed to help at-risk youths learn a trade that is in demand as well as assist them in finding a job in the culinary industry. The video covers Chef Collins class as he taught the youths to cook BBQ.

  • New film ‘Art in the City’ calls St. Pete its home

    BY ERIN MURPHY, Neighborhood News Bureau

    ST. PETERSBURG – With museums, music, murals and more, the city of St. Petersburg’s thriving arts scene offers tourists and locals alike a place to escape, enjoy and find inspiration. For Cranstan Cumberbatch, who serves as co-producer, co-writer, co-director and actor in the new film “Art in the City,” St. Petersburg is also home.

    Read more…

  • Midtown Moments: The Royal Theater

    By Joseph Conte

    A much-needed escape into the world of film for the community during tough times

    The Royal Theater located on the 22nd Street South, opened it’s doors to the public in 1948. The black community received the opening with great joy and festivities. The theater was kept in operation throughout 1966 and was one of only two movie theaters providing films for African-Americans during the divided time of segregation.

  • Midtown Moments: Morean Center for Clay

    By Lee Britain

    Midtown History Revived, Renewed, Rejuvenated

    Built in 1926, this historic Midtown St. Petersburg building was once the Seaboard Freight Depot. According to General Manager Valerie Scott Knaust, “everything that came into St. Pete once came in through this space.”

    The historic building has been turned into the Morean Center for Clay which is located at 420 2nd Street South. “We are nationally renown, but locally no one knows about us,” Knaust said. The center offers free classes every Sunday from 1pm-3pm, in hopes of expanding the Midtown communities interest in the arts. According to Knaust, they also offer summer camp for children, four major workshops and on Friday nights at a price of $25 adults can join in “if they bring a towel, their favorite beverage, and a sense of humor.”

  • NNB students get published for MLK Day of Service events by The Weekly Challenger

    NNB students get published for MLK Day of Service events by The Weekly Challenger

    Among the different communities and organizations located in the St. Petersburg, Florida, area, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 16, was a day filled with celebrations, parades and service. Neighborhood News Bureau students covered these different events throughout the day with a few of the students getting their coverage published in The Weekly Challenger.

    To view the entire coverage from the Neighborhood News Bureau students in The Weekly Challenger, click the link below.

    2017 MLK Day of Service events

  • “Hair by Ahsile” offers free pampering to members of the homeless community on MLK Day

    “Hair by Ahsile” offers free pampering to members of the homeless community on MLK Day

    BY TYLER GILLESPIE, Neighborhood News Bureau

    A bleached-blonde woman sat down in barber Dale Jones’s chair for a free fade on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Hair by Ahsile.

    “I wish people would say ‘Happy MLK Day,” Jones said as his clippers buzzed, “like they do ‘Merry Christmas’.”

    Barber Dale Jones cuts hair for free as part of Hair by Ahsile’s MLK Day of Service, in St. Petersburg, Fla.

    For the past ten years, the shop has offered no-charge services for the homeless community as part of its MLK Day of Service. This year, the event’s “day of pampering” included washes, cuts, and manicures to go along with free food and clothes.

    Jones has worked at Hair by Ahsile for a little over a year. The shop at 844 49th Street North in St. Petersburg, Fla. is his family. Literally.

    “My aunt owns the shop,” he said. “My uncle is in here, my cousin, another aunt.”

    Jones will turn 37 this week and has two days off after MLK day. He’s looking forward to some fun.    

    “Every year I turn passed 25, the year they say we don’t make it out of the hood,” he said. “We celebrate.”  

    Friends for over 40 years

    Pastor Deborah Hill became friends with Brenda Gilbert in the sixth grade. In the years after their high school graduation, Hill

    Brenda Gilbert, owner of Hair by Ahsile in St. Petersburg, Fla., cuts hair as Pastor Deborah Hill looks on. The two have been friends for over 40 years.

    left for the military.

    After 20 years of service, she came back to the St. Pete area and quickly re-connected with Gilbert. 

    “Our visions are similar,” said Hill. “We both have a passion for helping those who are disadvantaged.”

    By noon on Hair by Ahsile’s MLK Day of Service, Hill’s New Hope of Glory Ministries church van had picked up four loads of 15 people from various homeless shelters.

    “When people can’t get their hair done – it does something to them,” she said. “The fact they’re able to receive the service makes a difference.”

    Throughout the day, Hill and other volunteers filled multiple roles: ran desk, shampooed, and served food.

    “On this day, you fit in where you can,” Hill said. “Everybody has to pull up their sleeves and work together.”

    Inner beauty

    Pastor Anthony Jones shampoos Carol Kapelke’s hair during the MLK Day of Service in St. Petersburg, Fla.

    Pastor Anthony Jones helped Carol Kapelke out of her wheelchair and into the shampoo station. As he began to massage her temples, Kapelke touched a scar on her forehead.

    “This is from surgery,” she said, “and this – this is from last night. I fell on the concrete.”

    Kapelke closed her eyes.

    “I look like an old woman,” she said. “All I see is the lines.”

    As soon as the words left Kapelke’s mouth, Pastor Deborah Hill – at the nearby shampoo station – turned to her.

    “You’re beautiful,” she said. “That’s just you telling yourself that you’re not.”

    Hill leaned closer to Kapelke.

    “Say I am beautiful,” she said. “Say I am somebody.”

    Kapelke’s voice, quiet at first, grew louder.

    “I am beautiful,” she said. “I am somebody.”  

    Moving to Florida

    Dawn Herman, 54, always knew she wanted to become a graphic designer. In the 1990s, she went to one of the first Macintosh

    Dawn Herman gets her hair cut by Phylicia McQueen as the stylist’s daughters Anilah and Angalee talk to them at Hair by Ahsile, in St. Petersburg, Fla.

    training schools in Atlanta, Georgia. Herman worked at a big printing company after that then moved around the country with her Air Force husband.

    The couple ended up in Mississippi, and Herman worked for ten years as a graphic designer at a university. Then, she went through a divorce and decided to move to Florida.

    Eventually, she said, she found work in the art department at a newspaper.

    “We went through a lot of changes with the internet,” she said. “They thought they could save a lot of money outsourcing work.”

    As newspapers around the country re-worked business plans, Herman said she got fired in 2012.

    “It really threw me for a loop,” she said. “I lost everything – my job, my house, my car. Everything went to hell in a handbasket.”

    Herman had no family in Florida and nowhere to go. She ended up on the street.

    “It can happen to anybody, honey,” she said. “It’s one paycheck. It’s so quick.”

    Herman found a spot in Pinellas Hope tent city for the homeless. Herman, who has back issues, has had difficulty finding work and is currently applying for disability.

    But she has hope.  

    “Today is the happiest I’ve been in a long time,” she said after she got her hair done. “To be out with regular people doing regular things. It’s a good day.”