Artful and Proud

Partnering with St. Pete Pride, The is putting on the , an art show celebrating diversity and the Pride Month of June.

This is the first time that Suntan Art Gallery has partnered with St. Pete Pride and the Big Gay Art Show is now an official part of St. Pete Pride’s Pride Month’s activities, said David Cellon, coordinator at the Suntan Art Center.

“I’d love for this to be an annual event,” Cellon said. “This could be the first of many Big Gay Art Shows.”

“I contacted them around three months ago and told them that we have a great facility if you guys want to do a big show, lets do it,” Cellon said.

St. Pete Pride is putting a lot of effort into marketing the show, Cellon said. In addition to a large ad in the Pride booklet, they also have been letting people know about the show on Facebook and Twitter.

During the opening party, St. Pete Pride will be providing the food and wine, Cellon said.

Cellon is expecting several hundred people for the opening party, whereas other shows this time of year at the Suntan Art Center will get 40-50 people coming out for opening night.

“We had to get special parking considerations but we got that covered,” Cellon said.

Around fourteen artists will be participating with over 50 art pieces being shown, Cellon said. The art shown covers a range of ideas and mediums.

“It’ll be a little bit of everything. We didn’t ask anyone, we just called it the Big Gay Art Show and put it out on Facebook,” Cellon said.

There are both familiar and new artists contributing to the gallery, Cellon said.

The show will be hanging for the whole month of June, so people who can’t make it to the opening can see it at anytime during the Suntan Art Center’s business hours.

The show is having its opening party on Friday June 10, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.      The party is free and will have food and drinks, courtesy of St. Pete Pride.