Artists From Around World Take To Streets Of St. Pete

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Mural artists from as far as Japan and South Africa are in St. Petersburg this week for the annual SHINE Mural Festival, a week-long festival highlighting the works of artists who prefer cement and brick walls to canvass.

The festival kicked off Saturday, Oct. 6 and continues to Oct. 14.

Hosted by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, the SHINE Mural Festival highlights the urban outdoor art that has appeared on retaining walls and building facades through downtown St. Petersburg over the past five years. There are now more than 30 murals located in a four-block area with more added each year by SHINE artists.

This year, the alliance has teamed up with Coast Bike Share, which is providing bikes for visitors to ride to their various locations of the 2018 SHINE murals. Local artists have created five mural-themed bike baskets to decorated Coast Bike Share's fleet.

The Central Arts District in downtown St. Petersburg is proud to present Walking Mural Tours every Saturday morning starting at Florida CraftArt. Visitors will hear the inside stories of the making of over 30 murals found in the four block tour. The bikes are available for rent at more than 35 hubs around the city.

Coast Bike Share has also hidden a unicorn SHINE bike, named a “Bright Spot,” in its fleet of blue bicycles. Visitors are encouraged to take a photo when they spot the unicorn bike and share it on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #SHINEBike.

Visitors can take bike tours early in the week to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of artists creating the new murals or can tour the murals starting Oct. 13 to view the finished works of art. Tours will meet at the green space across the intersection diagonally from Florida CraftArt, 501 Central Ave – beside the Coast Bike Share station. Helmets are recommended. Click here for tour tickets.

This year, 37 mural artists are adding their artistic signatures to St. Petersburg's cityscape including Bekky Beukes of South Africa, neocubist artist Belin from Spain, DAAS from Japan, Haider Ali from Pakistan and Nomad Clan of England.

In conjunction with the festival, a final reception and exhibition will take place Oct. 13 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave.

The exhibition features artists from this year's festival as well as St. Petersburg’s local street artists and muralists. The show will include paintings, drawings and prints available for purchase as well as site-specific mural installations and runs from Oct. 8 through Oct. 27.

Other events taking place in conjunction with SHINE include "REVEAL: St. Pete Streets" Friday, Oct. 12 from 5 p.m. to midnight at Station House St. Pete, 260 1st Ave. S.

REVEAL is a free semi-annual showcase event that highlights Station House's multi-functional space while spotlighting St. Pete’s eclectic art. REVEAL: St. Pete Streets will highlight street art with a lecture on its history by Diana Bryson, an interactive panel with those specializing in the medium, and an exhibition of local artists whose work can be seen on the streets. Additionally, there will be a fashion installation presented and coordinated by Mesu360 Project Gallery along with live music.

The Mural Run, hosted by The Bikery and St. Pete Running Company will take place Saturday, Oct. 13 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

The Mural Run is a scavenger run in which teams of two to four members will run or walk through the streets of St. Pete in search of murals, following clues and earning points to win a prize. The event will begin at The Bikery and is for people of all ages and abilities.

Images via Arts Alliance

Residents were invited to add inspirational messages to the Your Are Beautiful Mural on Saturday, Oct. 6. This is the first of a series of murals to be painted throughout the country.

Coast Bike Share is teaming up with SHINE to provide artistic transportation.

Volunteers prepare a wall for the mural fest at Green Bench Brewing Co.

South African artist Bekky Beukes is creating a mural at 1100 1st Ave. N.

The mural festival has spun off an around-the-year walking tour of St. Pete including a stop to see this mural by artist Derek Donnelly.

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