Downtown St. Pete is home to several world-class museums. The Dali Museum, The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art, The Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, and the Imagine Museum are all incredible assets that could be in any major city in the world.

However, one of my favorite local collections of art isn’t in a museum. And it’s open 24 hours a day and completely free. I’m referring to the 650+ murals that are sprinkled throughout our beautiful city.

Over the past decade, artists from around the world have traveled to St. Pete to add color and character to our walls and many of those artists have come to the Sunshine City via the annual SHINE Mural Festival, which has contributed over 100 murals to our streets since its inception in 2015. 

Back for its ninth year, October 13-22, 2023, the SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival, produced by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, has curated another impressive line-up of mural artists from the Tampa Bay area and beyond.

Adding to the city’s diverse collection of outdoor art, SHINE celebrates art in public spaces while elevating the medium of mural art and championing St. Petersburg as an arts destination worldwide. 

This year, the SHINE Mural Festival will add 14 new murals throughout the art districts plus a variety of street art-related events, tours, and community Bright Spot projects.

International Artists:

• Andrea Wan, Canada - 155 17th Street South

• Dave Bonzai, London - 1229 Central Avenue (Cappa & Cappa)

• Bryan Beyung, Canada - 2875 7th Avenue South (Stewart Moving & Storage)

• Loretta Lizzio, Australia - 2875 7th Avenue South (Stewart Moving & Storage)

National Artists:

• Bunnie Reiss, California - 2700 Central Avenue (MTBH Studios)

• Hannah Eddy, Nevada - 1019 Arlington Avenue North (CASA Support Center)

• Hoxxoh, Miami - 2025 3rd Avenue South (Morean Workshop Space)

• Max Sansing, Chicago - 3100 Central Avenue (Gallery 3100)

Local Artists:

• Artist Jones, Tampa - 350 2nd Avenue North (PSTA Ticket Office)

• Chris Dyer, St. Petersburg/Peru - 2875 7th Avenue South (Stewart Moving & Storage)

• Fabstraq, Tampa - 2724 6th Avenue South (Charlie Parker Pottery)

• Michael Vasquez, St. Petersburg/Miami - 2063 Central Avenue

• Rhys Meatyard, St. Petersburg - 2210 1st Avenue South (The Werk Gallery)

• Sarah Sheppard, St. Petersburg - 225 1st Avenue North (Ascent St. Pete)

In addition to the 14 main murals, this year’s SHINE will feature two Bright Spot projects. Alyssa Marie of The Happy Mural Project is organizing a color-by-number mural called “Girl Power” with the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida. The mural is designed to inspire and empower girls and young women through art.

Chinese-born artist Chenlin Cai will be traveling to St. Pete to partner with the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art to create a mural that is an extension of the museum’s special exhibition From Far East to West: The Chinese American Frontier. 

“The exhibit will highlight the resiliency and self-determination of Chinese Americans who helped build the American West,” according to a press release. “Cai's work explores the dichotomy between the two cultures he inhabits, and this project speaks to identity and community and how the past can impact the present.” 

This year’s SHINE Mural Festival is supported by Reflection St. Pete, an 88-unit condo tower developed by St. Petersburg-based HP Capital Group and currently under construction at 777 3rd Avenue North. During next year’s 10th anniversary of SHINE, a four-story mural will be painted on the façade of Reflection.

“St. Petersburg is a vibrant and growing community due in large part to its commitment to the arts,” remarked HP Capital Partner Fred Hemmer. “Reflection St. Pete was designed to incorporate the art and character of St. Petersburg into a modern luxury residence. We are excited to be SHINE’s title sponsor for the next two years and make Reflection St. Pete a landmark for the living arts in downtown St. Petersburg.”

For more information on the SHINE Mural Festival, visit the St. Pete Arts Alliance website and follow along on Facebook and Instagram.