Tampa Republic

WHO: Community volunteers coming together to create art for the City of Tampa
WHAT: Local senior citizens are creating community artwork that will soon be on display at the new Tampa City Center under construction on Hanna Ave.

DATE: Thursday, May 11, 2023

TIME: 10:00 AM

LOCATION: Cypress Greene Community Center, 2101 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tampa, FL 33603

East Tampa residents are figuratively and literally stitching stronger community bonds. Their unified art work will soon be on display within the City Center at Hanna Avenue.

Tampa-based, Trinidadian-born artist Nneka Jones is teaching a four-week class called Embroidery 101 at the Cyrus Greene Community Center.   Since April 11, 2023, Jones has shared the craft of embroidery on Tuesdays and Thursdays with 15 eager-to-learn seniors who represent various neighborhoods across Tampa.

At the completion of the series, Jones will combine the embroidered pieces the seniors created into one large embroidered artwork, which will be seen by all who enter the lobby of the new government services building on Hanna Avenue. It’s a legacy the seniors are proud to know will live on for many years to come, allowing their families to visit something unique that they helped create.

The City’s Department of Art and Cultural Affairs was tapped to develop an art and cultural plan for the Hanna Building. Their overall approach can be described as holistic, creating art for the public realm -- public art. 

Both interior and exterior public art projects are planned for the facility. The Department of Art and Cultural Affairs is constantly looking for people who can create works of art that reflect Tampa’s authenticity. Anyone interested can sign up to receive the department’s “Call To Artists” announcements via email.

Media Availability: Embroiders, along with artist Nneka Jones and a City of Tampa representative, will be available for interviews regarding this project on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 10:00 AM, the final day of the embroidery class, at the Cyrus Greene Community Center located at 2101E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

Media outlets planning to attend must RSVP with City of Tampa Media Relations Manager Crystal Clark by emailing crystal.clark@tampagov.net 

B-roll giving a behind the scenes look at the progress of the Hanna Ave City Center can be found on our City of Tampa YouTube.

Original source can be found here.