A trend spurred by the popularity of Meow Wolf in New Mexico, immersive art installations resembling carnivals, roadside attractions, and amusement parks have pooled the talents of artist communities across the country. Similarly in St. Petersburg, the new Fairgrounds will mix enlightenment with entertainment while providing a creative space for artists at The Factory in St. Pete’s Warehouse District, 2788 Fairfield Ave. S. The project will encompass 12,000-square-feet as an immersive experiential art exhibition featuring artworks by local and international artists, performers, writers, musicians, and storytellers. Follow Fairgrounds Projects on Facebook for updates on progress and upcoming calls to artists.
And in Tampa, multimedia arts collective Crab Devil is getting off the ground in Seminole Heights. Project partners include Tempus Projects, Cunsthaus, LiveWork Studios, Experimental Skeleton, and others. To start, Crab Devil plans to open Deviant Libation, a new brewery, and new Tempus Projects galleries at a 2020 date to be announced. The collective plans to produce Peninsularium, “one of the largest, collaborative, multi-disciplinary arts efforts that Florida has ever seen” in 2021.
Deviant Libation, Tempus, and the Peninsularium will be sharing approximately 8,000-square-feet of building space, says member Devon Brady of LiveWork Studios. The collective’s concept will invoke the roadside attractions of yesteryear with a family-friendly cabinet of curiosities.
“Crab Devil will be using the common spaces and a small portion of the gallery as an entrance to the Peninsularium,” adds Brady. “The majority of The Peninsularium will be built out in shipping containers on the adjoining lot over the next year. There will be signage for all three entities at 3800 N. Nebraska Ave. There’s already a big Crab Devil sign flying over the site.”
