I’ve always loved all the Pride art shows that happen around town each year. We lost a few in 2020, but thankfully, all our friends are back in 2021.
Camp John Gascot’s Pride show—at Emerald Bar this year—features over a dozen artists and has a camp theme. Camp has a few definitions, which Gascot shares on the Facebook event page. It can be either, “(a) something so outrageously artificial, affected, inappropriate, or out-of-date as to be considered amusing, (b) a style or mode of personal or creative expression that is absurdly exaggerated and often fuses elements of high and popular culture, or (c) exaggerated effeminate mannerisms (as of speech or gesture).” In short, it’s a theme with many interpretations, and I look forward to seeing what Tampa Bay’s LGBTQIA+ artists do with it. Camp. Opens Saturday, June 12. 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. The Emerald, 550 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. @gascot on Facebook
Rainbow Mize Gallery’s annual pride show returns with a rainbow theme. Mize assigned all 39 participating LGBTQIA+ artists a circular canvas and a different color of the rainbow for the show. The result is a rainbow of circular canvases surrounding Mize gallery, each presenting a different artist’s vision of LGBTQ life and culture. They remind me of the Pride buttons we affix to our T-shirts each year to announce ourselves as proud LGBT individuals and allies. Rainbow. Through June 27; Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. , Saundays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mize Gallery, 689 Dr M.L.K. Jr. St. N Unit C, St. Petersburg. chadmize.com
ArtOut: LGBTQ Artists in Gulfport ArtOut returns to the Gulfport Public Library. The 4th Annual Festival of Gulfport LGBTQ artists includes work from Patsi Aguero, Diane Bains, Jill Barber, Dr. Beverly Boyarsky, Michael Chapman, Eagle Finegan, Eunice Fisher, Janet Folsom, Amy Howell, Kathy Jaeck, Cedar Kindy, Denise Marie, Shaun Silverleaf, Ed Stevens, Debbie Stevenson, Barry Young and Doreen Bryant in memoriam. ArtOut: LGBTQ Artists in Gulfport. Through June 30. Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Gulfport Public Library, 5501 28th Ave S, Gulfport. See it in person or virtually, at artoutfestival.wixsite.com
Once Upon a Shine New this year, Matthew McGee hosts a virtual gay mural scavenger hunt through downtown St. Petersburg. Download the Tampa Bay-created PixelStix app onto your cell phone and head to Hollander Hotel to begin. Starting in the lobby, follow clues from one mural to the next in search of Cinderella’s missing shoe for a chance to win a two-night stay at the new Tru by Hilton Hotel Downtown St. Pete. Here’s where I should warn you that PixelStix doesn’t work on all cell phones. If you have an older phone without Near Field Communication (like an iPhone 6), you’re out of luck. So check your tech before you embark on this fun journey through the ‘Burg. Once Upon a Shine. June 12-19. Starting at the Hollander Hotel, 421 4th Ave N, St. Petersburg. Register at stpeteartsalliance.org/pride
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This article appears in Jun 17-23, 2021.