Don’t miss: Emily Martinez, “27 DIC. 1974 (Mother’s Embrace)” One of MFA Skyway’s “wow” moments, Martinez’s painting was inspired by the museum’s “The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine.” It shares the huge scale and elaborate framing characteristic of the Baroque, but the subject isn’t a virginal saint. It’s Martinez’s grandmother on her wedding day in the Dominican Republic, an image taken from a family photograph. Bold in color and patterning, the painting is both a celebration and a corrective, complete with angry cherubs. Credit: Photo c/o MFA St. Pete

Amid the devastation that followed in the wake of Helene and Milton, one bright spot was the sight of neighbors helping neighbors even when their own lives had been upended.

The spirit of collaboration also powers “Skyway 2024.”

Granted, the collective decision-making of five museums and seven curators to showcase the work of 63 local artists and art collectives is nowhere near as fraught as the life-altering process of hurricane recovery. Nonetheless, it’s a remarkable instance of cooperation in what can often be a competitive field. And right now, a visit to any or all of these shows would offer a degree of much-needed refuge—and a reminder of the enduring power of art even in the most troubled of times.

As Creative Loafing Tampa Bay explained in an introductory story, which included a review of the Sarasota Art Museum show, “Skyway 2024” is the third such multi-museum collaboration in the region since 2017.

Curated by guest juror Evan Garza of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) and curators from the five participating museums, it drew more than 300 applicants from Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties.

All of the museums have reopened following Milton or are scheduled to do so. Closing dates for their Skyway shows are as follows. Click through each link to read more.