Gulfport Pride

The City of Gulfport has much to be proud of, from its gay-friendly reputation to its relaxed beach-town vibe, seafood, shopping, and art scene. In May, Gulfport cemented its reputation as an LGBTQ-friendly place to live with its first day-long Pride event. It seemed like all of Gulfport showed up to the event, yet I still found a decent parking spot. The day began with a performance by the Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band and a Pride flag raising at the Gulfport Public Library. Afterward, people perused work by LGBTQ+ artists at ArtOut and shopped at the vendor-filled outdoor Pride market lining both sides of Beach Boulevard. As evening approached, folks made their way to Salty’s Gulfport and Neptune Grill for Vibrator races, drag performances and live music. I came home at the end of the day happy, exhausted, and covered in rainbows. Gulfport sure knows how to show a girl a good time. mygulfport.us

Winner: Joel D. Wynkoop

Runners-Up: Michael Ajazi, Michael Kenneth Fahr

Winner: M. Catherine Wynkoop

Runners-Up: Jadyn Mills “Lend Me a Tenor,” Eugenie Bondurant

Tony Krol

As we interviewed Tampa Bay’s Black artists for our Spring Arts Preview, Tony Krol’s name kept coming up. Krol worked with several Black artists in 2020, created murals with them, provided space for them to show their work, and brought them into conversations about curation. The collaborations introduced Tampa Bay to the Black Activist Photographers and New Roots Art Collective. They brought us Tampa’s Black Lives Matter street mural, “Cultural Currency” at Peninsularium, and “Black Storm” at Cafe Hey. Krol knows that Tampa’s diversity is one of its greatest assets, and he’s making sure that diversity is well-represented in Tampa’s art galleries and streets. mergeculture.com

Winner: Drew Garabo Live

Runners-Up: Serrano on Hot 101.5, Mason Dixon

Winner: Dunedin Fine Art Center

Runners-Up: Morean Arts Center, Florida CraftArt

Winner: Painting with a Twist

Runners-Up: SHINE Mural Festival, Creative Clay Fest

Elizabeth Brincklow

Brincklow was born with an unfair advantage. You see, her mother Martha taught “arts and ideas” to generations of students at Dunedin High School. This cultural cocoon launched her to the FSU School of Theatre and the study of mime in Paris. Imaginative gigs in D.C. and NYC forged her keen skills. But the trail she’s blazed across disciplines with major artists over the past three decades since returning to Pinellas County is unmatched. She strategically developed St. Pete’s cultural scene, crafted Creative Pinellas’ grants program and shepherded Dunedin’s Public Art Master Plan and implementation of significant installations. brincklow-arts.com

Winner: “Naked Came the Florida Man” by Tim Dorsey

Runners-Up: “Dogs of the Burg” by Urban Dog Studio, “Curveball at the Crossroads” by Michael Lortz

Winner: Mayven Missbehavin

Runners-Up: Femmes and Follies, Janinie Fatone-Butler