Part of Gasparilla Festival of the Arts’ mission is to strengthen the culture and appreciation of the Fine Arts throughout the Tampa Bay area. Back in September, we featured three Emerging Artists from past festivals to see how the program benefitted their burgeoning art careers. Today, we’re reaching out to some of the applicants who hope to be selected for 2024’s Emerging Artist class to get their thoughts on where the Program might take them.
The Emerging Artists Program allows up and coming artists to present their work to a large audience in a professional setting, often for the first time.
Applicants qualify if they do not have an established record as a professional artist presenting their work in museums, major art festivals, galleries, or juried exhibitions prior to applying. Qualified artists must make less than 25% of their income from art sales and cannot be employed professionally as an artist working in the medium they present at the festival.
Last year, we had a record-breaking number of applications for the Emerging Artists program, with almost 200 applicants.
Artists that are selected are given their very own tent at the Festival to present and sell their work, plus a reimbursement of $375 towards expenses incurred when building out their booth. During the lead-up to the Festival, selected artists are offered mentoring opportunities from established Tampa Bay artists and arts administrators. One of the 15 program participants will take home the Emerging Artists Award, which includes a $1,500 cash prize.
We asked two Emerging Artist applicants a series of questions in order to gain some perspective on how they view our program. Our first applicant is Mark Lembo.
He is a self-taught artist who relocated from California to Tampa in 2010. He describes his art style as “spontaneous” and “free”, and it is evident in his work that he values experimentation and play in his artistic process. You can see examples of his art below. An avid festival goer, he has attended the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts since moving to the area. “I appreciate the diversity of works and the unbounded creativity” he says, when speaking of his favorite part of the festival.
What drew you to applying for the Emerging Artists Program?
”It is an opportunity to gain impactful recognition and exposure in Tampa and beyond the surrounding area… The stature and reputation of the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is huge. Being a part of the festival would be tremendous.”
“It has the potential to build on the groundwork laid out locally these past three years. While I have been fairly active in local exhibits and venues, the Festival and the Emerging Artists Program provide an opportunity to further expand my reach to a whole new level and to have the chance to share my work with a much wider audience. You never know where a connection may lead.”
Meet Emerging Artist Brenna Robe.
Our second applicant is Brenna Robe, a wildlife artist who focuses on Florida’s fauna, specifically birds. She excels at creating a lush, natural environment in her art that captures the feeling of awe she experiences in the wild.
“I try to capture one moment, a moment which will never be repeated because there is no permanence in life.”
What drew you to applying for the Emerging Artists Program?
“The Emerging Artist Program drew me because it alleviates the pressure of being an established artist. Many calls to artists include artists in all stages of their career, while this program is specifically geared towards artists who are just breaking out into the professional art world. Although I’ve been a practicing artist for most of my life, this program felt the most appropriate to support me at this point in my journey. The application is simple and accessible, as they do not expect you to have a huge CV.”
If you were to be selected as an Emerging Artist, how do you feel it would impact your career?
“I try to put my best foot forward, be proud of my attempts and learn from my mistakes. If I am selected as an Emerging Artist, I hope to receive exposure as well as mentoring in my art career. I believe this would help me to improve both artistically and professionally. I’m in the beginning stage of my professional creative journey, and I’m discovering so many opportunities for artists. This year alone, I entered a gallery exhibition and just completed my first market sale. It is terrifying to try new things and put my art out there to be judged, but it has been paying off so much.”
We wish these two applicants and everyone who applies the best of luck. The Application window is only open until midnight on November 26, 2023.
The 2024 Emerging Artists Program juror, multimedia artist and curator Chad Mize, will review applications and select the class in December of 2023.
If you are interested in applying to the Emerging Artists Program for the 54th Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts on March 2nd and 3rd of 2024, the application window will be open until November 26, 2023. Visit the Emerging Artists Program page on our website for details about eligibility and to find the application. You can also email EmergingArtists@gasparillaarts.com with specific questions.
