By Caron Schwartz
Beatles redux Locals’ favorite Hot Tonic brings their chops to the most iconic band in music history: THE BEATLES! This performance promises to be a magical journey through the music of a band that has shaped rock history like no other. The Palladium 9/26. https://bit.ly/hot-tonic
Sotheby’s talks Legendary auction house Sotheby’s has a new podcast, The Specialist. Hear international experts discuss everything from Vermeer to Kandinsky to the shredded Banksy, and a whole lot more. Available on your favorite podcast app.
Funding available Creative Pinellas has funding for Pinellas County artists working in film, music, performance, visual, and writing or composition. Arts Ignite Fund provides up to $500 to close a budget gap for an art project or effort; Arts Impact Fund provides between $3,000 and $10,000 to create and present art in Pinellas County. Deadline 8/31. https://bit.ly/pinellas-artist-grants
Meditation on FL FloridaRAMA debuts Quiet at Heart, a new video installation by Florida-based artist Keaton Fox. With its three-wall video projection, soundscape, and sand and turf underfoot, the installation invites visitors to lose themselves in a more contemplative version of our state – one that is subtle, surreal, and often at odds with its own mythology. On display thru 8/30. www.floridarama.art
SHINE on Dalí In celebration of the 10th annual SHINE Mural Festival, Outside In: New Murals Inspired by Dalí brings the vibrant world of street art into The Dalí Museum. By showcasing street art within a museum context, the exhibition offers a fresh perspective on the intersections between public art and the gallery space. Thru 10/26 at The Dalí. www.thedali.org
Story time Meet the artists during the opening reception of Reclamando Our Untold Stories presented by Mi Gente Mi Pueblo and Creative Pinellas. The exhibition amplifies voices and traditions often overlooked in mainstream narratives. Music, small bites, cash bar. 8/29, 6-8pm. On exhibit thru 11/2. The Gallery at Creative Pinellas https://bit.ly/our-untold-stories
Zoo/ology Suncoast Credit Union says it’s time to get out and explore, and they are helping make it easy (and affordable) to do so: members get BOGO tickets to ZooTampa thru Sept. https://bit.ly/suncoast-zoo
Wild & wonderful Late rocker Ozzy Osbourne’s final project in retirement was painting with chimpanzees. The abstract expressionist collaborations are being sold at auction to raise money for Save the Chimps, a sanctuary in Fort Pierce, FL, for chimpanzees that have been rescued from animal testing labs, poorly run zoos, and wildlife traffickers. www.savethechimps.org
Irish eyes USF Contemporary Art Museum in Tampa presents Brian Maguire: La Grande Illusion, an exhibition of paintings by the acclaimed Irish artist. One of Ireland’s leading cultural figures, Maguire has turned the practice and tradition of painting into acts of visual testimony. 9/5-3/7/2025 https://bit.ly/usf-cam
You go, girl! The Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete presents Creative Freedom: Women as Decorative Arts Entrepreneurs and Connoisseurs, c. 1900-1940. As American women fought for the vote and gained social and economic power, they stepped into the studio, workshop, and marketplace, transforming the design world. https://bit.ly/mfa-freedom
I’ll drink to that St. Pete Museum of History hosts History in a Bottle: Aged & Distilled: A Historical Whiskey Journey. After you’re greeted with a welcome cocktail, you’ll indulge in a curated selection of exquisite whiskeys, each paired with culinary delights. Presented by St. Pete Distillery and Events by the Glass. 8/9, 6-8pm. https://bit.ly/whiskey-journey
Best in show MFA was named Best Museum in St. Pete Life’s Readers’ Choice Best of 2025. https://bit.ly/splm-2025
War stories The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts in Ybor City presents The Soldier’s Lens, an exhibition showcasing the original perspectives of active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. 10/28-12/7.https://bit.ly/soldier-lens
Fun in the sun Six Florida cities rank among the top 100 US cities for recreation, according to WalletHub. Tampa and St. Pete rank 5th and 20th, respectively. Orlando, of course, comes in at 3rd.https://bit.ly/best-for-your-wallet
We all scream How about a sweet treat with your culture? Now thru Sept., visitors to the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art will receive a coupon for a free cone of soft-serve ice cream from their on-site cafe, The Canyon. www.thejamesmuseum.org
Beach baby After a 13-year hiatus The Beach Theatre is back. The downtown St. Pete Beach historic landmark is a movie theater and live performance venue. On tap soon: Irish band Celtic Conundrum on 8/17 and the Beach Theatre Play Festival 9/19-21. www.thebeachtheatre.org
Got talent? The Beach Theatre is looking for a range of entertainment for their Revival Season. To apply see. https://bit.ly/beach-theatre-audition
Meow mix Carl Kahler’s 1891 painting My Wife’s Lovers just might be the most famous painting of cats ever. The portrait of 42 cats was commissioned by the ultimate cat lady, San Francisco millionaire Kate Birdsall Johnson. The 6ft x 8-½ft, 200lb painting survived nine lives of changing hands until a 2016 Sotheby’s bidding war, when John and Heather Mozart paid $826,000, or $19,667 per cat.
Java alive! Tampa Bay Coffee & Art Festival (TBCAF) is the first craft coffee festival of its kind in the Southeast. With an astounding array of roasters, artisans& artists, vendors, and more, TBCAF will inspire the brewing connoisseur in anyone. Florida State Fairgrounds 10/25, 9am-6pm. www.tampabaycoffeeandartfestival.com
Creatives wanted Without artists, TBCAF would just be a Coffee Festival, which doesn’t have the same ring to it. Help make it artsy and sell your beautiful artwork to a caffeinated fan base. Apply here https://bit.ly/tb-coffee-vendor
