Pictured above: The entrance to the Mermaid Star Motel welcomes guests to Fairgrounds, St. Petersburg’s latest immersive art experience.
Annalise Anderson | The Crow’s Nest
By Sofía García Vargas
Through a combination of exhibits, events and workshops, Fairgrounds St. Pete offers an immersive and playful art experience full of colors, sounds and technology.
“Art for all, play for all, joy for all” is the motto of the new art destination located in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts district.
Founded by Liz Dimmitt and Mikhail Mansion, Fairgrounds St. Pete celebrates Florida in a “weird and wacky” way. As a profit organization, Fairgrounds’ earnings will go not only to the organization, but a portion of ticket sales will go to artists who display their work.
Among Fairgrounds’ 64 inaugural artists are well-known local muralists like Chad Mize and Chris Parks, known as “Palehorse,” as well as artists from all over Florida and the U.S. Their contributions range from iridescent street signs to selfie-worthy murals and a mermaid’s dressing room in a submarine world.
Fairgrounds Director of Communications Olivia Mansion said everything in the art exhibits is there for a reason.
“There’s art literally everywhere. Even the carpet is art, and the walls are art. Everything you see is artwork that was created by an artist,” Mansion said “So even when you see something that looks like a prop, it’s actually art, its meant to be there.”
As a living canvas, the museum will swap exhibits every six months to two years based on people’s interaction and experiences.
The “Community Room” is an exhibit that will constantly evolve as it promotes local art entrepreneurship. Currently, it features Creative Clay, an outreach program that helps people with disabilities express their talents through art while also providing them with vocational experiences.
Fairgrounds Experience Manager John-Michael Hines told The Crow’s Nest that Fairgrounds intends to shy away from other museums in St. Petersburg.
“It’s not a traditional museum,” Hines said. “A traditional museum is stuffy; you have to walk around with your hands in your pockets. We’re just trying to provide a different way for people to experience art.”
With one of its brand pillars being innovation, Fairgrounds wants to continue to grow and innovate, showcasing how art and technology intertwine. It encourages the community to implement technology in art and not be intimidated by it.
“Our message is our motto – art for all, play for all, joy for all. It’s really about creating an inclusive space that everybody is welcome to come and experience art in a way they’ve never seen before,” Mansion said.
Though it began as a permanent installation in St. Petersburg, Hines said a plan to expand the exhibit is on the horizon.
“We always have visions of growing and taking it other places. So, we’ll see where it goes from here,” Hines said.
Fairgrounds invites artists interested in creating work for future exhibitions to stay connected via its mailing list or Insider’s Club.
General admission tickets are $27. Tickets are $25 for Florida residents, college students, active military, first responders and adults over 65 years old.
Face masks are encouraged, and guests are expected to follow social distancing guidelines.
