The Art Programs Division is dedicated to the education of the City's residents, students and lifelong learners. This page offers educational resources from lesson plans to videos where visitors can explore Tampa's cultural heritage.
Want to teach about Tampa Public Art?
Download a free packet of information on some of Tampa's iconic Public Art to assist in the development of a lesson plan for your class.
(PDF download approximately 27 MB; Reproductions of these materials are permissible for educational purposes)
New!! Explore the rich history of Central Avenue through Public Art
The artwork at Perry Harvey Park is unique and contextual. Major artworks by four artists work together in an attempt to tell the full and complex story of the abundant contributions of the African American community and Historic Central Avenue.
Brochure: 11 x 17-sized brochure (PDF)
Now available! From the Scrub to the Twist (approx 30 MB PDF) produced by the Tampa Bay Times, City of Tampa and the Tampa Bay History Center Poem, "To the Perry Harvey, Sr. Park" by James E. Tokley, Sr., Poet Laureate, Tampa-Hillsborough County
Explore Tampa Public Art
- Functional
- Light-Based
- Lesson Plans
- Murals
- Photography
- Poetry
- Projection
- Sculpture
- Terrazzo
- Tile Mosaic
- Video Art and Animation
Other Resources and Publications
- Videos on Public Art
- Lesson Plans
- Story of Tampa interactive painting
- Coloring Book
- Coloring and History Book - Color Me West Tampa!
- Into Public Art Brochure
- Newspaper in Education
- Catalogue (Lights On Tampa 2009)
Functional
- Ceramic relief at Cotanchobee Park - artist Peter King - Downtown Tampa (Cotanchobee / Ft. Brooke Park)
- Ode to the Tampa Laborer - artists Jim Hirschfield & Sonya Ishii Downtown Tampa (TECOline Streetcar Stops)
Light-Based
Lights On Tampa 2011
- Lux Flux - Eva Lee (commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- N27°57'00" W82°27'41" - Pablo Valbuena (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- Shedding Light - Juliet Davis & Stephanie Tripp (commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- Shadowplays - Jennifer Rosoff & Susan Taylor Lennon (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- Watershed - Molly Schwartz (commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- Tampa Riverwalk Portal - artists: various
Lights On Tampa 2009
- Ecstatic City - (Tampa) - Chris Doyle (commission for Lights On Tampa 2009)
- Revamp Ft. Brooke - Casa Magica (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2009)
- Slurb - Marina Zurkow (commission for Lights On Tampa 2009)
- Tampa Bay: Living Waters - Carlton Ward, Jr. (commission for Lights On Tampa 2009)
- Tampa Public Mood Ring - Will Pappenheimer & Chipp Jansen (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2009)
Lights On Tampa 2006
- FADE III - Erwin Redl (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
- Illuminocity - Bay Stage Lighting (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
- Line Drawing - Janet Echelman (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
- Luminographic Concert - Jorge Orta (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
- Luminous Affirmations - Stephen Knapp (commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
- Marquee - Tobey Archer (commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
- Taking Breath - Wendy Babcox (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
Lesson Plans
- Big Art in the Big City - lesson plan for grades 1-3
- How to Build Your Own Pinhole Camera - by Rebecca Sexton Larson, Photographer Laureate 2005
- Oh Say Can You See -Poetry Lesson Plan by Poet Laureate James E. Tokley, Jr.
- Tampa Portal Lesson Plan -St. Petersburg Times News In Education
- Lights On Tampa - lesson plan for grades pre-k - 2nd
- Lights On Tampa - lesson plan for grades 3 - 5
- Lights On Tampa - lesson plan for grades 6 - 8
- Lights On Tampa - lesson plan for grades 9 - 12
Murals
- Kaleidoscope a Heritage of Color at MacFarlane Park by Edgar Sanchez Cumbas and Guillermo Portieles
- Stay Curious - Downtown Tampa (Poe Garage) - artists Bask & Tes One
- Palmetto Beach in Plastic - Palmetto Beach - artist Stephen Hayford - photographed diorama; printed on vinyl 15' x 60'
- American Journey - Ybor City (Adamo Drive) - Adamo Drive Mural project / Michael Parker
- Cuscaden Park Past, Present and Future- VM Ybor (Cuscaden Park) - artist Allen Leper Hampton
- Florida Avenue Mural - Downtown Tampa (Florida Avenue at Royal) - artist Carl Cowden
- Clay Tile Murals - Downtown Tampa (Perry Harvey, Sr. Park) - artist Natalie Blake (hand-carved ceramic mural)
- Historic Central Avenue - Downtown Tampa (Across from Perry Harvey, Sr. Park) artist Anthony Moore
- Police Mural Districts I & II - New Tampa - artist Andrew Reid
- Reflections of East Tampa - East Tampa (at TPD District III Station) artist James Vann
- Riverwall- Riverwalk - artist Bruce Marsh (Photographic installation)
- Rowlett Park Mural -Sulphur Springs (Rowlett Park) Community Stepping Stones
- Story of Tampa - Downtown Tampa (City Hall Lobby) artist Lynn Ash - location: Lobby of Tampa Municipal Office Building
Newspaper In Education
- From the Scrub to the Twist (approx 30 MB PDF) produced by the Tampa Bay Times, City of Tampa and the Tampa Bay History Center
- Lights On Tampa 2015 - Tampa Bay Times
- Lights On Tampa 2009 - St. Petersburg Times
- Lights On Tampa 2006 - The Tampa Tribune
Photography
- Mayoral Portraits - artist Ric Savid
- Photographer Laureate 2011 -artist Ric Savid
- Photographer Laureate 2010 -artist Karen Glaser
- Photographer Laureate 2009 - artist Barbara Jo Revelle
- Photographer Laureate 2008 - artist Jeremy Chandler
- Photographer Laureate 2007 - artist Marion Belanger
- Photographer Laureate 2006 - artist Steven Gregory
- Photographer Laureate 2005 - artist Rebecca Sexton Larson
- Photographer Laureate 2004 - artist Suzanne Camp Crosby
- Photographer Laureate 2003 - artist Beth Reynolds
- Windows on Forest Hills - artist Bud Lee (Photographic installation)
- Windows on Port Tampa - artist Bud Lee (Photographic installation)
- New Tampa Community Center -artist Matt May (Photographic installation)
- Riverwall- artist Bruce Marsh (Photographic installation)
- Sulphur Springs Pool Complex- artist Bruce Marsh
- Tampa Bay: Living Waters - Carlton Ward, Jr. (commission for Lights On Tampa 2009)
Poetry
- To the Perry Harvey, Sr. Park (PDF), by James E. Tokley, Sr., Poet Laureate, Tampa-Hillsborough County
- Estuary and Poseidon (PDF), poem as streaming MP3, by James E. Tokley
- Epic of the City of Tampa (PDF), poem as streaming MP3, by James E. Tokley
- An Elegy for Clara Frye, James E. Tokley
- La Senoras de Los Ladrillos, poem as VIDEO, James E. Tokley
- Central Avenue Remembered, James E. Tokley
- The Epic of St. Paul AME Church, poem as streaming MP3, James E. Tokley
- The Epic of Tampa Union Station, poem as streaming MP3, James E. Tokley
- Tampa's Supermen: The Epic of Longshoremen's Local 1402 Banana Handlers Union, poem as streaming MP3, James E. Tokley
- Epic of Wildcat Coacoochee, poem as streaming WAV, James E. Tokley
- Epic of Buffalo Soldier, poem as streaming MP3, by James E. Tokley
- ... by Charles Flowers
- ... by Gianno Russo
- ... by Jeff Karon
- ... by Rhonda J. Nelson
- ... by Silvia Curbelo
Projection (temporary)
- Line Drawing - Janet Echelman (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
- Luminographic Concert - Jorge Orta (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
- N27°57'00" W82°27'41" - Pablo Valbuena (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- Revamp Ft. Brooke - Casa Magica (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2009)
- Slurb - Marina Zurkow (commission for Lights On Tampa 2009)
- Taking Breath - Wendy Babcox (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)
Sculpture
- Kinetic Ring - Catherine Woods - Westshore (at Kennedy & Memorial)
- Centennial Clock Keep - Downtown Tampa (at Tampa Union Station) artist William Culbertson
- Gift of Gathering Remembrances - Downtown Tampa (at Perry Harvey, Sr. Park) artist Natalie Blake (hand-carved ceramic mural)
- Great Ball of Pliers - John Rogers East Tampa (40th Street at 26th Avenue)
- Nest Builder - artist Leslie Fry Seminole Heights (at the Seminole Heights Garden Center)
- Spring Rain - artist Susan Gott - Sulphur Springs (at the Spring Hill Community Center)
- Cenotaph and Ceremonial Space - artist Bob Haozous - Cotanchobee / Ft-Brooke Park (601 Old Water Street)
Terrazzo
- Belmont Heights Diamond - artist Gary Moore - East Tampa
- Toil -artist Monica Naugle - Westshore / Carver City / Lincoln Gardens
Tile Mosaic
- Swimming with the Wind - CERO Design and Built - South Tampa (Davis Islands Roy Jenkins Pool)
- The Earth is Our Garden-artist Nina Borgia Aberle
- East Court - Charles Humes, Jr - East Tampa (TPD District III)
- Resting Place - artist Lindsay McCoy
- Parking at the Courthouse - artist Mike Mandel - Downtown Tampa (Kennedy Blvd & Franklin Street)
Video / Animation
Lights On Tampa 2011
- Lux Flux - Eva Lee (commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- N27°57'00" W82°27'41" - Pablo Valbuena (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- Shedding Light - Juliet Davis & Stephanie Tripp (commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- Watershed - Molly Schwartz (commission for Lights On Tampa 2011)
- Tampa Riverwalk Portal - artists: various
Lights On Tampa 2009
- Slurb - Marina Zurkow (commission for Lights On Tampa 2009)
Lights On Tampa 2006
- Taking Breath - Wendy Babcox (temporary commission for Lights On Tampa 2006)