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Palm Harbor Art Show Returning Downtown

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: April 19, 2008

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – After three years at St. Petersburg Junior College Tarpon Springs Campus, the Palm Harbor Chamber of Commerce will this winter return its Fine Arts and Fine Crafts Show to the historic downtown district along Florida Avenue.

Connie Davis, chamber president and chief operating officer, said the show is for and about artists and they wanted the chamber of return the show to Florida Avenue retailing and hospitality district.

Over the last three years, the show had a great relationship with the college and its Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, which still wants to be a part of the exhibition, Davis said.

Initially the show was moved to SPC Tarpon Campus while Florida Avenue was undergoing a streetscaping project.

At first, chamber organizers liked the sprawling campus on Klosterman Road and its co-location with the Leepa-Rattner Museum.

Logistics at the college, however, proved to be a problem for artists during the three years the show took place there. For example, artists found it difficult to carry their showcases and artwork up and down the hilly terrain.

Last year, when the show relocated to the SPC campus parking area, there was no shade for the artists or show visitors.

For 31 years, the show was held on Florida Avenue to promote local business, Davis said. So everyone is excited about its return downtown, she said, adding the artists love the area's quaint feeling.

Robin Husbands-Cauchi, manager of Old Palm Harbor Main Street, said local businesses are happy that the chamber plans to return their fine art show to Florida Avenue. The private Main Street group helps promote the downtown district.

The artists missed the quaintness of downtown, the backdrop of the old buildings and trees, Davis said.

Logistics of how the show will be set up downtown remain to be worked-out. The chamber will enlist suggestions from local artists in what they want to see in a show, Davis said.

For one thing, most artists all want to be together in rows along Florida Avenue, she said.

Organizers have until the first week in December to workout the logistics.

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