Revolution & Renewal: A Contemporary View of Ybor City
Photos: Michael Spadoni

“Ybor City isn’t just a place stuck in time.”  said Manny Leto, Outreach Director of the Ybor City Museum Society. “We wanted this show to feature new work and new views of what Ybor is all about. It’s not just about the past, but what’s happening now. We also wanted to provide a venue to promote what we see as the return of Ybor as a place for artists.” Revolution and Renewal will present Ybor City from a new angle as artists re-interpret the past, present, and future of the historic neighborhood. This show involves the coming together of several groups for the benefit of the arts in Ybor. The artists we have chosen represent a broad spectrum of scenes and groups.  We have several artists from West Tampa's 1906 Gallery that represent a distinctly Cuban and Latin-American perspective. Dan Williams who exhibited at the Auto Automatic show will be showing work. David Audet from H.C.C's Festival of the Moving Image and the Artists and Writer's Ball will be there. Also participating are the Artists from Ybor House of Artists who put together the Information for Smokers show a few months ago.  The Museum Society, together with the Ybor Arts Studio which is part of Tampa's Parks and Rec. Department, our 19 Street tenants, namely Tre Amici, and, of course, the artists. The show is also supported by the Arts Council of Hillsborough County and The Ybor City Development Corporation, who each provided grant funds to make the show happen.

Artists’ work will be displayed in the Ybor Museum’s outdoor garden and at Tre Amici Coffee and Wine Bar, which recently opened adjacent to the museum on 19th Street. Revolution and Renewal will also feature 3 local bands—The Beauvilles, Worldwide Zoo and The Candybars—and D.J. Franco Silva from 88.5’s Latino 54 radio show performing in and around Centennial Park. The Ybor Art Studio, also located in Centennial Park, will hold an exhibition of student work.

“We want to activate the whole Centennial Park area, which includes the Museum, 19th Street, and the Ybor Art Studio. There’s going to be a lot going on in and around Centennial Park,” said exhibit curator, Elizabeth Kozlowski.

Revolution & Renewal begins at 7:00 p.m. There is no charge for this event. 10 of artists’ sales will benefit the Ybor City Museum Society.

For more information about the show, call the Ybor City State Museum at (813) 247-6323 or check  HYPERLINK "http://www.ybormuseum.org" www.ybormuseum.org

**Photo Caption:  Manny Leto in the hands of Master Barber Scott Mattis.  The S.E. Mattis Barber Shop is located at 1523 E. 7th Ave. Ybor City.