Tampa Museum of Art's Avant Garde: Not Your Average Young Professionals
Words: Aubrey Bramble
Photo: Michael Spadoni

I know you’ve seen them littered around the counter on your morning Starbucks’ runs. Those little cardboard flyers for “Art After Dark.” You’ve probably even gone to one or two of the events because your friend’s band was playing, you had artwork in the show, or you knew someone who had artwork in the show. Or maybe it was just because you wanted to do something different on your Friday night. Either way, you know what it is. But do you know what it’s all about?

“Art After Dark” is a monthly Tampa Museum of Art event that features visual art, music, and performance, along with food and cocktails, for the art-minded night owl in the Tampa Bay area and beyond. The individual events are theme-based and open to both museum members and non-members alike. The museum’s young members’ association, Avant Garde, has been behind a number of these events in the past, and is currently organizing the largest “Art After Dark” yet, scheduled for January 2008.

“Avant Garde is Tampa Museum of Art’s young professionals’ non-profit organization,” says Sarah Richter, committee Chairperson. She, along with other mid-twenties to mid-thirties by-day worker bees, get together often and volunteer their time and energy to create these fun, funky art events with the intent of bringing a younger, hipper crowd to both the museum and the City of Tampa.

Sarah explains, “We are passionate about the arts scene in Tampa Bay. The vision of Avant Garde is to promote and increase awareness of the Tampa Museum of Art and local, emerging artists through social, educational and fund-raising events. We are entering our tenth year and it’s important for us to be actively involved as advocates.” Some past events have included Equinox in the Park, Carnival of the Arts, A3, and The Red Party. Almost all events have up until now taken place in Tampa, although Avant Garde is looking to expand its reach into St. Petersburg and possibly Clearwater in the coming year.

Just recently, the group has pumped up its monthly mixers, cleverly titled, “The Art of Cocktails,” in an attempt to drum up membership and encourage discussion and brainstorming outside of their traditional meetings. I was able to attend November’s mixer, and in addition to meeting a slew of new faces in Tampa’s burgeoning art world, was inspired to join the society myself and to get more involved in the promotion of art in Tampa Bay. The mixers are free, and the locations are great, so there’s nothing to lose by checking one out. In fact, there’s plenty to gain, whether you happen to be an artist yourself or just a connoisseur.

On January 18, 2007 Avant Garde will unveil its most extensive project yet entitled “RetroPerspectives.” This marks the final event at the Tampa Museum of Art’s current site, before it is demolished and rebuilt in Curtis Hixon Park with a slated reopening at its new location scheduled sometime in 2009. The show will consist of works from over 50 local and regional artists, including 10 indoor installations by Jay Giroux, Josh Pearson, Joe Griffith, Anthony Zollo, Lynda Bostrom, Sean Fitzgerald, and Theo Wujcik, plus outdoor installations by Bask, Tes One, and Jeff Whipple. 2 DJs will provide a nightlong musical installation and d’Visitors will perform. The theme of the event is “looking back; looking forward.”

Hopefully this exciting event will set the tone for 2008 for the group, and we will be seeing much grander, experimental offerings from them well into the future. “If anything,” remarks Sarah, “it ushers in a new era for the museum, and some bold and exciting changes for Avant Garde.”

According to Noah Rollins, Secretary of the committee, Avant Garde will also be developing studio tours in 2008, in which members will be able to visit local artist studios and interact with the individual artists on a one-on-one, workshop-like basis. He hopes that in addition to cultivating an interest in exploring local neighborhoods, these tours will help bridge the gap between the St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Tampa art communities and expose members to the wealth of artistic talent in the area on a deeper, more proactive level.

Behind all of this activity and programming is the Avant Garde Steering Committee which, according to Sarah, “consists of individuals with diverse backgrounds who volunteer their time to coordinate events throughout the year. Avant Garde events include social/art ‘happy hour’ events, fundraisers, educational programs, and studio tours throughout the Tampa Bay area. The goal is to share affordable, original art and promote artists in the community. The Steering committee plans the event calendar for the year, promotes museum events, works with local artists and continually looks for ways to reach new audiences.”

What does this mean? It means you should (and need to) get involved. Says Sarah, “Membership is open to anyone.  We want the young and young-at-heart; people who are passionate about art and this community; artists that work and live in Tampa and strive to live as ‘working’ artists.”

Get your booty out to the “RetroPerspectives” event and to one of their upcoming “Art of Cocktails,” see the magic for yourself, and get involved!

Learn more at www.retroperspectives.com and www.tampa-avantgarde.org.