The Arts Center of St. Petersburg is embarking on a major expansion that will feature a beautiful new building on Central Avenue. The central component of the project will be the first ever museum of glass art by visionary artist Dale Chihuly. Chihuly is credited with being the first person to take art glass out of the studio and into the museum. His colorful organic creations grace public spaces, corporations, and museums all over the world.The groundbreaking for Phase 1 took place this past Friday, and was well attended by supporters and city and county representatives. Evelyn Craft, Executive Director of the Arts Center, gave a short history of the Center and introduced local philanthropist Beth Ann Morean, whose generous gift made the new building possible.
St. Petersburg mayor Rick Baker gave his enthusiastic stamp of approval on the project and welcomed Dale Chihuly, appointing the artist an honorary citizen of St. Petersburg.
Scheduled for completion in spring 2010, the Arts Center and Chihuly Collection will join a new Dali Museum building, expanded Museum of Fine Arts, and Florida Holocaust Museum, making St. Petersburg a premiere cultural destination.
2 comments:
Exciting to read that there's progress being made. This will be a great addition to downtown- can't wait.
btw, we ate at "your" Mexican place in Dunedin last week while hosting family in FL and I was tempted by the Starving Artists special. Wasn't that your featured meal? Augusta
The inception of my international lover affair with the glass creations of Dale Chihuly dates back five years and spans across three countries; how sordid!
http://winstoninwonderlandart.blogspot.com/2008/10/dale-chihuly-my-international-love.html
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