St. Petersburg | The Studio@620 will celebrate its fifth anniversary throughout the month of June. The downtown art studio, co-founded by Bob Devin Jones, has held open mic nights, concerts, plays, recitals and artist exhibitions.
Despite a struggling economy and cuts in arts communities across the country, the Studio@620 is thriving, according to Jones.
“We’re staying very busy,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have the support of the local community.”
Jones founded the innovative studio with David Ellis, and at first there was no full-time staff to support the small space. Today, staffers keep the studio booked throughout the year.
Jones is no stranger to art. He has had a stage career and is on the board of American Stage, downtown St. Petersburg’s professional theater company. While Jones is gay, the studio doesn’t focus exclusively on gay artists. Several cultures are represented within its walls and exhibits often coincide with holidays.
In 2008, the studio was involved with St. Pete Pride and held a social there.
“Art comes in all forms,” Jones said during an interview with Watermark before the studio’s first anniversary. “Art can be on a canvas, behind a microphone; on stage … here we encourage all the kinds of art, regardless of its form.”
For a full schedule of anniversary events, visit Studio620.org.
