ABOVE: A conceptual design for the St Pete Pride mural in the Grand Central District. Photo courtesy Jim Nixon.
ST. PETERSBURG | St Pete Pride has launched a fundraiser to install and maintain an inclusive Pride mural in the Grand Central District, the celebration’s birthplace.
The organization first shared the news June 26, which would have marked the 18th annual Pride weekend in St. Petersburg. In-person festivities were postponed until 2021 in response to COVID-19.
“The City of St. Pete has approved the installation of an inclusive Pride Mural in Grand Central,” St Pete Pride shared. “The mural will be made up of 11 colored stripes. The rainbow installation will help to celebrate the community’s rainbow colors, acknowledge the inclusion of people of color as part of the LGBTQ+ community and uplift the transgender community by recognizing their flags as well.”
The mural – an early, conceptual mock-up of which can be seen above – will be painted on the intersection of Central Ave. and 25th. St. St Pete Pride agreed to raise $7,000 in support of the effort, which will cover installation, supplies, permits, the street’s closure, required maintenance and more.
See the initial announcement and another mock-up, which will not mirror the design, below:
“Over the years, many people in the community have expressed interest in rainbow crosswalks, which are not permitted by Florida Department of Transportation,” St Pete Pride President Chrys Bundy says. “The city has taken a stance on limiting the liability to the city by not installing rainbow crosswalks. St. Pete is known for our murals so a street mural was a natural choice.”
St. Petersburg LGBTQ Liaison Jim Nixon approached St Pete Pride with an initial design for the project, having worked with other city officials on installation approval, permitting and more. “It is important that we recognize the LGBTQ community and the Grand Central District for their contributions in making our city a diverse and welcoming community,” he says.
“The Grand Central District was the birthplace of St Pete Pride and the original ‘gayborhood,’” Nixon continues. “Having an inclusive pride street mural to anchor its history and celebrate the vision that in St. Pete we recognize that our differences, what we look like, who we pray to, who we love … that’s what makes our country great. That’s what makes St. Pete shine.”
As a district which celebrates Pride, diversity and acceptance throughout the year, the Grand Central District Association adds that they enthusiastically embrace the proposal. “Grand Central is the birthplace of St Pete Pride so we want to continue to build on that legacy as well as our relationship with St Pete Pride,” Executive Director David Foote says.
The mural’s installation will be overseen by area artist Andrea Pawlisz, an LGBTQ designer with more than 30 years of experience. She will utilize local LGBTQ artists to facilitate the installation and work with LGBTQ-owned businesses to assist in its preparation.
St Pete Pride has currently raised more than $1,600 thanks to individual donors and a large donation by Metro Inclusive Health. The funds will allow them to move forward with installation, which they hope to complete this month while adhering to COVID-19 safety guidelines.
“We hope the community will come together to help fund the project,” Bundy says. “When the pride parade moved downtown, the community rallied around the Grand Central District and we hope they will do the same thing to celebrate the district and its LGBTQ roots.
“We are grateful for the financial support we have already received and are working with other individuals and organizations that we hope will help financially, but we have a long way to go,” he continues. “We want the community vested in the project and donating is a great way to support the project and have an impact in its message.”
For more information about the mural and to donate, click here. To learn more about St Pete Pride or the GCDA, visit StPetePride.com and GrandCentralDistrict.org.
For the latest updates about COVID-19 and its impact on the LGBTQ communities in Tampa Bay and Central Florida, view Watermark’s frequently updated coverage here.
