St. Pete Arts: 51 Artists Interpret One Phrase
A one-night gallery at Green Bench Brewing features 51 unique responses to the prompt 'go with the flow' during the inaugural Booker Creek Arts Festival.
By Daphne Turner ·
Fifty-one artists in the St. Petersburg area will display their work on a single night under a shared thematic constraint. The event, titled Go with the Flow, takes place at Green Bench Brewing on Saturday, November 14, from 6 to 10 p.m. The venue, located at 1133 Baum Ave N in the EDGE District, will convert its beer garden into an open-air gallery for the one-night-only exhibition.
Organizer Chad Mize set the terms for the show by giving each participant a 16-by-16-inch wooden canvas. The sole instruction was to interpret the phrase 'go with the flow.' The prompt is intentionally broad, allowing artists to explore the concept through literal, abstract, or unexpected visual methods. The format highlights the diversity of local creative output by placing 51 distinct interpretations side by side in the same physical space.
This specific display is one component of the first Booker Creek Arts Festival, which runs from Thursday, November 12, through Sunday, November 15. The four-day event transforms the EDGE District into a walkable arts destination. The festival name references Booker Creek, the waterway that passes through downtown St. Petersburg and holds historical importance for the city.
The broader festival schedule includes live painting, mural work, glass blowing, dance, and music performances. Children's activities are also part of the program. A juried fine art competition runs concurrently, with works displayed in participating hotels, restaurants, and shops. Artists in the competition are eligible for jury-awarded prizes totaling up to $50,000. The public can also vote for People's Choice Awards.
Entry to Go with the Flow is free, and the event is open to all ages. Guests must be 21 or older to purchase alcohol. Mize has used similar beer garden formats in previous shows, which have attracted local attendance. The accessible atmosphere of the brewery allows visitors to view the art while drinking and socializing with the local creative community.
The 51 canvases will be the focal point of the Saturday night event. Each artist started from the same prompt but arrived at different visual solutions. The finished pieces will demonstrate the range of interpretation possible within a single phrase. Full details and the complete schedule are available on the festival website and social media channels.
