Tampa’s Arts Alliance Lands a Downtown Home—and a New Chapter Begins

By Avery Anderson

The Tampa Arts Alliance is getting a new home. But what they’re really building is visibility.

Thanks to a $1 million in-kind donation from Farley White Interests, the Alliance has secured a 5,000-square-foot street-level space at 201 E. Kennedy Blvd., right across from Lykes Gaslight Park in the Fifth Third Center. The corner lot—at the intersection of Kennedy and Tampa Street—will become the Alliance’s first permanent location and the future site of a new arts center, set to open in March 2026.

With The Beck Group leading the build-out, the Alliance has launched a $1.2 million capital campaign to fund construction and programming.

“The center is intended to be a year-round showcase of regional artistic talent,” said Michele Smith, executive director of the Tampa Arts Alliance. “Visitors of the center will grasp the volume of talent and creativity in our city.”

Why This Matters

If you’re not familiar with the Tampa Arts Alliance, here’s the TL;DR: They’re the behind-the-scenes connector. The group advocates for the arts, maps and supports creative infrastructure, and builds bridges between artists, institutions, civic leaders, and the public. They don’t just fundraise or curate—they convene.

Until now, though, they’ve never had a physical home.

“This space allows more frequent gathering and education, as well as a place to be seen,” Smith said. “We are furthering the awareness that Tampa is an arts city with a diverse and expansive cultural base.”

The Alliance has already identified more than 200 cultural venues through its Tampa Arts Directory, spotlighting anchor institutions, independent spaces, and everything in between. They’ve also identified three emerging arts districts—Downtown River Arts, Ybor City, and Uptown—and are working to strengthen the connective tissue between them.

“We want to bring awareness to all of these spaces,” said Smith. “We look forward to working with stakeholders in all three areas to unify a message that generates more traffic between these spaces and draws in more of the public to explore the arts.”

A Flexible, Central Hub

The new center will be designed to adapt—hosting visual art, film, literary work, performances, and community events in one street-level space. Think less “traditional gallery,” more “creative civic lab.”

“The design is open and flexible, allowing us to be creative in how we bring attention to various arts expression,” Smith said. “The space lends itself to 2D & 3D art easily, but we also want to bring attention to literary, performing and film arts as well.”

That includes reimagining a defunct bank vault on site into an immersive installation space, and coordinating with downtown leaders to activate nearby parks with “music, dance, and markets.”

“There is space for everyone,” Smith added.

Built with—and by—the Community

The Alliance has long prioritized inclusive planning, and this new space will be no different. The Artists & Advisors Committee—a quarterly, open-invitation gathering of artists, arts leaders, and community members—will continue to guide programming and direction.

“This is a great place to get involved and is the first line for us in vetting our programming with the community,” Smith said. “We have a track record of creating experiences that inspire while providing a level ground for all to engage.”

That people-first mindset extends to the Alliance’s Artist Salon Series, which pairs artists with leaders in real estate, tech, and healthcare to spark unconventional partnerships and build sustainable careers.

“Facilitating this coming together helps all groups to investigate the advantages of incorporating art in every sector and creates exciting new opportunities for artists,” said Smith. “We will still hold gatherings throughout the city… but now we will have a space that allows more frequent gathering.”

The Campaign Ahead

The capital campaign is already underway, with a first goal of raising $400,000 this summer to begin infrastructure work. The total $1.2 million will fund renovations, movable wall systems, flooring, technology upgrades, programming, staffing, and fixtures to get the center open and operating by March 2026.

“It’s a fast-moving timeline,” said Smith, “but based on interest and need, we believe realistic and attainable.”

For an organization that’s spent years strengthening Tampa’s creative infrastructure from behind the scenes, this center marks a new kind of visibility—and a bold next step in building an arts-forward future for the city.

Donations can be made at tampaartsalliance.org/thecenter, and inquiries about naming opportunities can be sent to smith@tampaartsalliance.org.