The Saint Petersburg Month of Photography returns this May with over a dozen events in the Tampa Bay Area

After a successful inauguration in 2023, The Saint Petersburg Month of Photography returns to the Tampa Bay Area in its second edition with 16 events, including 6 exhibitions. 2 private collection tours, several educational opportunities for professional and non-professional photographers, multidisciplinary experiences and the much anticipated release of the photobook and exhibition “PARADISE | PARADISE layered,”- by SPMOP’s first Photo Laureate, Thomas Sayers Ellis.

“With more artists and more partnerships with cultural organizations throughout Tampa Bay in this second edition, we are hoping to expand the number of arts lovers that will join us in this month-long celebration of lens-based art, contributing to our mission of creating a photographic epicenter in the Tampa Bay Area every month of May”-says Marieke Van Der Krabben, executive director of SPMOP.

The program this year will culminate in June with Ellis’ exhibition and book launch at the The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts. “PARADISE | PARADISE layered,” is the result of a fruitful, year-long collaboration between Ellis and SPMOP’s executive director. “Thomas Sayers Ellis has an extraordinary ability to see and uncover aspects of the world around us that most of us overlook” -says Robin O’Dell, SPMOP’s board member and executive director of The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts.

The winner of this year’s Photo Laureate competition will need to work with the high and challenging standards set by Thomas Sayers Ellis. The recently announced finalists of the 2024 Photo Laureate competition are Christa Moody, David Moreno, José Ramirez, Ric Savid and Marian Tagliarino. The finalists have well established artistic backgrounds and display a unique photographic language that ranges from photojournalism, environmental portraits and photo collage. Their works will be on display at the Morean Arts Center. The winner will be announced on May 11th, 2024 during a special reception..

In addition to this signature, fully produced exhibitions by S`PMOP, the organization is pleased to collaborate in other exhibitions at the Museum of Motherhood, Five Deuces and the St. Petersburg History Museum; private collection tours with Trenam Law and the Drapkin Residence, portfolio reviews with well established art professionals such as Steven Benson and Amanda Cooper, among others events. Please see the program below. Updates and more events will be added in the upcoming days on our website: www.spmop.org.