Weekend arts forecast: An art party in a ‘Hot Box’

Back in March, when Chad Mize turned a couple of old city bus garages into an art space he called SPACE, he talked about putting on monthly events, for one weekend at a time. Parties. He’d already operated a couple of “real” galleries, and they took so much of his time and energy he swore he was going to do things differently, on his own terms.

The June event happens this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at SPACE, in the Warehouse Arts District (find it at 855 28th St. South). Hot Box brings together works by two dozen area artists – including Mr. Mize – with art and food vendors, DJ Repete, and cocktail bars from St. Pete Distillery, which owns the property and is leasing it to the artist/curator.

Hours are 7-11 p.m. Friday (18+ only), 4-9 p.m. Saturday (18+ only, to coincide with the Second Saturday ArtWalk) and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.

Plus these added attractions:

Performance by Dirty John’s sketch comedy group (that’s why the 18+ only stipulation) Friday and Saturday; “It’s Giving Literary” (with Tyler Gillespie, Gloria Muñoz, Ripp Lee and Patrick Arthur Jackson) at 7 p.m. Friday; “Poetry & Chill” featuring Aura, Carlos Andre and M Loaiza Bonilla; at noon Sunday.

The Hot Box art exhibit will also be open for your perusing pleasure Saturday and Sunday, June 17 and 18.

Participating artists: Artist Jones, Bask, Tommy Bayot, Marc Brechwald, Mark Castle, Rhyn Cavallaro, Saumitra Chandratreya, Perry deVick, Ethan Early, Emmett Freeman, John Gascot, Lauren Harmon, Jay Hoff, Summer Elaine Hue, Chad Jacobs. Caelan Jeffery, Tenea Johnson, David Kafer, Zaryn Kluytman, Lucky Leroy, Cristi Lopez, Nicholas Lucius, Macy Eats Paint, Cake Marques, Mikey Bear Mcgrath, Rhys Meatyard, Kris Meenan, Miss Crit, Chad Mize, Bryan Nichols, Andrea Pawlisz, Gianna Pergamo, Cory Robinson, Finn Schult, Dylan Todd, Wasil, Scott Wayne, Mark Williams, Yungbld.

Walking the walk

It’s trolley time: Here’s the map, with details, for the June Second Saturday ArtWalk (Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. It’s a free, self-guided your of 40 or so St. Pete art galleries and studios, sponsored monthly by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance.

‘Poetic Justice’

At thestudio@620, Green Bench of Tampa Bay’s “Poetic Justice Artist Showcase” kicks off with an opening “celebration” Friday, and continues through the end of the month. Miesha Brundridge, JayRod the MC and Tone I.E. will bring the entertainment for the 6-9 p.m. event; the artists are Anthony Williams, The Artist Jones, Chris Williams, Dallas Jackson, Eb and Floww, Elaine Chambliss, Moadic Fete,

RODistruption, Sundiata, Tenea D. Johnson, Tiffany Snow, Danny K and Myiah Pink, with muralists Zulu Painter and Wayward Walls. The venue is also a stop on the official Second Saturday ArtWalk tour route. Details (and tickets) are here.

And more art news

 The LGBTQ Resource Center of the Gulfport Library has partnered with the James Museum for ARTOUT, a juried, multi-media visual with works by LGBTQ artists and allies (more than 77 of them, by 39 artists from three countries). Works by the finalists are on view at the James, the library and online here. through June 30. The 2023 theme is Emergence; jurors are Brenda McMahon, Duncan McClellan and Ray Domingo.

Opening Saturday at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, Un-Natural Selection presents a collection of contemporary creative interpretations, including digital installations. Read all about it in the Catalyst story published Wednesday.

David Foley, Jr. as L. Frank Baum in freeFall’s “OZ.” Photo: Thee Photo Ninja.

Theater

OZ, an original music by freeFall Theatre’s Eric Davis and Michael Raabe, is in its second weekend. Tickets are here. Davis and Raabe will guest on Friday’s edition of the Arts Alive! podcast.

The title says it all: The Great American Trailer Park Musical is in its first weekend at Stageworks. Word’s getting around, and tickets remain for just a select few shows … check out the selection here.

Arthur Miller’s classic drama All My Sons continues its run at the USF (Tampa) Theatre Centre, courtesy of Tampa Repertory Theatre. Find tickets here.

The cross-country Broadway tour of the musical Annie is at the Straz Center (Morsani Hall) this weekend. Find tickets here.

And the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Disgraced is up and running at American Stage (tickets are here).

The Weekend arts forecast appears every Thursday in the Catalyst. 

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