Skyway 2027: A Contemporary Collaboration
CALL TO ARTISTS
Skyway 2027: A Contemporary Collaboration is a triennial exhibition that centers artists and artistic practices shaping contemporary life in the Tampa Bay region and beyond.
The museums participating in the fourth iteration of this triennial exhibition—the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg; The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota; the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design; the Tampa Museum of Art; and the University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum, Tampa—are proud to announce their joint effort in presenting this exciting showcase.
Projects included in Skyway 2027 will be selected through an open call, by invitation, and through artist-centered curatorial approaches, including dialogue with artists, archival and community-based research, the commissioning of new work, site-responsive projects, and artist-led inquiry into institutional collections. Skyway 2027 seeks to support thoughtful, experimental, and rigorous artistic practices that reflect the complexity of contemporary life and honor multiple ways of knowing, making, and remembering.
Exhibition Venues, Dates & Artists
Please check back regularly for updates.
Each participating museum in Skyway 2027 will feature a unique selection of Tampa Bay–based artists and collectives, as well as other exciting projects. Together, these exhibitions offer visitors a dynamic, multi-site experience, inviting you to explore the rich and diverse landscape of contemporary art across the Tampa Bay region and beyond.
On view at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg: To be announced
On view at The Ringling: March, 2027 through Fall (To be announced)
On view at the Sarasota Art Museum: April 25–September 26, 2027
On view at the Tampa Museum of Art: To be announced
On view at the USF Contemporary Art Museum: To be announced
Collaborative Curation and Community Engagement
Working together, curators from each institution will engage with artists to provide context for a wide range of contemporary practices emerging from Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties, while also acknowledging that artistic knowledge, cultural lineage, and lived experience extend beyond present-day geographic boundaries. Artists working in all media, including oral history, performance, research-based, land-based, and socially engaged practices, are invited to apply here: https://skywaytampabay.smapply.us/prog/skyway_2027_application_form/
Skyway 2027 Curatorial Team and Selection Committee
The curators working together for this fourth iteration of Skyway include the following:
Lacie Barbour, Associate Curator of Exhibitions, Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design
Noah Cox, Assistant Curator, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
Christopher Jones, the Stanton B. and Nancy W. Kaplan Curator of Photography and Media Art, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Joanna Robotham, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Tampa Museum of Art
Christian Viveros-Fauné, Curator-at-Large, USF Contemporary Art Museum
Ola Wlusek, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Anticipated Impact and Legacy
Skyway 2027: A Contemporary Collaboration is more than an exhibition; it is a celebration of artistic innovation and a testament to the collaborative spirit of the Tampa Bay art community. This project promises to leave a lasting impact on the region by shining a spotlight on the artistic voices of the central gulf-coast Florida region and beyond, inspiring future generations of artists and art enthusiasts alike.
A full-color catalog with curatorial essays and information about each artist and their work will accompany the exhibition.
Timeline
July 1, 2026 - Deadline to submit entry materials through an online portal
August and September 2026 - Curators conduct studio visits to select artworks and projects
October 2026 - Artists and exhibition venues public announcement
March 2027 - Skyway 2027 begins to open across five participating venues
Submissions
This open call invites artists and art collectives from Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties to apply for Skyway 2027: A Contemporary Collaboration. Selected artists will be presented at one of the participating institutions: the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg; The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota; Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota; the Tampa Museum of Art; and the University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum, Tampa.
Artists working across diverse media, disciplines, and approaches are encouraged to apply, including those engaged in socially engaged, participatory, research-based, and community-centered practices. Submissions may include existing works or proposals for new projects, and may take many forms, including—but not limited to—work on paper, painting, sculpture, photography, video, performance, sound, research-based art, and site-responsive installations.
Proposals for social practice and community-based art initiatives should include a detailed work plan that identifies the community or group the artist intends to engage, along with a description of the proposed activities and an anticipated timeline. These materials will support curatorial review and help ensure appropriate care, resources, and collaboration throughout the project.
Scope of Work
Upon acceptance, artists will be asked to sign an Artist Agreement (and any relevant loan forms) with the institution(s) presenting their work.
Selected artists are responsible for coordinating the shipping or transportation of their work, unless otherwise arranged with the venue.
All artwork must arrive at the venue exhibition-ready and properly labeled, unless otherwise agreed upon with the venue.
Each venue reserves the right to decline artworks deemed not ready for exhibition, presenting a potential hazard due to condition or materials, or inconsistent with what was agreed upon during the selection process.
Packing and crating of all work is the responsibility of the artist, unless otherwise arranged with the venue.
Delivery and Pick-up
Original artwork accepted for the exhibition must be delivered and picked up according to the dates and timeline specified in the Artist Agreement with the exhibiting institution. Artwork included in the exhibition must remain on view until the closing of the exhibition. Artwork will not be released to anyone other than the artist without written authorization from the artist.
Storage Charges
Unless prior written permission is granted, artwork not picked up by the date specified in the Artist Agreement may be subject to storage charges. Any artwork not retrieved within 14 days of the pick-up date will be considered a donation, to be sold or otherwise disposed of at the discretion of the institution. Artists will be responsible for all additional expenses, including packing, transportation, insurance, and off-site storage.
Submissions will be accepted until July 1, 2026.
Apply online at https://skywaytampabay.smapply.us/prog/skyway_2027_application_form/.
For more information, email skywaytampabay@gmail.com. There is no entry fee.
To be considered, artists must submit the following:
Artist statement (maximum 300 words)
Short biography (maximum 200 words)
Curriculum vitae (CV) including most recent exhibition history and contact information (maximum 2 pages)
Up to 10 images of existing or proposed work that represent the artist’s overall practice. (You may submit up to 5 videos in addition to images)
A list of submitted images with captions including title, date, medium, and dimensions as appropriate
Project description for proposed community-based, performance, or site-specific artworks, including examples of past similar projects
Images
Artists may submit up to 10 images of their work. Including installation shots is strongly encouraged to provide the selection committee with context regarding scale, presentation, and engagement. Please name your image files with your first initial and last name and the number out of ten in the following format: FKhalo_1, FKhalo_2, FKhalo_3, etc.
If selected, artists will be required to provide a high-resolution professional image of one of the accepted works; additional information will be provided after notification of acceptance.
Images should be JPEGs with a maximum file size of [5 MB]. For audio or video works, artists may provide links to accessible online files.