From exhibitions to residencies, the nonprofit seeks to foster creative growth
A nonprofit in Hillsborough County is connecting established and emerging artists with the Tampa Bay community.
Tempus Projects aims to promote artists working in all mediums through exhibitions that engage visitors.
The nonprofit curates award-winning exhibitions while providing a space for culturally diverse artistic expression, dialogue, and reflection, contributing to the visual arts community.
The start of Tempus Projects
Tracy Midulla, the Founder and Director of Tempus Projects, says the nonprofit started as a vision and quickly grew to become a staple within the arts community of Hillsborough County. Midulla started the nonprofit in a small garage behind a commercial building in Seminole Heights.
However, it wasn't long until the Tampa native realized a bigger space was needed.
"I found that there was a deficit of places for artists to work in the community," said Midulla. "I believed Tampa had a lot of good artists, but what we didn't have was a good place to show their work."
Now located in Ybor City, Tampa's National Historic Landmark District, Tempus Projects makes it their goal to help local artists through exhibitions. Midulla says the exhibitions provide a place for emerging artists to showcase their work alongside established professionals known both regionally and internationally.
"My favorite part of our mission is that we act as a conduit between the artist and the community," said Midulla. "When we cultivate a lecture series or an exhibit, it's not just for the artist or the viewer; it's for the whole community."
Artist Residency Program
In an effort to foster and support the art community in Hillsborough County, Tempus Projects established an Artist Residency Program in 2016.
The program aims to create a collaborative exchange between the Tampa Bay arts community and visiting artists from across the nation and beyond.
Through the program, visiting artists are able to meet and interact with local artists, something Midulla says benefits the community.
"Artists in the program create or refine a body of work, and then it's presented to the community," said Midulla. "It's not limited to visual artists, we've also worked with musicians, composers, writers, and performing artists as well."
Nothing to See Here' exhibit
The latest exhibition by Tempus Projects is titled "Nothing to See Here" and is centered around things that either go unnoticed or are often hidden. Midulla says the artists featured in the exhibit work closely with ideas of things that are secret.
"It's never for me to hope for what people feel when they see an exhibition," said Midulla. "My job as the director is to give the artist a really good prompt."
Featured artist: Erin Titus
Among the artists featured in the "Nothing to See Here" art exhibit is Erin Titus, a painter based in Tampa Bay. Titus is a University of South Florida graduate and was featured as an emerging artist in the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts.
Her work has been shown throughout the Tampa Bay region as well as internationally. Her paintings aim to convey emotions that humans feel in everyday spaces. Her pieces featured in the Tempus Projects exhibition are based on the evolution of her grandparents' home in the Tampa Bay area.
"I love the idea of the emotions we have in a familiar home and how we take those emotions into other parts of our lives," said Titus. "It's all about seeing how people connect when something is familiar or unfamiliar, and how our body adapts to those spaces."
Arts Council of Hillsborough County grant programs
Both Tempus Projects and Erin Titus are recipients of the Arts Council of Hillsborough County grant program. Tempus Projects is a recipient of the Cultural Development grant, which provides program support to local organizations that serve diverse audiences and communities.
Titus is a recipient of the Professional Development for Artists (PDA) grant, which is provided to local artists for career-advancing projects, such as workshops, residencies, or equipment purchases.
Learn more about Tempus Projects and Erin Titus, as well as how the Arts Council of Hillsborough County is connecting arts, community, and culture for all.