Green Book of Tampa Bay’s “Blooming in Black” reveals Tampa’s Black artists in new exhibition
- Ashlyn Baker
- May 11
- 4 min read
Green Book of Tampa Bay (GBTB) and The Studio@620 will present the 6th Annual Art Opening Exhibit, Blooming in Black, on Saturday, May 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Studio@620.
The exhibition commemorates Juneteenth through art, live performances, and conversation with artists whose work reflects identity, heritage, imagination, and possibility.
Featuring Green Book-listed artists, Blooming in Black brings together a range of Black creative voices from the Tampa Bay area and places their work in a space built for community engagement.
The show arrives as African and diaspora art continues to draw attention in a global art market still shaped by uneven representation. MoMAA’s African & Diaspora Art Market Outlook 2026 reported that the global art market declined 12 percent in 2024 to $57.5 billion, while African art showed signs of stability through sustained collector demand and comparatively strong sell-through rates.
Dedicated Modern and Contemporary African Art sales at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Bonhams, three of the world’s leading auction houses for fine art, antiques, and luxury collectibles, have generated more than $100 million since 2017, according to the report.
Still, the market tells a more complicated story for Black American artists. The Outlook notes that Swann Galleries remains the only major auction house with a dedicated African American Art department.
It also cites market share data showing that Black American women artists represent just 0.1 percent of total auction sales, while African American artists accounted for 1.2 percent of $14.6 billion spent at auction between 2008 and 2018. By 2023, that figure had moved closer to 2 percent.
That context makes local platforms like Blooming in Black especially important. In Tampa Bay, the exhibition creates another path for Black artists to be seen, supported, and discussed within a cultural economy that has not always valued their work at the same level as their influence.
For Green Book of Tampa Bay, the focus on arts and culture has become central to its mission. GBTB was founded in 2019 and has long worked to uplift Black-owned businesses, artists, storytellers, and cultural spaces throughout the region.
Dr. Hillary Van Dyke, Co-Founder, Executive Director, and Board Vice President, shared that by 2021, the organization had already begun hosting art exhibitions and working with local artists, so the shift in mission to the current arts-centered direction builds on work that was already underway.
Van Dyke said the shift was about making the organization’s work more focused and intentional. “At the end of the day, it was honestly about being able to have a more particular focus so we didn’t feel stretched thin, but could instead do one thing really well,” she noted.
Van Dyke acknowledged that the organization’s new mission statement was revised to reflect the organization’s singular focus, but added, “I would say it’s too soon to answer about how it’s helping our business growth, but this is work we had already been doing.”
Green Book's co-founder has, however, noticed some trends. “The main trend for us is that overall the interest in supporting our work has a lot of ebbs and flows,” she acknowledged, adding that over the last few years, “there’s definitely been a steady decline in the number of individuals and corporate interest in donating or sponsoring. So, we really had to hone in on our brand and be more intentional in trying to get grant dollars to supplement the shifting interest in donating.”
Van Dyke, who is also a filmmaker, added that their art shows have always had steady attendance. “We’ve been able to help many emerging artists in the community experience being in their first art show. We have also welcomed back many repeat artists. Another component to our annual art show opening night is live performances and an artist panel, so the evening is just a love letter to Black artists in Tampa Bay.”
The opening reception will give guests a chance to view the exhibition, hear live performances, and speak with participating artists. Organizers describe the exhibition as a celebration of the beauty, resilience, and creative brilliance of Black artists in the community, with each piece offering a story rooted in culture, memory, and imagination.
As Juneteenth approaches, Blooming in Black gives the community a place to gather around art that honors history while looking toward what is still growing. For Green Book of Tampa Bay, the exhibit is part of a larger effort to make sure Black artists, storytellers, and visionaries are visible in the region’s cultural record and supported in real time.
Van Dyke also gave props to the event space, The Studio@620, noting, “We are incredibly grateful that the Studio has said yes to us for so many years to allow such a beautiful event to continue.” Tickets for the May 30th reception can be found at https://thestudioat620.org/events/blooming-in-black.
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