Gasparilla Arts names 2027 festival selection jurors

Gasparilla Arts has tapped four arts professionals to help choose artists for the 2027 Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts in Tampa. The panel includes museum curators, a university gallery director and a practicing artist, underscoring the festival’s national juried reach.

Why it matters: - The jurors will help shape the artist lineup for a free, nationally recognized festival that draws artists, collectors and visitors to Tampa. - Gasparilla Arts said last year’s application pool was its largest since 2020, a sign the jury process remains central to the festival’s visibility and competitiveness. - The 2027 festival is set for March 6-7, 2027, at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.

What happened: - Gasparilla Arts named four Selection Jurors for the 57th Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts in 2027. - The panel includes Noah Cox, Ola Wlusek, Jocelyn Boigenzahn and Anat Pollack. - The organization announced the jurors on Aug. 14, 2026. - Additional information about the jurors is available here.

The details: - Noah Cox is assistant curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, and curator of the upcoming Skyway regional triennial. - Cox is a Florida native with a master’s degree from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. - Ola Wlusek is curator of modern and contemporary art at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and a faculty member at Florida State University. - Wlusek is also a co-curator of the upcoming Skyway triennial. - Jocelyn Boigenzahn is director of College Galleries at the University of Tampa. - Boigenzahn oversees the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery and works to connect university exhibitions and collections with the broader community. - Anat Pollack is an assistant professor of art at the University of South Florida and a practicing artist. - Pollack’s work combines traditional processes with digital technologies. - Pollack’s work has been exhibited nationally and throughout Tampa Bay. - The jurors will review hundreds of applications and weigh artistic excellence, originality and technical merit. - Selected artists will be invited to exhibit at the 2027 festival.

Between the lines: - The panel mixes museum, academic and working-artist perspectives, which should broaden the range of expertise guiding the selection process. - Patricia Fosnaught, co-chair of the Jury and Rules Committee, said the jury helps maintain the artistic quality and diversity festivalgoers expect. - Fosnaught also said Tampa Bay has deep expertise across museums, universities and colleges, and the panel reflects that strength.

What's next: - Gasparilla Arts will use the panel to choose artists for the March 2027 festival at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. - The selected artists will be announced after the jury reviews the applications. - Gasparilla Arts will continue funding its programs and events through sponsorships, festival-weekend retail sales and corporate and individual gifts.