Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast

Out of This World: Lil Trini Kid's New Mixtape and What's Next

In this episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast, Avery Anderson welcomes back Lil Trini Kid to talk about Out of This F**ing World: The Mixtape Vol. 1*, his biggest project to date.
The conversation dives into why he chose to create a full mixtape instead of focusing on singles, the collaborations that helped shape the project, and how he's developing his sound as an independent artist. Lil Trini Kid also reflects on his first year releasing music professionally, from growing his audience and navigating criticism to learning who really supports you along the way.
Plus, he shares what's next, including new music, future collaborations, and plans for Out of This F**ing World: The Mixtape Vol. 2*.
Follow Lil Trini Kid and Tampa Bay Arts Passport for more conversations with the artists and creatives shaping Tampa Bay's arts scene.

Life After SHINE: The Real Business of Public Art with Jenée Priebe

What does a public art ninja do after stepping down from leading one of the region's biggest mural festivals? In this episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast, host Avery Anderson sits down with Jenée, founder of No Good Deed Arts and former Executive Director of the SHINE Mural Festival.
Jenée gets real about the crucial need for life boundaries, the transition to running her own creative project management practice, and why we need to permanently retire the idea of paying artists in "exposure." She also pulls back the curtain on the complex, gritty logistics behind public murals and reveals her brilliant new vision to transform St. Pete's portion of the Pinellas Trail into an elevated, world-class fine art corridor.
Inside the Episode:
Reclaiming the Calendar: Jenée shares what it’s like to transition away from the intense cycle of SHINE to focus on rest, family, and intentional consulting work.
New Regional Visuals: A look into her current projects, including bringing murals to Orange County/Orlando, wrapping up a library collection for USF with artist Anthony Freeze, and maintaining Tampa’s permanent art collection.
The Mural Blueprint: From city panels and multi-round design revisions to ordering lifts and dealing with Florida’s brutal summer heat, Jenée breaks down the massive workflow behind a single wall.
Serving as the "Artist Interpreter": Why public artists are highly trained, skilled professionals who deserve equitable compensation, and how Jenée bridges the gap between property owners and creators.
The Future of the Pinellas Trail: Jenée details her upcoming presentation to the Florida Greenways and Trails committee to turn our rail-to-trail path into a vibrant, accessible art destination inspired by NYC’s High Line.
The Power of Public Art: A grounding conversation on how free, accessible art forces a community to engage in dialogue and creates an authentic sense of belonging.

Black Art, Community, and the Future of Green Book Tampa Bay

In this episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast, Avery Anderson talks with Hilary Van Dyke and Joshua Bean, founders of Green Book Tampa Bay, about the organization’s evolution from a Black-owned business directory into a growing arts movement supporting Black artists across Tampa Bay.
The conversation explores the origins of Green Book Tampa Bay, the inspiration behind its name, and how community needs helped shape its transition toward artist residencies, exhibitions, and events like the Black Art Gala.
Hilary and Joshua also discuss creating space for BIPOC artists in Tampa Bay, supporting emerging creatives, and building lasting community connections through the arts.
Follow Tampa Bay Arts Passport for more conversations with the artists, organizations, and creatives shaping the local arts scene.

Voices of Hope for Aphasia: Recovery, Community & the Wordplay Gala

What is aphasia, and how can community support change lives after stroke or brain injury?In this special episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast, Avery Anderson sits down with Debbie Yonis from Voices of Hope for Aphasia to talk about aphasia awareness, recovery, and the organization’s incredible work across the Tampa Bay area.You’ll also hear all about Wordplay Tampa Bay — the award-winning crossword competition fundraiser supporting free and accessible aphasia programs for individuals and families.Learn more about Voices of Hope for Aphasia: https://www.vohaphasia.org Follow Tampa Bay Arts Passport for more arts, culture, and community stories across Tampa Bay.

From St. Pete Theater to TikTok Stardom: Tyrese Pope on Creative Risks

How do you go from producing music in high school to becoming the "King of Content" in Tampa Bay?
 
In this episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast, Avery Anderson sits down with the multi-talented Tyrese Pope—a sound designer, theater maker, and digital entertainer with over a million followers. Tyrese pulls back the curtain on his unconventional journey, from his early days making comedy skits to his viral "Wordle Raps" that transformed his career.
 
In this conversation, we explore:
The Art of Sound Design: Why a "perfect" sound design is one the audience never even notices.
The Leap of Faith: The story of how Tyrese quit his customer service job at Airbnb to become a full-time creator with zero dollars guaranteed.
 
Digital Community vs. Theater: The difference between connecting with a physical audience and engaging with millions behind a screen.
 
The Future of Tyrese: From upcoming sound design for Streetcar Named Desire to his dreams of making short films and taking the longest train ride in America.
 
Whether you're an aspiring artist, a Wordle addict, or just curious about how the digital landscape is maturing, this episode offers a fascinating look at what it means to be an entertainer in 2026.
 
Follow Tyrese Pope on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and catch his latest sound design work at The Studio@620.
 

Building the Dream: Elizabeth Brinklow on the Dunedin Public Theater

"A city becomes a city when you have a theatre."
 
Host Avery Anderson welcomes Elizabeth Brinklow, a veteran arts administrator and the Vice President of the Dunedin Public Theater, to discuss the ambitious project of bringing a fully equipped performing arts facility to North Pinellas.
 
Elizabeth recounts her incredible career—from studying mime in Paris with Étienne Decroux to overseeing Cultural Affairs for the City of St. Pete—and explains why her current "legacy project" is all about the community of Dunedin. Learn about the recent feasibility study that showed 96% community support, the challenges of "pushing the boulder up the hill," and how you can get involved in this transformative cultural milestone

Janice Creneti & The Radical Act of Setting Boundaries

What happens when the world stops, but your job expects you to keep running at 90mph—even if it might kill you? This week, Avery sits down with performer and coach Janice Creneti to talk about her autobiographical solo show, My Year of Saying No.
It’s a "homecoming" performance at St. Pete’s Off Central Players that explores the characters we all have in our heads: Guilt, Perfection, and the ever-present shadow of the Patriarchy. Janice shares how she "killed her darlings" to turn a sprawling story of pandemic survival into a sharp, multimedia theatrical experience. If you’ve ever felt like a "sacrificial lamb" in your professional life, this one is for you.

Sourdough, Secrets, and Sanctuary: Curating Community with Serena Utz

What happens when a "Book Club Wrangler" and a sourdough scientist sits down to talk about more than just yeast and plot twists? In this episode, Avery sits down with Serena Utz—the force behind Tombolo Books’ legendary book clubs and the founder of Trust Your Gut sourdough. We dive into the "altar of baked goods," the heavy emotional weight that community spaces carry during life’s hardest moments, and why science fiction is for everyone (not just the "smart guys"). It’s a conversation about fermentation, vulnerability, and why St. Pete’s creative pulse is best felt in a circle of strangers-turned-family.

Roxanne Fay on Shakespeare, Action Movies, and the Alchemy of Gender

Forget everything you remember from high school English class. This week on the Arts Passport podcast, we’re joined by the legendary Roxanne Fay—dramaturg, actor, and resident Shakespearean expert—to talk about her latest reimagining of Julius Caesar at The Studio@620.
Fay breaks down why Shakespeare’s Roman epic is actually the ultimate action movie, full of "action-consequence" and "thoughtful entertainment." We dive deep into her decision to cast an all-female ensemble and the radical choice to cut the play’s only two female roles to make a powerful point about whose voices we listen to.
Beyond the Bard, Roxanne shares a candid look at the "ultimately terrifying and amazingly gratifying" journey of being a caregiver and how life’s unexpected roles can make us better artists.
In this episode:
Gladiator Vibes: Why Julius Caesar is built like a modern thriller.
The Alchemy of Gender: How Fay approaches traditionally male roles like Brutus.
Book Club Announcement: Details on our March partnership with Tombolo Books to read The Silence of the Girls.
The 2026 Outlook: Alleviating "existential dread" through community and art.

Ray Roa: The Radical Act of Local Journalism

In an era where major news outlets are scaling back, how do two people put out a weekly physical newspaper? Ray Roa, Editor-in-Chief of Creative Loafing, joins Avery Anderson to pull back the curtain on the "nuts and bolts" of independent media in Tampa Bay.
In this episode, we discuss:
The Survival Mindset: How Creative Loafing navigated laying off 67% of its staff during the pandemic to remain a weekly staple.
The Tampa Bay Journalism Project: Ray’s ambitious goal to raise $750,000 to hire reporters and photographers for the community.
Progress over Perfection: Why a "squeaky wheel" attitude won't save local news, but collaboration will.
The Death of the Paywall: Why Ray believes essential community information should always be free.