By Sarah Sell , University Communications and Marketing and Zibby Wilder, USF Libraries
The Nelson Poynter Memorial Library (NPML) unveiled a new comprehensive digital collection and gallery exhibit highlighting two decades’ worth of artistic material from the popular art venue The Studio@620 and its co-founder, Bob Devin Jones.
The Bob Devin Jones/Studio@620 Digital Collection at USF St. Petersburg tells the story of Studio@620 from 2004, when it opened its doors at 620 1st Ave. S. in St. Petersburg, to today. The studio played a key role in the city's arts renaissance, and the digital collection seeks to preserve that history.
The NPML launched the new collection and gallery exhibit on September 16 with a celebration and panel discussion featuring key figures in St. Petersburg’s art community. Panelists included USF historian and author Raymond Arsenault, actress Bonnie Agan and Jones, who retired from his position as artistic director in June.
Jones, 70, opened the venue with his former neighbor David Ellis to provide a space for up-and-coming artists to perform or display their art in the community. Ellis passed away in 2018.
“We wanted to have a space where the community could come together without hurt, harm or danger and explore anything that had to do with creative endeavors in the city,” Jones said. “When you see our programs, who we did it for and why, it’s extraordinary. This was a special time in St. Petersburg, and we happen to be there to chronicle it.”
A discussion was held at the NPML where guests asked Jones and the panel about what the studio meant to the community.
The Bob Devin Jones/Studio@620 Digital Collection includes:
- Studio@620 print publicity materials, including programs, postcards, posters and flyers
- Public media, such as newspaper stories, interviews and magazine features
- Jones’s work as a playwright, director and actor, including scripts both produced and not produced
- Collaborative materials produced by Jones and other cultural organizations, including American Stage, Florida Humanities, Morean Arts Center, The Holocaust Museum and more
“This digital collection is a testament to the endurance, versatility and vitality of The Studio@620 and its contributors,” said Alexandra Vargas-Minor, Florida Studies curator and campus archivist for NPML. “While providing a permanent digital home for The Studio@620’s work, this digital collection demonstrates how intertwined the studio is with the pulse of the St. Petersburg community.”
Bob Devin Jones and Erica Sutherlin look at The Studio@620 materials in the Poynter Gallery.
Since the studio opened 20 years ago, St. Petersburg has flourished into a dynamic, international city of the arts. A catalyst of this development, The Studio@620 emerged as a critical gathering place to share creative expression.
Each year, more than 100 programs engage artists, authors, musicians, actors, civic leaders and more. Most participants are local to Tampa Bay, but with the mentoring of Studio@620, several artists have become nationally known dancers, actors and artists.
“Legacy preservation is important. It is the way we pass histories to new generations and tell our stories and celebrate our journeys,” said Erica Sutherlin, The Studio@620’s artistic executive director. “Thank you to the NPML team for taking on this important, beautiful and wonderful challenge.”
In addition to archiving the important work of Jones and The Studio@620, creating the unique digital collection has contributed to USF student learning.
NPML hired Lily Cannon as a student intern to assist with the project.
“Since working on the digital collection, I have learned how Studio@620’s legacy is woven into the vibrant identity of St. Petersburg,” said Cannon, a senior majoring in English and creative writing. “The preservation of these materials will continue to inspire new generations of creatives in St. Pete.”
The launch of the digital collection coincides with an exhibition at the library’s Poynter Gallery, curated by designer David Meek and featuring posters and other materials used to promote the work of The Studio@620.