Just east across Old Tampa Bay sits Safety Harbor, a small town that’s easy to miss but home to something special, the Safety Harbor Art and Music Center (SHAMc).
This community arts center is a riot of color with mosaic-covered walls, a giant pink elephant mascot and a community chalk wall where visitors leave their mark. “Always look up,” co-founder Heather Richardson said, leading me into a bathroom where a hand-carved elephant and unicorn (made from recycled Styrofoam by a local artist) hide near the ceiling.
Open since 2015, the volunteer-run nonprofit hosts a steady lineup of open mic nights, live music, ceramics classes and mosaic workshops, and every inch of it feels handmade and lived-in rather than curated for tourists. I brought my mom along on a recent visit, and we talked about it for days — equal parts art gallery, community living room and roadside oddity in the best way.
Plan your visit
- Location: 706 Second Street North, Safety Harbor, FL 34695
- Hours: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Admission: Free; prices vary for events and classes