Let’s Go Bucs! GPS X Tampa Bay Bucs mural at BAR HWRD
Harnessing the power of art to engage new audiences.
Greater Public Studio (GPS), led by artist Jay Giroux, has collaborated with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to create a new mural celebrating the two-time world champion team. The multidisciplinary art and design studio sourced a highly visible wall at BAR HWRD, a popular sports themed bar in Tampa’s SoHo District for the location of the mural. The design features custom lettering that reads “Go Bucs” highlighted in graphic splashes of team colors and the image of a football player preparing to throw a ball. Viewers can even take the mural into another dimension by viewing it through the free Artivive app, which animates the artwork, creating a 3D effect complete with the illusion that the player’s arm is about to launch the football.
The Bucs marketing team originally reached out to Tampa artist Leon “Tes One” Bedore, who then made the connection between the team and Greater Public Studio. GPS has completed multiple athletic themed projects, from mural design and installation to brand identity and sculpture. It’s an important part of the design studio’s strategy. As Tampa grows and finds its identity as a sports oriented city, “sports can serve as a way of bridging the gap with a younger demographic,” Giroux explains. “Being exposed to artwork while attending a sporting event introduces art to people in a way that feels familiar.” As an athlete and artist, Giroux understands the opportunity to impact an audience that might not regularly find themselves in an art museum or gallery. Infusing creative elements into athletic environments is a savvy way to build new art appreciators.
It’s a winning strategy the Bucs have adopted as well. The team has commissioned several artists around the Tampa Bay area to create artistically branded murals, keeping the team in the forefront of viewers’ minds without being a blatant advertisement. It’s a creative approach that supports local artists, drives the arts economy and accomplishes the team’s marketing goals of reaching new audiences around the Bay. Allowing each artist to create Bucs murals in their own style has led to a variety of creative celebrations, each honoring the NFL team in its own way. While Tampa Bay is finding its place in the world of professional sports, it’s also quite rooted in the arts. Pairing the two together seems a natural fit, with benefits for both sides.
