Port Tampa Bay to hang original artwork created from recyclable materials by local students

Port Tampa Bay is honored to display a large mural made of recyclable materials, which was made by local students. Sulphur Springs students who took part in the Community Stepping Stones program created the piece, titled One Waterway One Tampa Bay. The artwork is being hung on World Oceans Day in recognition of our commitment to a sustainable and healthy bay.

The mural will greet cruise passengers and guests in our Cruise Terminal 6. The plastics and objects featured on the piece were collected from beach clean-ups held by Community Stepping Stones students and from community cleanups in the neighborhood of Sulphur Springs. The piece was created nine years ago and was restored in 2022 by students enrolled in a Community Stepping Stones Art Camp.

“Port Tampa Bay is proud of the work that Community Stepping Stones is doing in the Sulphur Springs community. They are bringing innovative education and a passion for the arts to children in our community. We look forward to proudly hanging their One Waterway One Tampa Bay mural in our cruise terminal for thousands of guests to enjoy,” explained Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay President & CEO.

“Teaching environmental stewardship through the arts and giving our students firsthand interactions with nature is an important part of Community Stepping Stones programming. We are proud to be exhibiting at the Port,” explained Georgia Vahue, Executive Director of Community Stepping Stones.

Community Stepping Stones’ mission is to serve the youth of the Sulphur Springs Community and surrounding neighborhoods.  Inside their classroom, they educate students using an art-integrated approach to foster critical-thinking skills, craftsmanship, and career-building techniques. They integrate STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics), mental health and well-being, environmental consciousness, and practice of mutual respect in classroom lessons.

In the 2021-2022 season, Port Tampa Bay was a homeport to five vessels from four cruise lines. Port Tampa Bay is Florida’s largest port, supporting nearly 85,000 jobs and generating over $18 billion in annual economic impact. In addition to being a top 10 U.S. cruise port, the port handles a wide array of bulk, break bulk, containers, and roll-on/roll-off cargoes, and is a major shipbuilding and repair center.

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