The Lights On Tampa program was developed by the City of Tampa’s Public Art Program, in conjunction with regional businesses, volunteers, and art supporters. It was an ambitious project that sought to reaffirm Tampa’s commitment to arts and technology by presenting highly visible, innovative light installations created by juried artists. The program opened on January 7, 2006, with six works by artists Jorge Orta, Wendy Babcox, Bay Stage Lighting, Erwin Redl, Tobey Archer, and Stephen Knapp. On opening night, 20,000 people braved the cold to be part of the Lights On Tampa experience, and thousands more viewed the installations during subsequent nights. Phase II of the program began March 17, with a video and sound installation by artist Jeff Whipple at the Tampa Museum of Art and a transformation of the Poe Garage by Janet Echelman.

Lights On Tampa 2009 kicked off January 10, 2009 with five installations which ran three weeks through Superbowl Sunday, as Tampa was the host city.  Artists included: Chris Doyle, Casa Magica (Sabine Weissinger & Friedrich Foerster), Will Pappenheimer & Chipp Jansen, Carlton Ward, Jr. and Marina Zurkow.

Lights On Tampa Permanent Locations: The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa Convention Center and the Tampa Municipal Building.

Awards: National recognition of Lights On Tampa installations by the Americans for the Arts Public Art Network for 2 projects in 2006 and 1 project in 2009 for having the best public art installations in the country.   Lights On Tampa has also been awarded a local Best of the Bay award by Creative Loafing.

Lights On Tampa continues to be a model for other cities as a creative way to energize and educate the public about new media and the arts.