Times arts reporter Maggie Duffy wins MUSE Award

Tampa Bay Times arts reporter Maggie Duffy has won this year’s literary arts award from the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance in its annual MUSE Awards.

The nonprofit organization raises money and advocates for the local creative community. This is its ninth year awarding local artists and arts supporters to recognize “those that continue to inspire and guide St. Petersburg to its standing as an international arts destination.”

“I’m thrilled to receive this award from the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance,” said Duffy, who has worked professionally in the local art scene as a gallery manager and curator. “Covering the arts is a dream job, and to be recognized for doing it is a true honor.”

Duffy took on the role of arts reporter for the Times in 2019 and writes extensively about the local art scene, from profiles of artists to new gallery shows to the latest performances on stages in the Tampa Bay area.

The other MUSE Award winners this year are:

• Glass artist Catherine Woods of C Glass Studio for visual arts.
• The arts and technology award goes to Mikhail Mansion, who developed an infrastructure of roughly 100 computers to facilitate the Fairgrounds St. Pete, an art-meets-technology immersive experience.
• Alexander Jones of the projectALCHEMY dance company for performing arts.
• Patron of the arts Belinda Dumont, a longtime supporter of the St. Petersburg Opera and the Florida Orchestra.
• Arts ambassador Katie Deits, executive director of the Florida CraftArt gallery, which exhibits and sells the work of fine craft artists from across the area.

The MUSE Awards will be held March 3 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Morean Center for Clay, 420 22nd St. S, St. Petersburg. Tickets start at $125 at stpeteartsalliance.org.