Former SHINE director launches public art consultancy

After nine years with the SHINE Mural Festival, the last seven as its director, Jenee Priebe has struck out on her own. She has launched No Good Deeds Art, a public art consulting and management company.

“Through my experience with SHINE,” Priebe said, “I had heard from so many other cities, counties and businesses that were all interested in producing murals, or producing mural programming. Anything mural or public art related. There’s a huge need for services there, and direction, for people that may not be familiar with murals or public art.”

No Good Deeds, she added, can also provide hands-on project management, artist recommendations, help with curation and logistics, and more.

During her tenure as the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance’s SHINE director, Priebe – staffed with a small army of volunteers – was instrumental in raising the mural festival to national and even international prominence. It is now one of the most-anticipated and best-attended art events in the city.

A key factor, she said from the start, was ensuring that artists, regional, national or global, had everything they needed, during their time in the city, in order to think about nothing but the job at hand. “That was a big part of SHINE that I always really valued – putting the artist’s voice first, and starting there. So you really get good, quality art, and that artistic integrity is maintained.”

Her plan is to do the same with No Good Deeds. “Through SHINE, and some of the other projects I’ve done, I’ve overseen the installation of over 150 murals throughout Pinellas County; I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t work,” Priebe added.

“And I’ve been working for several other cities, in different capacities. Sometimes helping them launch mural festivals, sometimes just producing individual murals or a series of murals. And I’m looking to do more of that.”

It’s likely that Priebe knows St. Petersburg’s murals, SHINE and otherwise, better than anyone. She’ll continue to work as a Star Trolley mural tour guide, and conduct private mural tours, as she gets her company off the ground.

The 10^th anniversary of SHINE was interrupted last fall, first by Hurricane Helene, and two weeks later by its ugly cousin, Hurricane Milton. Priebe was forced to juggle and shuffle, at the last minute, dozens of schedules, reservations and well-intentioned plans. “I’m really proud of the 10^th anniversary,” she said. “I think everything still came together in a really beautiful way.

“But it was really exhausting – what’s usually 10 days of a festival turned into 35 days of a festival. It was a lot.”

What began as a volunteer position (“Hey, this could be fun!”) turned out to be a pivotal job – a career – for Jenee Priebe. “I would’ve never guessed that this is what I would be doing, but I’m so incredibly thankful,” she expressed. “SHINE, honestly, has been probably the greatest chapter of my life.”

The page has turned on the next chapter. “Everything in my life has changed since I’ve been a part of this event. And being a part of the St. Pete art community has been absolutely life-changing, in every possible way. It’s my whole world now – it’s my friends, it’s my community, it’s my neighbors, and it’s given me so much.”

Click here: No Good Deeds Art website