Smiling woman with purple hair, glasses, and earrings participating in outdoor arts and crafts with children, surrounded by greenery.

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Two women smiling and raising their arms in a lush, tropical garden with large green leaves.
A man sitting on a chair reading a book and singing into a microphone outdoors, with a saxophone on the ground beside him. Behind him, a music band with musicians playing instruments is set up on stone steps. A large bronze statue of a woman is in the background among lush green plants.
A person with dark skin holding a colorful booklet titled "Dream Street" with illustrations of children, buildings, and trees on cover, outdoors with blue sky.
books • culture • community

Literary Arts Programming in
South St. Petersburg

Cultured Books Literacy Foundation produces year-round literary arts programs for children, youth, and families. Through public programming and community participation, we strengthen reading culture. We are building toward a permanent children’s literary arts museum.





Discover what we're building together

  • A woman with long, curly black hair wearing glasses and a colorful striped shirt is writing in a book at a table with many copies of the same colorful book. A bottle of water is on the table. In the background, a person with long hair, wearing a black cap, and a denim jacket, is facing away from the camera.

    Public Literary Programs

    Explore

    We produce the annual St. Pete Reads! Lit Fest, youth workshops, and seasonal literary programming designed to increase access to meaningful book-centered experiences.

  • A woman and a young girl sitting outdoors, both wearing matching black shirts with colorful circular patterns. The woman is reading a children's book titled "Did You Know Made You Beautiful?" while the girl is holding a heart-shaped paper cutout. They are surrounded by greenery, and there are microphones visible, suggesting a reading or storytelling event.

    Community-Based Documentation

    Share

    We produce the annual St. Pete Reads! Lit Fest, youth workshops, and seasonal literary programming designed to increase access to meaningful book-centered experiences.

  • A man with glasses, wearing a dark blue t-shirt with 'John Coltrane' written on it, is holding a microphone and reading from a colorful pamphlet or magazine, standing indoors near a colorful artwork.

    Museum Development

    Contribute

    We are laying the foundation for a permanent children’s literary arts museum rooted in local cultural practice and long-term stewardship.


Thank you to our community
A person sitting outdoors in a lush, green setting reading a colorful children's book, wearing glasses, earrings, a patchwork jacket, and red pants.
St. Pete Reads!® Lit Fest

An annual literacy festival celebrating books, culture, and community.

St. Pete Reads!® Lit Fest is our South St. Pete-rooted literacy celebration shaped by community voices and shared experiences with books.


Lit Fest takes place on the first Saturday of November and is supported by Florida Humanities, the Woodson African American Museum of Florida, the St. Petersburg Library System, Deuces Live, and community partners.

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Stay Connected with CBLF

Through public programming and community participation, we strengthen reading culture in South St. Pete. Sign up for updates on events, community news, and more.

our growth

Partner with us

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    Become a Sponsor

    Collaborate

    Support archive expansion, technology infrastructure, and community event programming

  • A woman with gray hair and glasses sitting at a table outdoors with art supplies, smiling at a child whose back is to the camera, in a park or garden setting.

    Donate to CBLF

    Contribute

    Your donation helps provide literary arts experiences that honor the culture and traditions of South St. Pete.

  • People browsing books at an outdoor book fair, with tables filled with books and water bottles in a park.

    Help Share Our Story

    Press

    Covering literary arts, books, or reading in South St. Pete? We'd love to connect. Reach out for press inquiries, interviews, and media resources.