Santaella Studios for the Arts

Santaella Studios for the Arts is a group of Artists, Indi Film Makers, jewelry designers and printmakers. Over forty studios and two gallerys are featured in the old Santaella Cigar Factory in West Tampa.

The history of the Santaella Cigar Factory is a fascinating one. Built in 1904 as a Cigar Factory, the three-story brick building on North Armenia Avenue currently provides working space for a family business, Ellis-Van Pelt Furniture, and is also a thriving enclave for working artists. What makes this all possible is the well-oiled working relationship between the building’s owners and the tenants, a relationship that dates back to 1997. Through all the changes, the building’s owners have stayed committed to their tenants on the 2nd and 3rd floors. They (the Ellis-Van Pelts) have created an environment like none-other in Tampa for artists to have both a place to work and get some local and national exposure.