St. Augustine Art Association Hosts Tactile Art Show Designed for Touching
ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida (Sept. 10, 2026) – The St. Augustine Art Association (STAAA) continues its annual tradition of collaborating with the Florida DeafBlind Association and The Florida School for the Deaf & the Blind for a special interactive art exhibit. The “Tactile Art Show” will be displayed at the St. Augustine Art Association, 22 Marine Street, and online at staaa.org from Friday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Nov. 1, during National Sensory Processing Awareness Month. Unlike most art shows, visitors are encouraged to use more than sight to experience the collection.
“We usually think of galleries and museums as very visual experiences, where the number one rule is ‘Don’t touch,’” says Jennifer Flynt, Executive Director of STAAA. “With the ‘Tactile Art Show,’ all of the artwork is designed to be experienced through sight and, most importantly, touch, allowing all viewers, including those who are blind or visually impaired, to experience art using different senses.”
The “Tactile Art Show” will be displayed at the St. Augustine Art Association from Oct. 2 through Nov. 1. The show will include pieces by students at The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Artists of all ages, skill levels, and backgrounds are invited to participate. The Call for Art opens in early September; works must be entered online by Monday, Sept. 28 at 3 p.m. Pieces will be judged for acceptance and awards. Artwork must be safe to touch and may not contain sharp edges. For information and exhibit updates, visit here.
Visitors who want more hands-on art can explore TOUCH Saint Augustine. Inspired by the St. Augustine Art Association’s annual “Tactile Art Show,” TOUCH Saint Augustine is a permanent, citywide tactile art installation where seven sculptures around the Plaza de la Constitución come to life through site-specific Braille signage with raised tactile diagrams, interpretive descriptions, and accompanying audio stories.
The “Tactile Art Show” is sponsored in part by grants from the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council, the St. Johns County Cultural Council, the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida, and Benjamin & Jean Troemel Arts Foundation.
