By Jim Carchidi
December 1, 2025
The City of Orlando maintains an art collection of more than 900 pieces with many displayed in parks, municipal buildings, and galleries. These exhibits are managed by Public Art Coordinator Flynn Dobbs, who brings a lifelong commitment to the arts to her role.
Family Values
Dobbs curates artwork for the City Hall Terrace Gallery, The Mayor’s 3rd Floor Gallery, and the Garden House Gallery at Harry P. Leu Gardens. She also collaborates with the Public Arts Advisory Board to oversee the Public Art Fund, which allocates one percent of the cost of each capital project to art or architectural enhancements. Although Dobbs began her coordinator role in July 2024, her connection to the arts goes back to her upbringing.
“I was born into the public art realm,” Dobbs told The Orlando Real. Her father is a photographer and her mother is a sculptor specializing in monumental figurative pieces. However, she opted for arts advocacy over personal creative pursuits, earning a BFA in art history, criticism, and conservation from Florida State University in 2013. “I wanted to be a liaison between the client and the artist. I always felt like that was something my parents needed assistance with," she said. "Artists need support — they can’t have a separate full-time job and expect to be creative after that.”
Growing up in Orlando, Dobbs noticed challenges in the local creative community, particularly the loss of affordable spaces which forced galleries to close and artists to relocate. “We didn't really retain our artists because they didn't have support on a wider, government level. We had a lot of passion, but it was from a small group of people.”
Building a foundation
After graduating, Dobbs returned to Orlando with the goal of making a difference. She volunteered with organizations like United Arts of Central Florida, served on the Public Arts Advisory Board, and assisted with public art projects through the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Dobbs joined the Grand Bohemian as gallery director in 2015, launched a fine art consulting business in 2020, and helped open and manage College Park Gallery.
Dobbs spent years seeking mentorship from cities with robust arts programming and cites the economic and cultural value of the arts in places like Miami and St. Petersburg. “Public art is the personality of any city,” Dobbs said. “People want to appreciate art and they will travel for it.”
"Centered" by sculptor CJ Rench is among Orlando's most well-known public art pieces. Photos by Jim Carchidi
"Monument in Right Feet Major" by Todji Kurtzman in Lake Eola Park.
The 25-foot-tall kinetic sculpture "Union" by Ralfonso is activated by wind and stands at the corner of Robinson St. and Eola Dr.
Drafting plans
One of Dobbs’ long-term priorities is addressing the need for affordable studio space. “The question I get most often from artists is, ‘where can I find affordable studio space?’” she said.
She believes the answer lies with artist collectives like McRae Art Studios and Faith Arts Village Orlando (FAVO), where artists rent space at accessible rates and participate in open houses for networking and sales. Dobbs hopes to establish a similar downtown facility to complement the success of the Downtown Arts District. “It’s a sustainable business model that new galleries and new projects could thrive from.”
Upcoming Events
Several “call to artists” opportunities are planned for upcoming capital projects. The city’s main event in the Art Pollination initiative, which aims to address food insecurity through public art and community action, is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6, at Lake Lorna Doone Park, 1519 W. Church Street.
For more information on city art initiatives and calls for artists, visit the public art page of the City of Orlando website.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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