Meet the Artist Behind Pensacola’s New Welcome Sign
The City of Pensacola has a brand-new welcome sign—and it is already turning heads as visitors cross the Three Mile Bridge into town. But what makes this sign even more special is the story behind it. The creative mind who brought it to life is Briana Spence, an artist and designer with deep ties to the Pensacola area.
A Local Connection with a Creative Spark
Briana Spence’s journey to designing Pensacola’s welcome sign started long before the contest was ever announced. Originally from Kansas City, Briana grew up visiting Pensacola every year to see her grandparents. After moving to the city and living here for nine years, Pensacola became a second home to her—a place she describes as full of charm, creativity, and a welcoming spirit.
With a background in graphic design and a passion for visual storytelling, Briana found herself drawn to larger-scale public art over time. She has worked on numerous murals and design projects around Florida, including for the City of Gulf Breeze. Bringing art into public spaces, where it becomes part of the community experience, is one of the favorite parts of what she does.
How the New Pensacola Welcome Sign Came to Life
In April 2023, Briana was sitting at the beach with her sketchbook when she drew a cheerful pelican—without knowing it would soon become the symbol that thousands of people would see when arriving in Pensacola. The idea for the pelican, now named Harbour, was inspired by Briana’s walks across the Three Mile Bridge, watching pelicans fly overhead.
Her mother originally sent her a post about a design contest for the new Pensacola welcome sign. At first, Briana was hesitant to enter, but with encouragement from friends, she decided to submit her idea. On April 25, 2023, she officially entered the contest—and just a few weeks later, she received the email that her design had won.
From there, the project quickly evolved. Briana partnered with the City of Pensacola and Dalrymple Sallis Architecture to refine her design, learning along the way about fabrication, engineering, and everything that goes into building a large-scale landmark.
The finished sign captures exactly what Briana hoped to convey: a feeling of being invited into somewhere special. She wanted the sign to set the tone for the vibrant, coastal energy Pensacola is known for, whether it is a visitor’s first time in town or they have called the city home for a lifetime.
More About the Artist: Briana Spence
Briana’s work blends illustration, branding, and storytelling in ways that connect with community spaces. Beyond the welcome sign, she is continuing to take on exciting projects around Florida, including new signage and art installations, small business branding, and even the design for the upcoming Portside Pickle next to the downtown ferry.
For those interested in following her journey or checking out more of her designs, Briana shares behind-the-scenes looks, process videos, and new project launches on her website spence-studios.com and on Instagram at @spencestudios_. She also owns the copyright to the official Pensacola Welcome Sign artwork, and merchandise featuring Harbour is available exclusively through her website.
As Pensacola continues to grow and evolve, it is artists like Briana Spence who are helping shape the character of the city through creativity, connection, and a deep love for this community.
All images related to the Pensacola Welcome Sign have been used with permission from Briana Spence. To obtain licensing for products, reproduction, or distribution of any images related to the Pensacola Welcome Sign, please visit spence-studios.com/licensing.
