Elevating Pinellas County as a Cultural Destination
Creative Pinellas is spearheading a transformative new arts tourism funding program designed to position Pinellas County as a premier cultural destination while strengthening its creative economy. On Tuesday, the Pinellas Board of County Commissioners approved the $500,000 program by unanimous vote. Creative Pinellas will direct the program, which is funded by Visit St. Pete-Clearwater (VSPC) with support provided by St. Petersburg Arts Alliance and Clearwater Arts Alliance.
The inaugural program will fund a wide range of experiences created by artists and arts organizations selected through a competitive process. The experiences will shape into a countywide, multi-week festival of the arts during Fall 2026featuring performances, exhibitions, workshops, public art, and immersive cultural experiences across beaches, parks, downtown districts, and cultural venues. It is expected to reach an estimated 2.5 million visitors during that time. This marks the first time Creative Pinellas has distributed arts funding to support not only individual artists and nonprofits, but also for-profit arts organizations.
Funding opportunities range from $5,000 to $15,000 for individual artists; and $15,000 to $50,000 for arts & culture nonprofits and for-profit arts organizations. Creative Pinellas will host a virtual informational session Wednesday, April 1 at noon for those interested in applying for the funding program. Join the meeting here.
“This cultural tourism program represents a significant evolution in how we invest in the arts,” says Creative Pinellas CEO Margaret Murray. “One of the most recognized drivers of our economy is the arts, and we want to ensure our work continues to support that in a meaningful and impactful way. The goal of this festival is to introduce visitors, residents, and businesses to the vibrancy of our Pinellas County cultural class, directly linking our arts community to the very factors that make Pinellas County a highly sought after, competitive, and culturally rich place to live, play, and work. We encourage applicants to think intentionally about how their art experiences can drive tourism.”
The initiative leverages the strength of the arts to enhance the Pinellas County visitor experience, increase tourism, and elevate our region’s profile as a must-visit cultural destination. The key goals of the art experiences include:
- Driving visitors to downtowns, beach communities, and cultural districts throughout the county
- Showcasing Pinellas County artists, locations, and cultural organizations
- Activating beaches, parks, and public spaces with innovative arts programming
- Fostering collaboration between tourism, business, and arts sectors
- Highlighting the natural beauty of Pinellas County’s coastal environment and urban greenways
According to VSPC data, 30-40% of visitors are arts-curious or actively engaged in cultural experiences, and these visitors spend nearly $380 per day per person.
“We have such a robust arts scene throughout Pinellas County with a diverse creative ecosystem that continues to gain prominence and notoriety,” says VSPC President & CEO Brian Lowack. “Working alongside our creative agencies and the local arts community to organize this new program with rotating exhibits each fall enhances Pinellas County’s reputation as a vibrant arts destination. It also allows us to showcase all the amazing cultural experiences while driving visitation from arts enthusiasts from around the world.”
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About Creative Pinellas:
Creative Pinellas is a 501(c)(3) arts and cultural organization established in 2011 as the designated Local Arts Agency for Pinellas County, providing advocacy, funding and support for artists, non-profits and the broader cultural community of Pinellas County. The organization also collaborates with municipalities across the region on impactful public art projects. www.creativepinellas.org.
