TAMPA, Fla. (March 28, 2019) – The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has announced recipients of more than $66,000 in grants that focus on increasing access to arts and culture in the Tampa Bay area. The grants benefit organizations that share the Foundation’s focus on increasing the cultural enrichment in the community.
The programs that were funded address critical needs in the Tampa Bay area, including accessibility to the arts for low-income neighborhoods, art education attainment, and the career opportunities. The grants make it possible for organizations to provide opportunities like after-school programs and mentor programs to help emerging artists.
The Community Foundation has a history of supporting nonprofit programs for arts and culture. The $66,000 awarded in the competitive grants process is in addition to more than $2.6 million in grants to arts and culture organizations by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay in the last half of 2018. In total, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay awards about $15 million each year to nonprofit organizations and, since its inception in 1990, has granted more than $215 million.
The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts received $20,000 for its 2018-2019 Arts Education Partnerships Program. The program provides high-quality creative learning experiences to more than 3,500 children who face challenges in accessing performing arts in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee counties. Through the program, the Straz Center will provide tailored curricula that meets classroom objectives, and students and teachers can attend study-related master classes and performances at the Straz Center at no cost.
Florida Home Partnership, which provides opportunity, education and upward mobility and stability of low-to-moderate-income families, was awarded $10,000 to begin a community art project in Bayou Pass Village 4 in the Southshore community of Hillsborough County.
Professional artist and muralist Michael Parker, who has a successful career in leading large-scale mural paintings including the Ybor City Mural Project, will engage the community and lead them in painting the mural together. The project will give the community members a voice and hands-on opportunity in the development of their community.
“We’re grateful for the important organizations that are working increase accessibility of arts and culture in the Tampa Bay area,” said Marlene Spalten, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay. “The Foundation is proud to facilitate these grants to local arts organizations that share our goals of enriching the community.”
Additionally, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has awarded the following arts and culture grants:
• Florida Museum of Photographic Arts (FMoPA) received $5,000 for its FMoPA Community Gallery, which gives a voice to Tampa Bay area artists who do not have access to gallery exhibition opportunities. FMoPA will give emerging photographers a platform to exhibit their work in a museum setting to help build their skills and resume.
• Friends of the Library – Hillsborough County, Inc. was awarded $4,000 to support art classes for rural residents in Ruskin at the John Crawford Art Education Studio at the Southshore Regional Library.
• Great Explorations, Inc. was granted $10,000 for its Outreach Program, which sets up mobile stations around the Tampa Bay area to provide innovative hands-on learning experiences to children.
• Southshore Arts Council received $4,700 for its Southshore High School art exhibit. The art exhibit, in partnership with Hillsborough Community College, gives students an opportunity to experience exhibiting their work in the community.
• The Florida Orchestra, which provides free, outdoor performances throughout the Tampa Bay area, was awarded $7,500 for its Pops in the Park program.
• The Studio@620, which allows emerging artists to showcase their work, received $5,000. It provides tools to help artists broadcast their work to a larger audience.
About the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
Founded in 1990, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay connects donors, nonprofits, community and business leaders, professional advisors, volunteers and residents to make the maximum positive impact in the Tampa Bay region. For more than 25 years, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has been dedicated to making giving easy and meaningful for donors as a way to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build a better, more vibrant community. Since its inception, its donors have enabled the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to award nearly $215 million in grants to nonprofit organizations across the country.
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