Submit an arts experience Pinellas County visitors will always remember.
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, March 24, 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 outreach and event 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 a countywide, multi-week festival of the arts during Fall 2026 featuring 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.
Application Information
Applications open on Monday, April 6 at 5 p.m. and are only accepted through the Submittable portal provided. All other applications (mail, email, dropped-off in person, otherwise) will be considered automatically disqualified. The best way to receive the complete application questions is to begin an application and save as a draft in Submittable.
Application Link: creativepinellas.submittable.com/submit
Join us for an online information session on Wednesday, April 8 at noon.
While the session is not being recorded, we will update this page with frequently asked questions.
Applications Due by May 31, 2026
Thank you for your interest in a new arts tourism funding program, an initiative managed by Creative Pinellas, made possible by a partnership with Visit St. Pete-Clearwater and the Tourist Development Council of Pinellas County. We also thank Clearwater Arts Alliance and St. Petersburg Arts Alliance for their outreach and event support. We’re excited to support art experiences to attract visitors to Pinellas County as a premier arts tourism destination!
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