'Creative Pinellas' announces finalists for traveling community art project, funded in part by florida's 'state of the arts' specialty license plate - michael towner

LARGO, FLORIDA - Creative Pinellas and the programs it delivers are funded by the Pinellas County Board Commission, Visit St Petersburg / Clearwater, the state of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and by sales of the State of the Arts specialty license plate in Pinellas.
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​Five Pinellas County artists will be presenting proposals for a traveling public art project announced by Creative Pinellas earlier this year. They are Carrie Boucher, Kate Helms, Kenny Jensen, Mickett/Stackhouse Studios and Ya La’ford.

The project, which is supported by BP funds, is designed to be interactive, impactful and engaging, and able to be enjoyed by each community where it lands and spends some time, before moving to its next location in the county.

“We went through a very active, detailed and ultimately thoughtful process in reaching out to the artists in our community and in determining which artists we would ask to take the next steps and develop a formal proposal,” said Christopher Hubbard, programs manager for Creative Pinellas, in a press release. “Over 40 artists responded to our initial call, and it was an amazing reminder of the level of talent and artistic energy we have here in Pinellas County.”

The call to artists was open to Pinellas County artists, with the goal of creating a singular work or grouped assemblage that will travel to multiple locations throughout Pinellas starting in early-mid 2019. Right now, communities from the northernmost border of Tarpon Springs to St. Pete Beach and multiple destinations in between have agreed to host the artwork. The project’s aims include accessibility for all and the desire to engender a sense of civic pride and shared community.

This art project is funded from the BP settlement funds related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill with the support of the Pinellas County Commission. Over the last six months, Creative Pinellas has been working with local municipal partners to identify which countywide locations could best serve this art project, as well as gathering Tampa Bay arts educators, artists, community builders and business influencers to serve as a project panel that has helped to craft the Call to Artists and will act as stewards to continually push the project forward.

To learn more about the selected finalists, the project’s background and its goal of a connected Pinellas County, visit creativepinellas.org/communityart.