Pinellas County Commission approved a $500,000 funding agreement for a Creative Tourism Arts Program, with an amendment to the initial proposal that centers on how the funding will be dispersed.
The program allocates a $500,000 commitment from the county’s budget to create a competitive awards program, leveraging artists and arts agencies for a month-long celebration aimed at increasing tourism and positioning Pinellas as an arts destination. Programming is expected to take place during slower tourism months, primarily October and November.
The program was developed in coordination between Visit St. Pete-Clearwater (VSPC), Creative Pinellas, the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance and Clearwater Arts Alliance. The groups have been meeting since last October to shape the program.
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The proposal comes months after the commission voted to defund Creative Pinellas. While the nonprofit did not shutter entirely, its operational capacity was significantly reduced following the decision, which passed in a 5-2 vote last September.
Now, Creative Pinellas is back, but functions more as “a subcontractor of tourism and the county,” according to Commissioner Renee Flowers. “They are essentially working under the arm of the Tourism Development Council (TDC).”
Contrary to the initial proposal, the final approved program will only receive administrative funding of $100,000 upfront to manage operations. The remaining $400,000, which will be distributed as grants to artists and arts organizations, will be released incrementally as projects are approved.
The amendment came as a majority of commissioners expressed discomfort releasing the full amount upfront and “hoping [Creative Pinellas] does a good job.”
“I’ve been a general contractor for 30 years, and my father taught me to never pay up front,” said Commissioner Chris Scherer. His concerns were echoed by Commissioners Kathleen Peters, Brian Scott and Vince Nowicki.
Clawback provisions were included in the final agreement. While the administrative funding cannot be reclaimed, the county attorney added language allowing the county to recover grant funding if expectations are not met.
According to Brian Lowack, President and CEO of VSPC, grant funds would not be tapped until late summer, giving the county time to evaluate how funds are used and, if necessary, decline disbursement.
Scherer added that he supports having the funds available, but reiterated discomfort with releasing the full amount at once.
Commissioner Dave Eggers, who voted against defunding Creative Pinellas last year, cautioned that imposing clawback provisions without clearly defined success metrics could create uncertainty and unfairness.
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“The clearer we are about the reasons we’d claw back funding, the more fair it is going to be,” Eggers said. “I just don’t know what that would look like.”
Responding to those concerns, Creative Pinellas CEO Margaret Murray said the organization has built in performance benchmarks tied to the quality and viability of funded projects.
“We have built in milestones that artists and organizations need to meet,” Murray said, adding that the goal is to fund work that can realistically attract visitors.
The funding also returns the same $500,000 the county redirected to VSPC for marketing following last year’s defunding of Creative Pinellas, effectively bringing those dollars back into an arts-focused initiative.
Ultimately, the commission unanimously approved releasing the initial $100,000 for administration, which will be divided between Creative Pinellas, the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance and Clearwater Arts Alliance, with the remaining funds to be distributed as projects move forward. Lowack of VSPC is authorized to disburse the remaining funds at his discretion.
“This round of funding from the county allows us to put a significant amount of money into arts experiences,” Murray told the Catalyst. “I’m thrilled.”
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
