FUNDING FOCUS

The Emerging Artist grant aims to support and build meaningful relationships among the outstanding creative artists in Pinellas County and their audiences. It provides a solid foundation to nurture the creative community and elevate Pinellas County as an art and cultural destination that draws tourists worldwide.

With this focus in mind, Creative Pinellas provides up to ten grants for artists who are emerging in their artistic practice. Grantees will be assigned an artist mentor to help them develop new artwork for the Emerging Artist Exhibition (EAE) in the Spring of 2024.

Grantees are encouraged to decide how to use the award for their benefit and growth as artists.

Grants of $2,000 each are open to artists doing work in the areas of:

Choreography (of all kinds)
Interdisciplinary (a combination of more than one type of genre of art, often, technology/digital arts are involved)
Literature (including poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Does not include journalism, self-help, children’s books, and books with a structured commercial purpose)
Media arts (including film, photography, computer/digital arts, audio, and interactive media)
Music Composition
Theater Creation (including playwriting, directing, musical direction, stage design, stage lighting, etc.)
Visual Arts (including 2D and 3D visual arts of all kinds)

If you have questions or need assistance, contact grants@creativepinellas.org

GRANT PROCESS TIMELINE

Applications Open:
July 19, 2023, 12:00 pm EST

Application Deadline: September 6, 2023, 11:59 pm EST – NO EXCEPTIONS
Public Panel Review: October 14, 2023, 10 am – 2 pm
Grant Funding Period: October 23, 2023 – July 22, 2024

Artist Grant Workshops

These events will be live-streamed on the Creative Pinellas Facebook page at Facebook.com/creativepinellas/live and, thereafter, made available as a video on this website.

This interactive workshop allows artist applicants to ask Creative Pinellas staff questions about all aspects of the grant process, including applications, scoring, and the panel review.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:
September 6, 2023, 11:59 pm EST
NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE

It is highly recommended that you complete your application process no later than 12:00 pm the day before, to ensure proper time to submit your application.

DO I QUALIFY FOR THIS GRANT?

Creative Pinellas considers the following things when determining eligibility for this grant. To be eligible for the Emerging Artist Grant Program, an applicant shall:

Has gained recognition for their work, artistic skill, and promise by their peers, audiences, and/or by people who think and write about art.
May be somewhat known in the community where they live and work and could benefit by being more widely known outside of Pinellas County/Tampa Bay region.
Is actively working on improving their skills and Impact as an artist.
Is on an upward trajectory of participation in solo exhibitions, publications, or full performances or productions of their work. (For example, the artist’s work may have been exhibited at local galleries, performed at local venues, or published in small literary magazines but may not have built a regional or national reputation or similar milestone.)
Has worked in their type of art for long enough to have a body of work that can be presented and evaluated by the grant panel.

TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EMERGING ARTIST GRANT PROGRAM

Applicants need to:

Has not previously received an Emerging or Professional Artist Grant from Creative Pinellas.
Be a current resident of Pinellas County for at least one year prior to the date the grant application opened.
Agree to maintain residency for the full-time frame of the grant award period.
Be at least 18 years old.
Not be enrolled in any high school, undergraduate, or graduate degree program with the same or similar focus to the artwork they create during the grant award period.
Submit a completed online application and all required support documents.
When submitting samples of your work, make sure the samples are original and a true reflection of the work you create and want to be considered for the application.
Each artist may submit only one application for a grant in the grant period.

WHAT MATERIAL DO YOU NEED TO SHOW?

Applicants will need to provide the items listed below for the Emerging Artist Grant application to be considered complete:

Online application with all important questions answered. (Please pay special attention to the artist’s statement, the vision statement, and the mentorship question. The panel carefully considers these questions when they score applications.)
Resume or CV (curriculum vitae) showing a history of work.
Work samples with details such as the title, medium, creation date, and exhibition information. Please list any collaborators in the projects and their titles during that project.
Support Materials, including exhibition flyers, reviews, news articles, and publications.
Proof of Pinellas County residency.

If an application is incomplete, it will not be accepted or considered for review by the panel.

GUIDELINES TO SUBMIT WORK

General

We encourage applicants to show their strongest work that genuinely showcases the applicants
skills, abilities, and creativity as an artist.

Only submit electronic versions of the original material as work samples. The applicant must be the only creator of the work submitted or part of a partnership or collaborative team that produced the work together.

The work samples submitted for this grant application must have been completed within the past five years and be a cross-section of the work the applicant creates.

Specific

Choreography or Media Arts
(dance, film, photography, computer/digital arts, audio, interactive media, etc.)

Submission Format: .mp4
Submit up to four completed original works or excerpts of original work. The total length of all work samples as a group can be up to 10 minutes.

Interdisciplinary
(a combination of more than one type of genre of art, often technology/ digital arts are involved)

Submission format: PDF, .mp3, .mp4, .jpg
Submit up to four completed original works or the strongest excerpts from the original work.

If .mp3 or .mp4, the combined total length, as a group, should be no longer than 10 minutes.
If .jpg, submit between six and eight images of completed visual work.
If PDF, submit no more than 20 pages/10 reading minutes total.

Literature
(poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Does not include journalism, self-help, children’s books, and books with a structured commercial purpose)

Submission Format: PDF
(You may also submit a .mp4 of a live reading if you believe it strengthens your application)

Fiction/Nonfiction

Submit up to four original works that are, as a group, no longer than 20 pages and/or 10 minutes in total reading time. These work samples may be a short story, creative nonfiction work, or a novel’s most unique or compelling part.

Poetry

Submit up to 20 pages of poetry or the most unique and compelling part of a poetry collection.
Please note: Photocopies from books, circulars, collections, or journals will not be accepted.

Please note: Photocopies from books, circulars, collections, or journals will not be accepted.

Media Arts or Music Composition

Submission Format: PDF, .mp3, .mp4
Submit up to four completed original works or excerpts of original work. The length of the submitted pieces, as a group, should be no longer than 10 minutes in total.

Theater Creation
(including playwriting, directing, musical direction, stage design, stage lighting, etc.)

Submission Format: .mp4
Submit up to four completed original works or the strongest excerpts of original work. The total length of all work samples as a group can be up to 10 minutes.
If you are a designer for Theatre, please, apply to the visual art/media art section.

Playwriting or Screenwriting

Submission Format: PDF
(Applicant may also submit a .mp4 of a live reading accompanied by a PDF of the same work)
Submit original work or the strongest excerpts from original work. As a group, the work samples can be no longer than 20 pages and 10 minutes in total reading time.
Photocopies from books, circulars, collections, or journals will not be accepted.

Visual Art or Media Arts
(2D and 3D visual arts of all kinds)

Submission Format: .jpg (no more than 16MB)
Submit at least six and no more than eight images of the completed original work. An applicant is encouraged to provide high-quality photographic images that demonstrate the quality of the work and, if possible, to include images in a display environment.

Support Materials
(all art forms)

Submission format: PDF, .jpg
Submit up to five support materials, including brochures, programs, news articles, letters of recommendation, and testimonials. Please avoid making copies of copies.

REVIEW AND SCORE WORK

While Creative Pinellas will not judge the artwork, the Creative Pinellas team will review each application to ensure the applications are complete and all submission requirements have been met. Completed eligible applications will move forward to the panel review stage. The panel will not review incomplete or ineligible applications.

A panel of Artists, Art Administrators, Art Professionals, and Community Leaders will score each application.

Scores will range from 0 to 100 and get divided into three categories.

Artistic Excellence and Quality Engagement of Work (50 points):
Each applicant’s work will be reviewed based on their history of producing high-quality artwork and their reputation in the arts, expertise, and experience. The panel will look for serious and a high level of artistic development in the work the artist creates. To determine this score, the panel will judge the quality and range of the support materials, including exhibition flyers, reviews, news articles and publications, art samples, and artist statements.
Record of Artistic Activity Impact and Engagement (25 points):
The applicant’s effective use of their current work to create stimulating, meaningful experiences for their audiences and to reach multiple and diverse audiences. Applicants will be evaluated on their success using best practices in their area of work and/or in partnering with arts and cultural organizations, service organizations, other artists, and collaborators to foster a sense of community engagement.
Future Impact (25 points):
The panel will review the future Impact and potential of the artist to the kind of work they create, the overall art community, and create meaningful artistic experiences for their audiences. The panel will also look for the artist’s potential to follow and improve their ability to create artwork. In addition to the materials provided, the panel often considers the artist statement, vision, and mentor statement in determining this score.

If an application receives a score of 76 points or higher, it will qualify and be considered for funding. Grants recommended for funding will begin with the highest score first and then work down to the next highest score until the use of all available funding is awarded or all eligible applicants with a score of 76 or higher have been exhausted.

The Panel Review process will be a public process. In all cases, applicants with a score of 76 will be discussed as part of that review. All applicants will be discussed if possible (based on the number of applications). Either way, all applicants are encouraged to attend the Public Panel Review to receive valuable feedback and information from the panel concerning their grant application. Attendance is not required, and choosing not to participate in the Public Panel Review will not affect the day’s scoring or future applications.

Participation in the Public Panel Review

Receiving a score of 76 or over does not guarantee funding.

The Panelists can adjust their scores during the panel review. The final scores for each application will be available at the end of the Public Panel Review.

If an application receives a score of fewer than 76 points, it will not be eligible to be considered for a grant.

The Panel Review process

The review will be public. The applicants will be notified before the public review if they have received a score above or below 76.

Applicants with a score of 76 will be discussed as part of that review.

All applicants will be discussed if possible (based on the number of applications). Either way, all applicants are encouraged to attend the Public Panel Review to get valuable feedback and information from the panel concerning their grant application.

Attendance is not required, and choosing not to participate in the Public Panel Review will not affect the day’s scoring or future applications.

GRANTEE ACTIVITIES, ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND REPORTS

The Emerging Artist Grant aims to celebrate and support artists in the upward trend of their careers. Creative Pinellas has developed required opportunities for grantees at an important moment in their development as artists. These opportunities are designed to help the artists develop and expand their audience.

Production

Each grant recipient will produce an agreed-upon number of artwork consistent with the kind of artwork they presented in their application. This will be mutually agreed upon between the grantee and Creative Pinellas, generally no later than 120 days prior to the Emerging Artist Exhibit. The artwork will be exhibited and/or performed during the Emerging Artist Exhibition at the Gallery at Creative Pinellas.

Mentorship

Creative Pinellas will pair grantees with a professional artist mentor for the duration of their grant award period. Mentors and grantees must meet regularly and demonstrate a record of conversations focused on developing the grantee’s skills and career. Creative Pinellas will recommend the mentor based on thoughtful pairing. The grantee does not get to choose their mentor, although Creative Pinellas is open
to suggestions.

Blogging

Each grant recipient will actively write an online journal (a blog on their co-branded webpage at creativepinellas.com) a minimum of fifteen (15) times throughout the grant period. These blog posts may include written word, photographs, videos, or audio recordings. The blogging process has effectively built the awareness and reputation of participating artists regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Public Presentations and Engagement

Emerging Artist Grant recipients are asked to participate in the following events and programs throughout the grand funding period:

Up to two Artist Conversations panel discussions as part of Creative Pinellas’ Art + Innovation series.
Up to two open studios, shared space, performance space visits, live streaming, or pre-recorded events sponsored by Creative Pinellas.
Creative Pinellas-sponsored artists showcase and other special event opportunities.
Emerging Artists Grantee exhibition (required) at the Gallery at Creative Pinellas. The specific date will be determined and announced during the grant funding period.
Grant recipients will also provide Creative Pinellas with links to their websites, Facebook, and other social media platform pages to promote their relationship and connection to Creative Pinellas.

Reporting/Invoicing

Grant recipients will be required to complete a Post-Grant Report to detail their experiences during the grant funding period. This report should provide a general accounting of expenses, details of the artist’s activities during the grant funding period, and include a general log of mentor/grantee meetings. Requests for payment are made in SMapply.

Social Media

Grantees will promote Emerging Artist Grant events, activities, and blogs to their social media audiences, email lists, and other means. Creative Pinellas will promote these Emerging Artist Grant events, activities, and blogs.

Other Media

Grantees may be interviewed about their work and creative process for the Creative Pinellas blog and podcast, Arts In. They may also be featured in organization and partner publications, online and in print, such as arts maps, articles, brochures, web, and mobile apps.

CREDITS AND MARKETING

Emerging Artist Grant recipients are expected to share all public events and exhibition announcements during the grant funding period with Creative Pinellas staff.

Any press releases, publications, programs, interviews, and audio or video materials created during the grant funding period must include the following credit: “Produced with the support of Creative Pinellas, Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater, and the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners.” This text must be the same font size as other recognized sponsors and organizations.

All marketing materials produced during the grant period must feature the Creative Pinellas logo in a prominent location. The recipient’s website also must include a Creative Pinellas logo that links to the organization’s website.

FUNDING POLICY AND DISCLAIMER

Creative Pinellas is committed to reaching all segments of Pinellas County’s population through its support of various artists and the types of work they do.

Emerging Artist Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and evaluated by a panel of artists, art administrators, and community leaders.

Funding for this, and all grants offered by Creative Pinellas, is contingent on available funding and a panel decision, Creative Pinellas, Board, and staff, to fund the program and recommended grants.

Creative Pinellas reserves the right to modify, cancel, or suspend the grant process at any time.

Funding may be withheld if the grant recipient does not meet the necessary activities, and requirements for crediting Creative Pinellas and partner agencies, and the completion of required reports as agreed to by the grantee’s acceptance of Creative Pinellas funding.

If a recipient accepts grant funding and is unable to maintain eligibility or meet the required grant activities and responsibilities, their funding will be terminated and awarded to the next highest-scoring applicant (with a score over 76 points).

Applicants who receive direct funding from the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners are not eligible to receive Creative Pinellas funding.

Creative Pinellas encourages applicants concerned with their tax and liability status to consult with their accountant or financial planner.

QUESTIONS?

If you have questions regarding any portion of Creative Pinellas’ grants programs, please email grants@creativepinellas.org