Creative Pinellas Continues Arts Summer Camp Grants

LARGO, FL — Creative Pinellas announced the return of its Arts Summer Camp Grant, created to make it possible for more young people (ages 5 to 18) in Pinellas County to have great arts and cultural experiences at area arts summer camps this year.

Applications are now open and will close on May 25. Eligible campers, who include students who attend Title I schools, receive a reduced or free lunch, live in designated neighborhoods or meet other requirements, can apply directly to Creative Pinellas for a grant to attend a session of an arts-related camp program this summer.

Camp attendance can be at qualified nonprofit Pinellas County arts organizations, other nonprofit organizations that offer arts-specific summer camp programs, as well as community centers, city parks and recreation programs and other locations.

“This is our fourth year of the summer camp program,” said Creative Pinellas CEO Barbara St. Clair. “And what continues to impact our thought process and excite us about this program is that most of the young people who receive grants from us have never, ever gone to a day camp before or experienced a high-quality arts experience. And then, when they go to an arts summer camp, because they got a grant from us, and we ask them ‘OK, now that you have been to an arts day camp (for the first time) what do you want to do next?’ They say, ‘I want to go to an art museum’ or ‘I want to go hear the Florida Orchestra,’ or ‘I want to see a show at American Stage,’ we can see the value in what we have done. We can see in real time that this grant changes lives, and really, that is what we are all about. That is why we do what we do at Creative Pinellas.”

Creative Pinellas has made it easy to apply for the grants. There is an online application on its website www.creativepinellas.org/gotosummercamp and links to organizations that offer arts-related camp programs. The webpage provides detailed information about eligibility and how to complete the process.

For more information about the Arts Summer Camp Grant including eligibility requirements, complete guidelines and an application, go to www.creativepinellas.org/gotosummercamp or email summercamps@creativepinellas.org.