Millions of residents and visitors enjoy the many and varied art and cultural activities that Hillsborough County offers each year. Whether it is a big event like the Gasparilla Music Festival or a production by a community theater group, lots of people support the arts in Hillsborough County.
In an effort to promote both big and small arts organizations and talented individual artists, Hillsborough County has established Hillsborough Television’s Art813, a series that shines a spotlight on flourishing creativity within Hillsborough County. Art813 is a new collection of mini documentaries produced by Hillsborough Television. The documentaries highlight local artists, arts and culture organizations and events within the region, giving viewers instant access to the area’s most imaginative creations and happenings.
One of the reasons for the boom in arts and cultural events is the support that artists and organizations get from the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, which is funded by the county. In addition, numerous arts and cultural organizations and individuals throughout Hillsborough County shared almost $3.3 million in approved grants from the Florida Department of State’s Division of Arts and Culture during the 2022-23 year. This is more than double the award from 2021-22.
Eileen Blake, contracts manager for the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, said, “The main purpose of this new series is to better inform our residents about the exciting things happening within the local arts and culture community. The videos cover individual artists, organizations and local events.”
Blake added, “The community can learn about all the great opportunities they have to participate in the arts of our area by tuning in and learning more.”
The first organization to be highlighted was the Carrollwood Players Theatre. Upcoming videos will feature local artists like John Costin of Valrico and Nneka Jones of Tampa, and organizations such as the Tampa Bay History Center and the Florida Wind Band will be featured.
The Arts Council of Hillsborough County provides a unified voice for all cultural organizations and activities in Hillsborough County. It promotes news about the cultural vitality of the community while providing grants, research and advocacy to help the cultural community.
If you are interested in tuning into Art813, subscribe to the Hillsborough County YouTube channel or follow Hillsborough County social media channels at @HillsboroughFL.
