In the News: Recent Coverage About Creative Pinellas
August 29, 2025 - April 30, 2026
Creative Pinellas launches Mental Health First Aid workshops
Published on March 13, 2026
By Michael Connor
Creative Pinellas, the county’s umbrella arts support organization, is investing heavily in emotional wellness. This month, it will offer a series of Mental Health First Aid training workshops at various locations in partnership with nonprofit Love IV Lawrence.
Creative Pinellas launches Mental Health First Aid Training Workshops
by: Amber Freeman
Posted: Mar 13, 2026 / 10:00 AM EDT
BLOOM (Tampa) – Creative Pinellas is partnering with local arts organizations as part of a new initiative focused on the wellbeing of the creative community. Amber Freeman, host of Bloom, sat down with CEO of Creative Pinellas, Margaret Murray, to talk about the goal of the training workshops.
Creative Pinellas is offering a new series of workshops to provide Mental Health First Aid training
Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend
Posted Mar 10, 2026
Creative Pinellas’ Arts Annual fundraiser raises $78,000 for the arts agency
The Nov. 21, 2025, event included limited-edition prints, a performance installation and more.
Margaret Murray Charts A New Chapter For Creative Pinellas
“I remain committed to helping art flourish in any way that I possibly can,” said Creative Pinellas CEO Margaret Murray.
Dev Shah
January 12, 2026
Arts organization looks to new partnerships after budget cuts, loss of gallery and office space
There are only a few more days to enjoy the latest exhibition at the Creative Pinellas gallery space.
By Virginia Johnson
PUBLISHED 6:39 PM ET Jan. 01, 2026
Creative Pinellas takes a bow in Largo with year-end show
As the last Arts Annual in the county-owned gallery space in Pinellas County, the exhibition is seen by organizers as a kind of grand finale.
WUSF | By Cathy Carter
Published January 2, 2026 at 5:00 AM EST
Creative Pinellas’ Arts Annual 8 marks final exhibition in Largo gallery after funding cut
Creative Pinellas’ end-of-year showcase, Arts Annual 8, is now on display at Pinewood Cultural Park and runs through Jan. 4.
Author: wtsp.com
Published: 6:12 PM EST December 23, 2025
Catalyze 2026: Margaret Murray (Creative Pinellas)
We’re asking thought leaders, business people and creatives to talk about the upcoming new year and give us catalyzing ideas for making St. Pete a better place to live. What should our city look like? What are their hopes, their plans, their problem-solving ideas? This is Catalyze 2026.
Creative Pinellas gallery closing
Creative Pinellas has to leave its celebrated gallery in Largo by February 1, following the county’s vote to defund the organization. FOX 13’s Jennifer Kveglis reports.
Posted Dec. 20, 2025 at 7:27 p.m.
Orange Blossom Award: The Leader Who Let Herself Feel — and Then Got to Work
by Avery Anderson
Every day in December, The Arts Passport is recognizing someone whose quiet, persistent work holds this region’s arts scene together — the kind of people who rarely get applause but absolutely deserve it.
We call them the Orange Blossom Awards: small spotlights for the folks who keep the cultural ecosystem running when no one’s watching.
Arts Annual 8 At Creative Pinellas Features Works By More Than 70 Local Artists
The signature fundraiser comes at an important time for Creative Pinellas, which lost more than $1M in county funding in September.
Tiffany Razzano, Patch Staff
Posted Fri, Nov 21, 2025 at 10:32 am ET
Interview: A battle-tested Margaret Murray talks reinventing Creative Pinellas
Arts Annual happens in Largo on Friday, Nov. 21.
Arts Alive!: Margaret Murray, Creative Pinellas
Now that the smoke has cleared, what will happen next?
County funding cut leads to layoffs at Creative Pinellas
On the heels of county commissioners slashing more than $1 million in funding to Creative Pinellas, the arts support organization laid off half of its staff and canceled several upcoming programs.
By Kathryn Varn. Published Oct. 1, 2025.
$15M in tax increment funds headed to Lealman for redevelopment projects
LEALMAN, Fla. — Pinellas County’s budget for the new fiscal year includes just over $15 million for growth and redevelopment projects in Lealman.
BY Angie Angers| Pinellas County
PUBLISHED 8:10 AM ET Sep. 30, 2025
Letter: Arts agency headline misleading
The headline of the Bee on Sept. 11 said that per the commissioners, Creative Pinellas as misusing tax dollars. Unfamiliar with the agency, I read the article to learn how the agency was misusing tax dollars. My initial thought that someone was diverting funds inappropriately. It was an attention-getting headline.
By Patti Smolansky. Published Sept. 26, 2025.
As funding deadline approaches, future of Creative Pinellas remains unclear
LARGO, Fla. — Creative Pinellas, which served as the county’s designated local arts agency, has been left in lurch as it enters its final days of county funding.
BY Angie Angers Pinellas County
PUBLISHED 10:26 AM ET Sep. 29, 2025
New documents suggest VSPC might work with Creative Pinellas on new competitive arts tourism grants
The arts nonprofit just laid off four staffers after a September vote to defund its efforts.
by Jennifer Ring – September 18, 2025
Despite 5-2 vote to defund Creative Pinellas, there might still be time to save the county’s arts nonprofit
244 emails and more than 50 well-researched in-person pleas weren’t enough to save the nonprofit—but the fight might not be not over.
by Jennifer Ring – September 6, 2025
READ MORE
Creative Pinellas set to lose arts funding following county vote
Pinellas County commissioners voted 5-2 Thursday to remove general funding to the art agency.
By Colbi Edmonds Times staff
Published Sept. 5|Updated Sept. 5
Pinellas County commissioners took a preliminary vote Thursday to slash spending on a program that provides grants and exhibit space for artists, and signaled they may move to cut more.
Creative Pinellas exploring paths forward after county votes to cut funding
Video Sep 5, 2025 / 10:09 PM EDT
Many in the Pinellas County Arts Community said they are shocked and angered after Thursday nights commission meeting….
Pinellas County considers axing funding for arts agency
BY Angie Angers Pinellas County
Pinellas County could retool its public arts funding
WUSF | By Gabriella Pau
Creative Pinellas could get its funding cut as leaders question its return on investment with the group
Creative Pinellas will be facing budget cuts as county commissioners will vote on Thursday.
Author: wtsp.com
Creative Pinellas, county’s arts and culture organization, could lose critical funding
Commission Chair Brian Scott believes they should be doing more to promote arts tourism, but what about the pilot programs already in the works?
By Claire Farrow
READ MORE
Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott’s argument to defund Creative Pinellas doesn’t hold water
The nonprofit wasn’t established to fund tourism, but has put art in front of Pinellas County visitors.
By Jennifer Ring on Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 1:02 pm
READ MORE
‘Creative Pinellas’ on the chopping block
The local agency behind murals, sculptures, and even signal boxes around Pinellas County is under threat. Creative Pinellas has been the county’s designated arts organization since 2001. Jennifer Kveglis reports.
READ MORE
Art, mental health, and wellness – how you can help support our youth and families right now (OPINION)
County Commission chair proposes to stop funding Creative Pinellas
Christopher Curry | Sunday, August 31, 2025
READ MORE
