January 3, 2024

Read more ...

The PedalPub is partnering with the SHINE Mural Festival for the second year to offer special mural tours during the festival. PedalPub will donate a portion of the proceeds to the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance through the end of the year.

“We’re excited to partner with PedalPub to offer SHINE Mural Tours. The route will feature new and old murals, and riders may even be able to catch the artists in action during these tours,” said Jenee Priebe, Director of SHINE.

Special “Public/Mixer Tour” times will be available between October 13th and 22rd. Riders will book “By The Seat” at www.PedalPubStPete.com and will be provided with an information sheet during the tour regarding the murals they will see.

All tours will be two hours long. Start times are: Tuesday at 440pm, Thursday at 440pm, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 140pm, 410pm, and 640pm. Riders are asked to be flexible on their times as the PedalPub needs a minimum of 8 people pedaling.

“Even after the Festival is over, we will be donating 10% of the proceeds of all bookings created with the word SHINE through the end of the year,” said Eric Olson, Owner/Founder of PedalPub-St Pete, who took inspiration from SHINE and painted a mural in his home town.

PedalPub has been operating in the Mural Arts District since 2011 and this is SHINE’s 9th year.

St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, in collaboration with Americans for the Arts and Creative Pinellas announced that St. Petersburg’s nonprofit arts industry generated $132,530,557 in economic activity in 2022, according to the newly released Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study. This economic activity is comprised of $61,607,918 in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $70,922,639 in event-related spending by their audiences supported 2,121 jobs and generated $$26,529,721 in local, state, and federal government revenue. Spending by arts and culture audiences generates valuable commerce to the local St. Petersburg community, as well as making the city an attractive place to visit and to live.

Building on its 30-year legacy as the largest and most inclusive study of its kind, AEP6 uses a rigorous methodology to document the economic and social contributions of the nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry. The study demonstrates locally as well as nationally, arts and culture are critical economic drivers of vibrant communities.

“The importance of the AEP6 study cannot be understated. With every analysis of the arts community’s impact on our economy, the results are evermore apparent. The key is ACTION. Can we together create adequate and sustainable funding for the arts? Can we connect and motivate a public and private partnership? Can we build the future along with artists, art organizations, individuals, businesses, government and the philanthropic community? I know we can." - Terry Marks, CEO of St. Petersburg Arts Alliance

Nationally, the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study reveals that America’s nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $151.7 billion industry—one that supports 2.6 million jobs and generates $29.1 billion in government revenue. “Arts and culture organizations have a powerful ability to attract and hold dollars in the community longer. They employ people locally, purchase goods and services from nearby businesses, and produce the authentic cultural experiences that are magnets for visitors, tourists, and new residents,” said Nolen V. Bivens, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “When we invest in nonprofit arts and culture, we strengthen our economy and build more livable communities.” AEP6 represents a reset from its previous versions, establishing a new benchmark in the AEP study series.

● Social Impact: For the first time, AEP6 expands beyond the economic and financial data to include social impact measurements of the arts and culture’s effect on the well-being of communities and residents.

● Equity and Inclusion: AEP6 broke new ground by prioritizing equity, community engagement, and inclusivity. With the goal of reducing systemic bias, Americans for the Arts transformed its approach and expanded the inclusion and participation of organizations serving or representing BIPOC- (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and ALAANA- (African, Latine, Asian, Arab, Native American) identifying communities.

“The Arts are an essential element to the overall economic health of our engaged community. As a result of our dynamic and diverse footprint we attract global delegations, tourists and partners to our quaint city. St. Pete SHINES because of our brilliant artists. “ - Kimberly Jackson, Board Member of St. Petersburg Arts Alliance & Executive Director of the Institute for Strategic Policy Solution.

Nationally, the extensive research reveals proportional economic and community impacts among attendees at BIPOC and ALAANA organizations to the overall national average. These findings should initiate new, and escalate existing, critical funding conversations about BIPOC and ALAANA organizations receiving fair and proportional financial support.

By measuring the arts and culture’s wide-ranging impact, public and private sector leaders can work together to secure funding and arts-friendly policies that shape more vibrant and equitable communities.

The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance will hold an invitation-only event for a wide variety of community leaders to discuss an action plan moving forward. The event will be filmed and available as will the full report and summary on November 17. This will begin a campaign for the arts that will result in adequate and sustainable funding.

Download PDF of Report

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: St. Petersburg, Florida, (September 14, 2023) – The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance (SPAA) is excited to welcome Ryan Griffin as a member of the SPAA Board of Directors.

Ryan Griffin, Shareholder/Lawyer at Johnson, Pope Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP is a state and federal civil and commercial trial lawyer. Ryan also owns local hospitality concepts: The Mandarin Hide (St. Pete), Mandarin Heights (Tampa), Trophy Fish (St. Pete and Tampa), El Cap (St. Pete), and Perry’s Porch at the St. Petersburg Museum of History, which is currently under construction. 

Being born and raised in St. Pete, Ryan is heavily involved in the community serving as the past chair of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, the past chair of the Grow Smarter Strategy (St. Pete’s equitable economic development strategy), the current president of the St. Petersburg Bar Association and he currently serves on the board of directors for Bayfront Health Philanthropy Council.  Ryan is also a member of the Dali Museum’s Guild as well as supporting numerous other local museums and art initiatives in the community for over 15 years. 

Griffin states, “The Arts have been such an economic driver for the city of St. Pete for many years, and a distinguisher for our City nationally in terms of tourism.  More importantly, the arts have become an invaluable part of the fabric and culture of St. Pete.  I am thrilled to do whatever I can to contribute to this effort for the benefit of generations to come.”

SPAA is excited for Ryan’s contributions to further our vision of strengthening and sustaining the art and cultural community within St. Petersburg through collaboration, economic growth, education, and adequate and consistent funding.