FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: St. Petersburg, Florida, (September 7, 2023) – The St. Petersburg Arts Alliance (SPAA) is excited to welcome Ralph Benton as a member of the SPAA Board of Directors.

Ralph Benton is a Business Analyst with Lumen Technologies.  Benton states, “I've worked in large and small corporations for decades, and now it is time to put all the things I have learned to a higher purpose. I want to help the SPAA get to the next level by asking questions, making suggestions, exploring new ideas, and doing the work to achieve what might seem out of reach.”

Benton goes on to say, “My goal is to make St. Pete a world-class arts destination, on par with Santa Fe and other regional hubs for the arts. We can do this by partnering with for-profit, non-profit, and governmental communities to drive both the demand for and supply of quality art. Let's go!”

SPAA is excited for Ralph’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.