Hillsborough Arts Council

What Hillsborough Arts Council does

The Arts Council of Hillsborough County is the designated local arts agency for Hillsborough County, Florida, operating as a private nonprofit under the governance of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. Founded in 1974 and headquartered at 601 East Kennedy Blvd., 20th Floor, Tampa, the organization administers grant funding to local artists and arts organizations and serves as the unified voice for cultural activity across the county. Its portfolio includes Professional Development for Artists grants (up to $2,000), Cultural Development Grants (up to $25,000), Community Arts Impact Grants ($5,000 for nonprofits and $12,500 for colleges/universities), Special Event Partnership Grants (up to $100,000), and Historic Preservation Challenge Grants (up to $250,000 with 1:1 matching).

The organization operates no proprietary technology. Its digital infrastructure is built on third-party SaaS platforms: Neighborly Software for grant application processing, StartupSpace for the event calendar and artist directory, and Mailchimp for newsletter distribution, with the website hosted on Squarespace. Core non-grant services include an Artist Directory, a centralized Calendar of Events, an annual Arts & Culture Guide publication, Arts & Economic Prosperity reports, and community engagement programs such as the Art813 video series, the Rising Voices youth exhibit, and the Arts Council Honors exhibit.

The Arts Council is funded primarily through Hillsborough County government allocations, with supplemental support from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, and private foundations including the Gobioff Foundation. Its served segments include local artists, arts organizations, art lovers and the general public, and educators. According to its economic impact study, nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Hillsborough County generate $433 million in economic activity, support 15,000 full-time equivalent jobs, and contribute more than $52 million in local and state government revenue.

Name

Hillsborough Arts Council

Legal name

Arts Council of Hillsborough County

Website

https://hillsborougharts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Arts Council of Hillsborough County is the State of Florida's designated local arts agency, administering grants, an artist directory, event calendar, and community programs to support local artists, arts organizations, and residents across Hillsborough County, Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Cultural Grant Funding and Community Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Arts grant funding
• Cultural program services
• Artist directory services
• Community arts engagement
• Historic preservation grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Grants Distribution: The Arts Council distributes government-funded grants to local artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. As a designated local arts agency by the State of Florida, they act as an impact investor in the local arts community, providing funding support rather than generating commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Arts Council of Hillsborough County is the designated local arts agency for Hillsborough County and the State of Florida. It distributes grant funding to local artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions through multiple programs (Cultural Development, Community Arts Impact, Special Event Partnership, Professional Development for Artists, and Historic Preservation Challenge grants). It complements these grants with an online Artist Directory, a centralized Calendar of Events, curated arts and culture resources, community engagement programs, and publications including the Arts & Culture Guide and Arts & Economic Prosperity reports.

Product overview

The Arts Council of Hillsborough County operates as the designated local arts agency for the Tampa and Hillsborough County region, offering a portfolio of grant programs and community services. The core offerings include grant programs for organizations (Cultural Development Grants up to $25,000, Community Arts Impact Grants up to $12,500, Special Event Partnership Grants up to $100,000) and individual artists (Professional Development for Artists Grants up to $2,000, Historic Preservation Challenge Grants up to $250,000). These are supported by an Artist Directory connecting local artists to opportunities, a Calendar of Events for arts and cultural activities, and community engagement programs including the Art813 video series and rotating youth exhibits. The organization also publishes the annual Arts & Culture Guide and economic impact reports. The grant application process is facilitated through an online portal, while events and artist listings are managed through third-party platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cultural Development Grant Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $433 million economic impact and 15,000 jobs supported in Hillsborough County nonprofit arts sector
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Americans for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit organization for advancing the arts. The Arts Council partnered with Americans for the Arts to conduct the Arts & Economic Prosperity study measuring the economic impact of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Hillsborough County.
• Hillsborough County Economic Development DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government department supporting economic prosperity. Partnered with the Arts Council to fund the economic impact study and support arts and culture initiatives.
• Arts4All FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState Organization on Arts and Disability providing accessibility resources and support for inclusive arts programming.
• Florida Division of Cultural AffairsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing resources, guidelines, and programs for arts and cultural development across Florida.
• Kennedy Center EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts providing digital resources and lesson plans for arts education.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HillsboroughFL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZxj4A5VJK7F2Q1hZo5rKQA
• Instagraminstagram.com/hillsboroughcountyarts
• Facebookfacebook.com/HillsboroughFL

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hillsborough Arts Council