Creative Pinellas presents
Emerging Artist Exhibit at the Gallery at Creative Pinellas

LARGO — Creative Pinellas will present an exhibition featuring the work of a fresh, vibrant group of new works by nine recipients of the organization’s Emerging Artist Grant.

The fourth annual Emerging Artist Exhibit opens Aug. 19 at the Gallery at Creative Pinellas, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo. The show will feature painting, sculpture, installation, drawing, mixed media and illustration by artists Patricia Kluwe Derderian, Lynn Foskett, Steph Hargrove, Mark Mitchell, Zoe Papas, Gianna Pergamo, Kodi Thompson, Judy Vienneau, and Angela Warren. The gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., and the public is invited to view and purchase the work of these talented emerging artists. Gallery visitors are expected to practice social distancing.

The Emerging Artist Grant is designed to help up-and-coming artists on their path to future success by providing funding, a professional artist mentor and an exhibition to display or perform their work. Grantees were carefully selected by a panel of artists and curators based on their portfolio, vision for the future and commitment to show or perform their work for the benefit of residents and visitors to Pinellas County. In this way, the Emerging Artist Grants are an investment in the future of arts and culture in Pinellas County and beyond.

“We have an amazing community of emerging artists here in Pinellas County who are driving a tremendous amount of artistic and creative energy and innovation,” said Barbara St. Clair, CEO of Creative Pinellas. “By combining financial support, mentoring and an opportunity for an exhibit or performance, we believe this grant hits the sweet spot for what an arts organization like Creative Pinellas can do to support individual artists, to encourage and sustain the arts and cultural community, and to enhance the audience experience for residents and visitors as well.”

The exhibit was originally scheduled to open at the gallery in May but due to COVID-19 shifted to a virtual format with work displayed in an online gallery at Creativepinellas.org/emergingartistvirtualexhibition.

“The current situation and social distancing guidelines provided an impetus for Creative Pinellas and our artists to explore new technologies to display and sell art,” said Danny Olda, manager of curatorial programs, content and engagement for Creative Pinellas. “Virtual galleries enhance our ability to connect more people with our area artists. There is still something special about experiencing art in person, so we are thrilled to be able to open this exhibit live to the public.”

Creative Pinellas is also pleased to announce that the fifth Emerging Artist Grant cycle opened Aug. 17. Grants will be awarded for original work in the disciplines of choreography, literature, media arts, music composition, theater/musical theater, visual arts and interdisciplinary arts. Program guidelines and eligibility details, grant FAQs and the online application will be available at Creativepinellas.org/emerging-artist-grants.

For more information about Creative Pinellas and all of their grants and programs, visit creativepinellas.org or contact Sherri Kelly, brand and communications manager at sherri.kelly@creativepinellas.org.

Ruth Eckerd Hall adds additional show with
Ken Block, Drew Copeland

CLEARWATER — Due to overwhelming demand, Ruth Eckerd Hall has added an addition performance in an upcoming concert series featuring platinum recording artists, Ken Block and Drew Copeland of Sister Hazel.

A fourth show will take place Thursday, Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m., in the Kate Tiedemann and Ellen Cotton Cabaret Theatre at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater. Reservations may be made online now. The concert series also includes shows Friday, Sept. 4; Saturday, Sept. 5; and Sunday, Sept. 6. The original three shows are all sold out.

A table reservation is required. A table costs $160 which includes admission to the purchaser and up to three guests, a charcuterie tray and tableside service. To make a reservation and for more information, visit www.rutheckerdhall.com. For information, including social safety guidelines, visit www.rutheckerdhall.com.

Ken Block and Drew Copeland, best known as two of the five members of the platinum-selling rock band Sister Hazel, return to Clearwater for this series of intimate performances featuring storytelling and songs. Attendees can expect to hear Sister Hazel favorites, a few B-sides, deep cuts and new material that writers have called “some of the freshest new music to come out of Music City.”

OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival going virtual in 2020

The 22nd edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival is going virtual.

The bi-annual film festival seeks to unite the community through social events and LGBTQ+ media that inspire, entertain, and educate. For the first time in the organization’s history, 80 new contemplative, comedic and creative films from 20 countries — many never-seen-before and not available on any streaming platform — will be featured with 44 screenings made available to viewers in the Tampa and St. Petersburg areas from Aug. 20-30. The festival will also host livestreamed special events with cocktail happy hours, talent and Q&A sessions as a way to virtually tie the community together. A full list of films and descriptions can be found online at outshinefilm.com/films/program. Presenting sponsors of the 22nd edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Virtual Film Festival are Gilead Sciences and Miami-Dade County. Tickets for the 22nd edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Virtual Film Festival are on sale, now, at outshinefilm.com/buy-tickets. Prices for individual films are $12 each and value packages range from $60 to $350. For additional information about OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival memberships and film packages, call 877-766-8156 or visit outshinefilm.com.

Ricky Skaggs concert postponed

CLEARWATER — The Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre announced that the Ricky Skaggs concert scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. has been postponed.

Tickets will be honored on the new date, which will be announced soon. For more information, visit www.RuthEckerdHall.com/publichealth.

Jonny Lang shows moved to February

CLEARWATER — The Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre recently announced Grammy Award-winner Jonny Lang has rescheduled his concerts on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 20 and 21. Tickets will be honored on the new dates, set for Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 8 and 9, 8 p.m., at the Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

Tickets are priced at $65, $55 and $39 and are only available online at www.RuthEckerdHall.com.

Since the release of his debut album, Lang has built a reputation as one of the best live performers and guitarists of his generation. The path Lang has been on has brought him the opportunity to support or perform with some of the most respected legends in music. He has shared the stage with everyone from The Rolling Stones, B.B. King, Aerosmith and Buddy Guy, who he continues to tour with today.

In 2017, Lang released “Signs,” which reaffirmed his commitment to the blues and the guitar without sacrificing the modern approach that made him such a singular artist.