SUPPORT

THE ARTS IN TAMPA BAY

Art has the unique and powerful ability to connect us with our neighbors and to humanity. Imagine going through the pandemic without art to bring us together, to inspire us, and keep us challenged, motivated and hopeful. Art helps us all to heal.

Our festival artists have been greatly affected by these past few difficult years. AND the legacy of the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts needs your support to continue.

Please show your support for our esteemed Festival and our mission to support artists do what they do best – inspire us all.

Festival Sponsorships

GFA festival sponsorship opportunities come in all shapes and sizes from supporting events to providing scholarships for young artists. All available opportunities, grouped by topic, are listed in the following tabbed blocks. Sponsorship comes with additional benefits, outlined in our Sponsor Benefits table. Please note that sponsorship opportunities grayed out have already been claimed for the 2025 festival.

Events & Entertainment

preview

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$7,500 (elite)
$2,500 (patron)

A single elite sponsor will receive naming rights for The Preview Party, a free event held in February at the Tampa Museum of art, featuring catered food and beverages, a preview of the upcoming festival including an exclusive preview of many of our Emerging Artists, and an opportunity to interact with fellow sponsors, GFA members, artists and art lovers in an intimate environment. Sponsorship includes the opportunity to offer promotional items to Preview Party attendees.

Gasparilla Festival of the Arts 2024 VIP Tent

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$15,000 (presenting)
$5,000 (benefactor)
$2,500 (patron)

A single presenting sponsor will receive the naming rights for the VIP Experience, a shaded retreat providing VIP supporters and sponsors panoramic views of the Festival grounds and catered food and beverages. Patrons (up to 3) will be recognized in promotional materials and have benefits associated with that level of contribution. Each sponsorship includes the opportunity to offer promotional items to VIP Experience attendees.

Live entertainment, musicians on stage

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$15,000 (presenting)
$5,000 (benefactor)
$2,500 (patron)

A single presenting sponsor will receive naming rights for the Entertainment Area, a covered stage featuring live bands and other performances to entertain Festival guests throughout the Festival weekend. All Entertainment sponsorships include the opportunity to offer promotional items to Festival guests in the Entertainment Area, as well as numerous mentions by the Festival emcee throughout the Festival.

childrens-stage

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$5,000 (benefactor)
$2,500 (patron)

A single benefactor sponsor will receive naming rights for the Children’s Stage, featuring children’s oriented live bands and other performances to entertain Festival guests. Sponsorship includes the opportunity to offer promotional items to Festival guests.

Awards

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$15,000 (presenting)
$5,000 (benefactor)
$2,500 (patron)

A single presenting sponsor will receive naming rights for The Artist Awards Showcase, the Saturday evening party announcing the 40+ awards totaling over $92,000 in prize money. The awards are chosen by the Festival and selection jurors, with the winning artists receiving their awards in person. After, guests are invited to view the juried and award-winning art at the Tampa River Center. Catered food and beverages will be provided. 

Artist Programs & Experience

Bridging Art and Community: Your Role in Gasparilla Festival's Success

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$7,500 (Elite)
$2,500 (patron)
$2,500 (patron)
$2,500 (patron)

A single elite sponsor will receive naming rights for the Emerging Artist Program, which showcases the work of 15 up-and-coming artists embarking on a professional visual arts career. The showcased art is judged by the Festival Awards juror, with the wining artist receiving an award. Sponsorship includes the opportunity to offer promotional items to visitors of the Emerging Artist Program. Our 2022 Best of Show winner, Nneka Jones, began her career as an Emerging artist in 2018 and is now world-renowned.

VIP 1 2023

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$7,500 (elite)
$2,500 (patron)

A single elite sponsor will receive naming rights for the Artist Hospitality Area, an amenity providing Festival artists with meals and refreshments. Sponsorship includes the opportunity to offer promotional items to Festival artists in the Artist Hospitality Area, the Artist Packet, or both as well as sponsor signage for the Artists Awards Showcase Saturday evening.

Carmada 2023

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$5,000 (benefactor)
$2,500 (patron)

A single benefactor sponsor will receive naming rights for the Carmada area, featuring artists painting live and NEW hands-on projects led by local creatives. Sponsorship will help cover the cost of the artists and supplies.

AIA 2023

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$2,500 (patron)

Receive naming rights for the AIA Interactive Experience, an interactive structural element created by the AIA (American Institute of Architects) and affiliated organizations.

Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Local Artist Spotlight

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$10,000 (premier)(sold)

A single premier sponsor will receive naming rights for the Local Artist Spotlight, an opportunity to showcase 10 local artists, many who may not have the financial means to apply to the main show. The artists will be selected by a panel of Tampa Bay based professional artists, arts administrators and educators and approved by the Board of Directors. Sponsorship helps cover the cost of providing tents for the artists, the fees for artist booths, and promoting the event.

Community Outreach Village

Investing in Culture: Ways to Support Gasparilla Festival of the Arts in Tampa

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$5,000 (benefactor)
$2,500 (patron)

A single benefactor sponsor will receive naming rights for Art Collectors in Training, a space where children select and purchase artworks for a nominal fee in a “kids only” zone, guided by Festival volunteers. Sponsorship includes the opportunity to offer promotional items to visitors.

Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Community Outreach Village

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$5,000 (Elite)
$2,500 (patron)

A single elite sponsor will receive naming rights for the Community Outreach Village, which is home to many of our Community focused programs including the Young Artists Expo, Children’s Activities, Art Collectors in Training, and other local arts focused organizations like the MacDonald Training Center, Pyramid, Inc. and Arts4All Florida. Sponsorship includes the opportunity to offer promotional items to visitors of the Community Outreach Village.

MacDonald Training Center, GFA Community Outreach Village

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$2,500 (plus match)

Receive naming rights for the MacDonald Training Center exhibit, which displays for sale original artwork created by artists with disabilities. The sponsor for this area also agrees to match funds raised by the sale of MTC art, up to $2,500, the proceeds of which support the artists and the MTC Fine Arts Studios.

Arts4All Florida GFA Community Outreach Village

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$1,500 (plus match)

Receive naming rights for the Arts4All Florida exhibit, which displays for sale original artwork created by independent artists with disabilities. The sponsor for this area also agrees to match funds raised by the sale of Arts4All Florida art, up to $1,500, the proceeds of which support the artists and Arts4All Florida.

Pyramid-Logo

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$1,500 (plus match)

Receive naming rights for the Pyramid, Inc. exhibit, which displays for sale original artwork created by artists with disabilities who participate in a special workshop program. The sponsor for this area also agrees to match funds raised by the sale of Pyramid, Inc. art, up to $1,500, the proceeds of which support the artists and Pyramid, Inc.

Where Creativity Blossoms: Gasparilla Festival's Community Outreach Village and Youth Art Endeavors

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$15,000 (presenting)(sold)

A single presenting sponsor will receive naming rights for the Young Artists Expo, an exhibit showcasing selected student works from high schools in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Sarasota, and Manatee Counties. The showcased art is judged by the Emerging Artists juror, with the winning student and their school receiving awards. Sponsorship includes the opportunity to offer promotional items to visitors of the Expo.

Logistical & Other Festival Opportunities

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$2,500

Receive naming rights for the Bike Valet area at the Festival site. Sponsorship will defer the cost of the service. 2 locations are anticipated.

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$2,500

Receive naming rights for the shuttles that transport patrons from nearby parking locations to the Festival site continuously throughout the weekend. Magnetic signs with the sponsor’s name will be applied to three sides of each of the shuttles. Three shuttles are anticipated. Sponsorship will defer the cost of the shuttles.

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$1,500

Receive naming rights for the shuttles that transport artists from their parking locations to the Festival site continuously throughout the weekend. Magnetic signs with the sponsors name will be applied to three sides of the shuttle. Sponsorship will help defer the cost of the shuttle.

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$1,500

Receive Supporter benefits and naming rights for one of thirty (30) Merit Awards, which will be awarded by our Festival juror. Each award is designated to a selected piece of art for The Showcase, and each Merit Award ribbon is displayed with the winning artwork.

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$1,000 (multiple opportunities available)

Support elementary students by receiving naming rights for the K-8 Children’s Showcase. We are teaming up to bring the Doodads Re-purposed Sculpture Competition to the festival, fresh off their exhibition at the state fair in February. Sponsorship includes a logo featured on signage for the program.

Sponsorship benefits vary depending on donation of goods, services, or both.

Opportunities Beyond the Festival

Available Sponsorship Levels:

Any amount, $1,000 minimum 

As part of GFA’s mission, we are committed to the enhancement of the Tampa Bay area’s cultural arts and having a lasting impact on our community. This commitment includes facilitating permanent art installations throughout Tampa Bay, utilizing the talents of our local artists. Each year we will endeavor to implement at least one new piece. Sponsors for each piece will have their name included on a plaque associated with the piece. Additionally, they will be included in all press materials related to the piece and be added to our website. Sponsor benefits are commensurate with the level of donation.

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$3,000 each

Since 2020, GFA has awarded scholarships to local college students pursuing a career in the arts. Up to five $3,000 Scholarships will be awarded during an awards ceremony in April. Scholarship recipients will be selected by a different juror each year. Sponsors for each Scholarship will receive the same benefits as Patron and naming rights for a single scholarship, which will be included on the ribbon given to the artist and added to our website.

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$7,500

A single elite sponsor will receive naming rights for the GFA Collegiate Scholarship Awards Ceremony, a free event held in April, featuring catered food and beverages, a display of pieces from our scholarship recipients, and an opportunity to interact with fellow sponsors, GFA members, artists and art lovers in an intimate environment. Sponsorship includes the opportunity to offer promotional items to attendees.

Available Sponsorship Levels:

$1,000–$7,500

GFA seeks opportunities to organize and/or partner with local arts organizations to hold periodic events that incorporate the visual arts as a component. Some of these events are geared towards sponsors and others are open to the public. Sponsors for each event will have their name included in press materials and includes the opportunity to offer promotional items. Sponsor benefits are commensurate with the level of donation.

Through the generosity of our amazing sponsors, funds may remain after the expenses of the Festival are covered. In such a circumstance, remaining funds will be pooled in a general fund that will be utilized to help maintain the costs for the organization and support our mission: The Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is dedicated to producing an annual, premier juried outdoor art festival for the enjoyment and education of our patrons, artists and guests and the enhancement of the Tampa Bay area’s cultural arts.

Sponsorship Benefits

The Details

* A maximum of 30 Named Merit Awards are available, on a first come basis. Priority will be given to the sponsors of the Named Merit Awards.

Artist Awards Showcase: Re-imagined this year, this Saturday night event is the public’s first opportunity to both view and purchase the juried and award winning art.

Sponsor Signage: Logo included with other sponsors on banners/signs with all Festival sponsors. Named programs with tents will receive logo recognition on tent banners.

GFA Enthusiasts: Accompanies each level of sponsorship. Access to periodic GFA programmed events, which could include artist tours and demos, speakers, tours, mixers, and art-related outings, along with receipt of the Newsletter and notifications on local events.

Marketing: Marking efforts will include the following: Social Media, Newsletters, Blogs, App presence/ads, and Website. Please note that marketing efforts will be tailored based on the sponsor’s financial commitment.

VIP Experience

Art Festival. Elevated.

Your shady oasis in the middle of a world-class art festival. Reserve your space—purchase tickets today.

Your ticket purchase supports the Art Festival
View the full list of VIP perks and reserve your tickets.

Patron's Club

GFA is pleased to introduce the Patron’s Club.

The Patron’s Club provides art enthusiasts with the opportunity to participate in art-related, exclusive social activities throughout the year.

Membership information coming soon.

GFA Patron's Club logo
Grow your collection
Support the Arts
Exclusive Perks

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Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Inc. is registered with the State of Florida Division of Consumer Services, registration #CH32508. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. For information online go to www.800helpfla.com or call 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) within the state or (850) 410-3800 calling from outside the state.

Ajeva

Ajeva is a funk/rock band from St. Petersburg, FL. The band started in 2013 and features Reed Skahill (vocals), Taylor Gilchrist (bass), Mike Nivens (guitar), and Lyndon Thacker (keys). They’ve carved out a sound of their own with epic melodies and distinctive vocals that pair perfectly with their deep grooves. Each Ajeva show is a one of a kind experience with the band taking their songs to different places and new heights every night.

Light the Wire

Light the Wire makes heartfelt, indie-folk rock that with powerful vocal harmonies, thoughtful lyrics, and powered by driving bass and drums.  The quintet is based out of Tampa, FL, and released its self-produced, debut EP – “Someday Is Coming” on all streaming platforms on November 1, 2023.

Giorgi

Rock musician that refuses to find a niche

GA & FL

FFO: Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World

Mwiza

Biggest influences are church, his mother, Coheed & Cambria, Acceptance, James Morrison, Bombay Bicycle Club, Disturbed, Arctic Monkeys, Young The Giant, Chevelle, Rusko, Chief and Matt Corby. Most of the music he listens to has a darker sound to it so he in turn makes darker, melodic music.

Datagram

Datagram has been the moniker of shapeshifting Tampa musician Scott Olson for the better part of the last decade.

In that time, the sound and styles of this project have shifted and morphed, painting with shades of glitch, downtempo, techno, and all that lurks in between.

Shevonne and the Force

A multi-hyphenate, genre-bending artist, Shevonne Philidor is a singer-songwriter, producer, and actress who epitomizes her dynamic background in music and performing arts. A military brat born in Philadelphia, PA, she experienced living in multiple cities – including a stint in Italy – before landing in Tampa, Fl, where she nurtured her musical ability throughout her childhood. She’s a scion of a musical family stemming from her half-Haitian descent and taught herself to play the guitar at an early age, inspired by the likes of Prince, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Bob Marley, and M83. In 2003, she made her first TV debut on America’s Most Talented Kids, and in 2010, she made an appearance on America’s Got Talent Wild Card. A recipient of the prestigious NFAA scholarship, she also made American Idol’s top 40 twice in 2016 and 2019, the same year she performed at Austin City Limits with five-time Grammy award-winning artist Gary Clark jr. In 2021, she performed alongside CeeLo Green at a Superbowl party for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was tapped to sing for ABC’s Juneteenth celebration with T.I. and Domani. Working with Grand Hustle Records, she’s a Luna Guitar-endorsed artist who was also selected to perform in Just Blaze’s SXSW showcase in 2022. A theatre kid at heart, she’s flexed her acting skills on a national tour for Todrick Hall’s musical, Oz The Musical, and she was also recently casted in Life’s Rewards, an upcoming Amazon Prime TV show.

Kristopher James

Though he’s lived in the Sunshine State, for most of his life, Kristopher’s talent for melody and song (now) extend far past the state’s line. Like his influencers Otis Redding, Amos Lee, and Roberta Flack, Kristopher’s voice is clear, controlled, and full of all-the-feels.  As with all artists, Kristopher’s sound has ebbed and flowed, evolving yet remaining instantly recognizable. With the growth he’s experienced as an artist, Kristopher felt it was time to capture his songs, in their fully-imagined sound!

With his debut album “Kindness Never Quits”, featuring members of Scary Pockets, Kristopher caught the attention of Relix & Glide Magazine, Spotify Playlist curators and continued praise, such as “vocals are so powerful and as the song progresses, he showcases why he is one of the best singers out there. All that soul in one artist is just unbelievable” from Reignland Magazine.

Continuing through the COVID years, Kristopher partnered with musicians to keep the music and community alive. Along with composer and keys player Mike Hicks of Rascal Flatts, The War & Treaty’s Max Brown on guitar, as well as talented artists Kyshona Armstrong, Jonathan Huber, DeMarco Johnson, Kristopher released 3 acclaimed singles: “Never Had to Find Our Way”, “Feelings” and “I Can Only Love You in a Song”

Deaf Company

Three piece Rock n Roll band hailing from St. Petersburg, FL.

Skyler Golden

Musician from St. Pete Florida and Studio Producer for Zen Recording. Brings an eclectic sound of string instruments for the Yoga Classes at GFA 2024

SydLive

From Tampa Florida, SydLive was born to write and sing songs that touch the world. As her mother recalls, her climb to stardom began with getting on top of restaurant tables to sing at the age of two.

By the time she was eleven, she acquired her first guitar and began to teach herself to play by learning Beatles songs. Within four years she found her way to the stage singing in a Carpenters tribute band. Since this time, Syd has amassed over a decade of experience as a professional singer/songwriter and recording/performance artist. Within the industry, she names Aretha Franklin as her idol.

DURRY

The first sound you hear on Durry’s rambunctious and poignant debut album, Suburban Legend, is an old-school Internet dial-up tone. To songwriter Austin Durry, the sound is instantly familiar but his bandmate and sister, Taryn, hadn’t heard it before. The Burnsville, Minnesota-based duo might identify with different age groups — with seven years between them, Austin is a millennial and Taryn is Gen Z — but by joining forces in Durry, they show just how much the neighboring generations have in common.

Between their serendipitous origin story and a crop of dynamic, hook-heavy alt-pop tracks, Durry are doing something few bands can achieve — and they’re doing it entirely on their own terms. As a band, Taryn and Austin’s journey happened both unexpectedly and fortuitously. At the start of the COVID pandemic, Austin and his wife moved back into his parents’ house, where Taryn was also living at the time. In addition to moving back in with his family, COVID forced Austin to cancel an extensive tour with his previous band, Coyote Kid. Faced with nothing but time, he got back to songwriting, regularly asking Taryn for input — or as the two playfully put it, “Gen Z quality control.”

“I’d say, here’s an early concept, what do you think? Then she’ll steer the ship, and then I’ll evolve it from there,” Austin explains. “Taryn is the sounding board and Gen Z vision of the band, where I’m kinda cranking stuff out.”

As they got going, forming what would turn into Durry, the siblings also outlined DIY ideas for branding and promotion, creating all of their own content and imbuing their visuals with nostalgic golden yellow, large fonts, and tactile images that would later make their way into eye-catching merch.

The immediate result of their musical partnership was the pop-punk/alternative anthem “Who’s Laughing Now,” which leads with wry, tongue-in-cheek lyrics about the futility of young adulthood in 2023: “My mama always said I would regret it if I ever got a tattoo,” Austin chants, adding: “She said I’d never get a job like I ever wanted one with that attitude/ My dad said I had to learn to drive a stick shift, but every van I ever had was an automatic/ My friends said that someday I would make it big, but I’m still living in the basement.”

After posting an unfinished version of “Who’s Laughing Now” on TikTok, it swiftly took off, galvanizing thousands of viewers who shared their coming-of-age frustrations. Clearly, the song’s sentiments — which land somewhere between a shrug and a clenched fist — resonated with millions of listeners, and today the song has garnered more than four million Spotify streams. Meanwhile, Durry have recorded a fully fleshed-out version of “Who’s Laughing Now,” which is set to appear on their riveting, perfectly sardonic debut LP, Suburban Legend.