Creative Clay Partnerships

Creative Clay is dedicated to the advocacy of people with disabilities, working to create and maintain partnerships throughout the community that lift and support our member artists by providing connection, purpose and opportunities for volunteerism. Listed below are our current partnerships and a brief history.

Creative Clay’s connection with Sparks began when longtime supporter and former member of Creative Clay's Creative Care Arts in Healthcare team, and Sparks participant Paula Kramer introduced playwright Sheila Cowley to Creative Clay. Since the first performance of Airlift in September of 2019, Creative Clay has collaborated with Sparks on over a dozen projects of all sorts. With several performances, illustrated books, and colorful teleplays, plus new projects on the horizon the partnership is blossoming with every passing day. MORE HERE!

The Creative Clay Transition Program for ESE students is a partnership with Pinellas County Schools (PCS) to provide vocational arts training for 18–22 year olds with disabilities. Started in 2008, the program focuses on the transition from the school environment to post-secondary education that includes the goals of independent living and employment readiness. Creative Clay Transition’s vocational training consists of lessons in art fundamentals, sales, marketing, customer relations, running sales, and the over-all business of being an artist. Student artists work with professional teaching artists five days per week in a variety of media, including illustration, painting, ceramics, mixed media, music, and performance.

Since 2010, the St. Petersburg Museum of History and Creative Clay have partnered on several projects. From 2010-2021 the museum exhibited the artwork of the children in Creative Clay’s inclusive summer camp with new exhibits weekly throughout the summers. In addition, Creative Clay’s member artists from the Community Arts Program had an exhibit of Egyptian artwork which first was exhibited in the Egyptian Room, and then later in the Flight One Gallery at the museum. Over the years, the museum has also participated in hosting an Artlink—both our Artlink Apprenticeship Program (2011) as well as our partnership Artlink Takamatsu-St. Petersburg. The latter was in conjunction with the City of St. Petersburg and Takamatsu’s sister city 60th Anniversary Celebration involving an exhibition of Pelican paintings created by artists in Takamatsu and in St. Petersburg (2021-present) and The Lion Dance Performance in January of 2022. Thank you, St. Petersburg Museum of History!

Deana Hawk and Greg Bauman of Black Crow Coffee Co. have partnered with Creative Clay since 2018. Creative Clay was invited to install had a huge exhibit featuring 40 Creative Clay Member Artists in their Old Northeast location at 722 2nd Street N in St. Petersburg. In 2019, Black Crow offered to provide Creative Clay with the Black Crow Coffee Roasters private coffee label, called Good Folk Coffee. Over the past decade, Deana and Greg have donated hundreds of bags of coffee to Creative Clay to sell at our Good Folk Gallery. They have also attended and served their coffee at many Creative Clay events over the past decade. In January of 2019, Teaching Artist Todd Frain and several member artists created a small mural at Black Crow’s Grand Central District location at 2157 1st Avenue South, just two blocks from Creative Clay.

Heart Artlink Takamatsu-St. Petersburg—Since 2003, this iteration of Artlink has paired professional artists and artists with disabilities from Takamatsu, Japan and St. Petersburg, Florida. In 2021-22 the agencies worked together on a two-phase project featuring art exhibitions and dance performances to honor our sister cities 60th Anniversary. Performances and exhibits were featured at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. The partnership is still going strong. Thank you, Heart Art Link!

Since 2014, the St. Petersburg Opera Company and Creative Clay have partnered on an exhibit each year at the opera’s “Il Passaggio,” adjacent to the Mirella Cimato Gallery. Artists from Creative Clay attend rehearsals of the current opera and sketch as they watch. They return from the studio to create their paintings. Creative Clay has exhibited artwork for the following productions: West Side Story, South Pacific, Music Man, Pinocchio, Fidelio, Turandot, Samson and Delilah and Carmen. Thank you, St. Pete Opera Company!

Since early 2024, the St. Pete Beach Library and Creative Clay have shared a wonderful partnership. Creative Clay Teaching Artists and Member Artists have been hosting a monthly "Draw-Sketch-Color Inclusive Art Hour with Creative Clay" at the library. This monthly event invites the public to create art alongside our member artists every fourth Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Creative Clay aslo presents ”Dewey Discoveries Exhibits,” where member artists create works inspired by quarterly themes from the Dewey Decimal System. Thank you, St. Pete Beach Public Library!

The Dalí partnership began in 2022, when Creative Clay member artists' Dali inspired art was printed on note cards that sell in The Dalí Museum Store. Seven pieces were picked and are for sale at the Museum Store. Artists featured include Ivy Jenkins, Shasta Gordon, Sydney Ray, Diana N., and Suna M. In addition, The Dalí also waives admission every other month for Creative Clay’s artists to enjoy the museum. Thank you, The Dalí!

Since 2022, the Sunshine Center of St. Petersburg Senior Center has welcomed artists participate in events such as karaoke and bingo bringing joy to the folks who come regularly, benefiting our artists and seniors creating community and inclusion. Member artists visit twice a week and look forward to their time there immensely. Thank you, City of St. Petersburg Sunshine Center!

The St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts welcomed Creative Clay’s artwork into their museum store in 2014. There was a pause on the store in 2020, due to Covid, but Creative Clay’s artwork is back in the Museum Store again. Visit the Museum of Fine Arts Museum Store and find us! In addition to exhibiting our artwork and merch, the Museum of Fine Arts also waives admission for our artists to enjoy their exhibits once per month. Thank you, St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts and Museum Store!

Since 2019, Creative Clay has been creating the staff appreciation finger puppets for Raymond James’ Marketing Department thanks to Creative Clay friends Michael and Gina White, who initiated the project. Each quarter, Raymond James’ Marketing Department awards four staff with a gift of appreciation handmade by Creative Clay Member Artists. The finger puppets come with a bio of the artist who has created the puppet. During Covid lock-down, the Creative Clay Connects Zoom classes worked together and divided up photos of the RJ team to create wonderful portraits of each of the staff. It was a wonderful opportunity to stay connected to the community! Thank you, Raymond James Marketing!

In 2018, George Baxter made initial introductions to the Sunken Gardens staff and Creative Clay began monthly visits to walk and sketch the gardens. It is a favorite outing for Creative Clay’s member artists. Thank you, Sunken Gardens!

Sabal Palms Health & Rehabilitation Center of Palms of Largo and Creative Clay have partnered since early 2020 (with a 18 month hiatus due to Covid) in creating community through art. Each month, teaching artists and member artists from Creative Clay volunteer to provide our Creative Care Outreach Program, offering community through art-making together.

Since 2022, Vertical Ventures has provided free use of their rock climbing gym to Creative Clay Member Artists. Every week, our artists get the chance to visit and work out in their incredible space, and it has been such a boost for both their physical and mental well-being. Staying active is such an important part of living a balanced life, and Vertical Ventures provides the perfect environment for our artists to challenge themselves, grow, and have fun! Thank you, Vertical Ventures!

The Off-Central is an intimate theater, gallery, and performance venue in the heart of  St. Petersburg's vibrant Grand Central District located at 2260 1st Avenue South. Since 2023, Off-Central has hosted Creative Clay for several art exhibits as well as the Creative Clay Transition Program’s Art Finale at the theatre. In 2023, Off-Central sent an instructor to work with the student artists on improvisation and other acting techniques. Thank you, the Off-Central!

The Florida Unique Abilities Partner Program was originally established as a way to recognize, designate, and support businesses that display a demonstrated commitment to employing individuals with unique abilities. This focus has spurred opportunities and results for Floridians with unique abilities to achieve their goals and drive greater independence, community engagement, and much more! In return, entities participating in the program are met with enriched workplace cultures, operational efficiencies, and a strengthening of their overall bottom line.

Arts Axis Florida is a free online site to promote non-profit arts organizations and local artists in the Greater Tampa Bay Region. It is a mutually beneficial initiative that brings awareness to arts organizations and Arts Axis Florida. Click the logo to check out the Arts Axis Florida Creative Clay page, filled with photos, videos and more. Thank you, Arts Axis Florida!

The Sand Dollar Scavenger Hunt is a collaboration between the EDGE Business District Association and Creative Clay to increase awareness of our amazing brick & mortar businesses in the EDGE District and bring attention to the fantastic artists and community focus of Creative Clay. Sand Dollars were painted by Creative Clay Member Artists Alex Azirpe, Ashton T., and Christopher Joseph.The Sand Dollar Hunt is free with games and participating businesses changing over time. Participating Businesses: 1st Ave. Liquors, Ashe Couture Boutique, Bavaro's, Big Frog, CASA Thrift Shop, Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill, Flagship Bank, Grassroots Kava, Green Bench Brewing Co., Hawkers Asian Street Food, Kalamazoo Olive, Mint House, Poppo's Taqueria, Red Mesa Mercado, Sans Market, Sourdough Co., The Fashion Spot, and Zubrick Magic Theatre.

Creative Clay is a proud member of the following organizations and districts.

CREATIVE CLAY IS WORKING ON UPDATING THIS PAGE WITH OUR CURRENT PARTNERS. PLEASE REACH OUT TO ADMIN@CREATIVECLAY.ORG IF YOU SEE YOUR ORGANIZATION IS MISSING FROM OUR LIST:
ARTICLES GALLERY
BIG FROG CUSTOM T-SHIRTS & MORE
DUNEDIN FINE ART CENTER
FLORIDA CRAFTART
TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART
TAMPA BAY WATCH
IMPOSSIBLE DREAM
TYRONE SQUARE MALL
IMAGINE MUSEUM
FIRST NIGHT ST. PETERSBURG
MAKE STUDIO, BALTIMORE