The arts are a vital part of a thriving and successful community, and The Florida Orchestra is proud to use its reach to assist or promote other Tampa Bay area organizations in partnership programs.
The orchestra’s Pops in the Park concerts, sponsored by private and public funds, give more than 25,000 Tampa Bay area residents the opportunity to enjoy a free performance in a beautiful outdoor setting.
Since 1996, Tampa Bay Harvest has partnered with the orchestra at its annual Vinoy Park concert in St. Petersburg, collecting non-perishable food items for distribution to local food pantries. TFO has expanded this partnership to include all park concerts in Tampa and also accepted donations at several subscription concerts as part of a hunger awareness event involving orchestras around the country.
“Without help from people at all levels, like those at the orchestra, we would not be effective in our mission of feeding the hungry.”
- Will Carey, General Manager for Tampa Bay Harvest, Inc.
The Florida Orchestra has reached out to MacDill Air Force Base, offering discounted tickets to service members and their families. One MacDill employee recounted the experience of attending a concert with a soldier and his wife:
“We watched as his wife talked about the different musical selections - she was a cellist in high school - and the smiles on their faces were worth a million dollars.”
- David Winters, Air Force Employee, MacDill AFB
Donna Thompson, Pinellas County Group Leader for Southeastern Guide Dogs, has used her relationship with the orchestra to arrange for guide dogs in training, along with their volunteer handlers, to attend a concert with a sighted trainer to give the dogs a unique opportunity to hone their skills.
“Each guide dog team attending [this event] brings us one step closer to fulfilling our mission to provide a professionally-trained guide dog to a visually impaired person…Our motto, ‘Forward Together’ is made possible because of the support from our partner The Florida Orchestra.”
- Donna Thompson, Pinellas County Group Leader for Southeastern Guide Dogs
The Florida Orchestra and the Studio@620 present An Intimate Collaboration, a series of entertaining and sparkling multi-disciplined “happenings” to create a different kind of awareness about the inter-relatedness of the arts in our community. Sure to spark lively conversations before you reach the concert hall, these events take place prior to several of this season’s Masterworks concerts.
Thank you to our Partnership Sponsors:
| City of Clearwater | Homes by Helen |
| City of St. Petersburg | Pinellas County Cultural Affairs |
| City of Tampa | St. Petersburg Clearwater Area |
| Florida Division of Cultural Affairs | Convention and Visitors Bureau |
| St. Petersburg College | |
