Programs and results
What we aim to solve
In Florida, there are hundreds of fine craft artists who depend on sales of their artwork to support them financially. Some are top-notch professionals with business and marketing plans; others are mid-level producers who still need guidance, while some are novices. All of these artists need a dynamic place to show and sell their work. They also need opportunities to show in exhibitions.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Educational training for fine craft artists, as well as lectures and workshops for the community
Training for artists about business procedures and methods. Lectures, artist talks, workshops, and demonstrations are also offered to the community to educate about fine craft and collecting.
Gallery representation for more than 250 of Florida's fine craft artists from around the state
Fine craft art is presented in the 2,500-square-foot retail gallery, as well as in a large gallery that features curated exhibitions and programming.
General Program Support
Florida CraftArt, requests general program support to sustain excellence for exhibitions and educational programming, and the retail gallery that provides economic support to fine craft artists through sales of their work. These funds will play a significant role in Florida CraftArt's continued support of artists throughout the state, creating opportunities for many to become self-sufficient business owners and helping drive economic development in Florida.
Creative Discovery Workshops for Children and Families
Florida CraftArt's new initiative for educating youngsters and families in the art of fine crafts began in September 2018. The first workshop featured weaving and was ideal for kids ages 6 to 16. The curriculum for the workshops aligns with Florida's Core Standards for Education with vocabulary words, projects, and critical thinking.
All materials will be provided, and the instructors are professional artists. Cost is $5 for Florida CraftArt members and $10 for nonmembers. Scholarships are available for families in need so that there is no financial barrier. Educational workshops for children and families are held on the second Sundays each month. Children must be accompanied by an adult who may also take the class if space is available.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Florida Association of Museums 2021
Florida Cultural Alliance 2021
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Florida CraftArt’s goals are to elevate fine craft as a recognized economic generator for Florida, nurture emerging artists, exhibit and promote fine craft artists, provide high-quality exhibitions, and broaden educational programming for the community and artists.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Florida CraftArt gives more than 250 of these artists a place to show and sell their work in a beautiful gallery in the center of the popular downtown district of St. Petersburg, Florida.
In addition, the professional gallery and curatorial staff coaches artists in developing product lines, understanding the needs of their collectors, pricing practices, applying to galleries and exhibitions, gallery etiquette, and targeting new markets. We offer educational programming regarding the business of art, marketing, public relations, social media, branding, business plans, financing, intellectual property, and copyrighting work. We provide online sales through Florida CraftArt’s website. The staff posts several times daily on social media promoting gallery artists.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Florida CraftArt (formerly known as Florida Craftsmen) was initially organized by Louis and Elsa Freund, professors at Stetson University in Deland, Florida, in 1951. Elsa was a jeweler, and the couple felt that an organization dedicated to fine craft would elevate the art form to the status it so rightly deserved. Exhibitions were organized and held annually at galleries, art centers, and colleges throughout the state of Florida, beginning with a show at Florida State University in 1951.
The organization was incorporated in 1977 but had no official headquarters. Instead, it continued the tradition of an annual exhibition and conference with workshops featuring local and national craftsmen. Florida CraftArt settled into its first physical home when Florida Power offered space in its building in downtown St. Petersburg in 1986. It was not until 1995, when George Rahdert offered a reasonable rental agreement for the old Rutland Department store, that Florida CraftArt had a true space that looked and felt like a gallery. The space had high ceilings and spacious windows, and sales in the new space took off. In 2002, Florida CraftArt's board made a bold move and bought the building, which now houses a 2,500-square-foot retail gallery, a large exhibition space, and a second floor, which is home to 20 artists’ studios known collectively as ArtLofts.
Downtown St. Petersburg was still a relatively quiet area at that time, but it has been energized as an arts destination in recent years with Florida CraftArt’s gallery as an anchor leading the charge. In 2014, the organization changed its name to Florida CraftArt and now finds itself in the heart of the Central Arts District surrounded by galleries, boutiques, and restaurants.
Today, more than 250 of Florida’s fine craft artists are showcased in the 2,500-square-foot retail gallery, which is a destination for people looking for gifts, home décor, or simply artful browsing. Every gallery artist is vetted to ensure that the handcrafted art is of the highest quality. Florida CraftArt’s primary goal is the success of the fine craft artists of Florida, helping them develop from emerging artists to profitable professional artists, as well as providing an attractive gallery to show and sell their work. The gallery staff is committed to mentoring artists in product development, marketing, pricing, and business practices.
During the year, eight curated shows are presented in the exhibition gallery that features local, regional, and national artists. FCA is open seven days a week, and admission is free.
Educational programming accompanies each exhibition and includes lectures and hands-on activities and workshops for adults and children.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Every day we hear stories from artists and visitors about the life-changing effect of Florida CraftArt. Hand-beading artist Eleanor Pigman is a great example: “When I first started to sell my artwork at Florida CraftArt, I was not confident and worked part-time at an office job. This amazing nonprofit has helped transform my art career and has given me the confidence to blossom and become successful ̶ through offering me special opportunities by highlighting me as an artist, giving critical and practical advice on types of art to make which would sell, and fostering my being more professional in my presentation. Very supportive staff members are always available and positive. Today, I am a full-time artist, lecturer, and extremely confident. Florida CraftArt made this happen for me. I am forever thankful.”
In addition, FCA entertains and educates the community with diverse, curated exhibitions, creative workshops, artists’ talks, performances, and lectures, all of which are free and open to the public.
Sandy is a senior citizen on a low, fixed income who lives nearby in subsidized housing. She enjoys browsing the art in the galleries, meeting the artists and attending educational programs that she would not be able to afford if there was a charge. Loneliness is a tremendous problem for senior citizens and young mothers alike. Gallery visits and programs provide a socially engaging environment that combats loneliness.
Artists are small businesspersons; however many of them don’t understand the art business or where or how to get started. The phrase “starving artists” has a rationale behind it.
FCA will continue to innovate, help our gallery artists to maintain an income through sales of art, educate and mentor artists, and bring cultural experiences to the community. By using new methods to communicate with artists, members, and collectors, we can extend our reach and impact. Here are some of our plans to produce educational programs for artists presented virtually and in person.
o Creating a Business Structure
o Financial Acumen
o How to protect your art, copyright, and more
o CYA, Insurance
o Take AIM – Artist Inspired Marketing
o Photographing Your Art
o Social Media Savvy
o Working with galleries and gallery etiquette
o Creating a business plan and determining product lines
o Please see the video we created about how to videotape your artist statement:
https://youtu.be/VFeIPywWGqM
Florida CraftArt is committed to make a difference in the lives of artists and the community.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Paper surveys, Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Community meetings/Town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees, Facebook,
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve,
-
With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive,
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback,
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Florida CraftArt
Board of directorsas of 03/29/2022
Mr. Tyler Jones
Premier Sotheby's International Realty
Term: 2018 - 2022
Tyler Jones
Premier Sotheby's International Realty
Michael Graham
Morgan Stanley
Mark Anderson
Community Volunteer
Helen Igar
Janssen and Igar, CPAs
Duncan McClellan
Duncan McClellan Gallery
Taylor Robenalt
Taylored Living
Lara Shelton
Don Strobel
Strobel Design Build
Kathryn Howd
Community Volunteer
Kimberli Cummings
Artist
Dana Maley
Artist
John Mascoll
Artist
David Ramsey
Community Volunteer
Elizabeth Reilinger
Leadwell Partners
Starlett Massey
Massey Law Group
Stacia Schrader
First Home Bank
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 03/05/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.