{"id":402011,"date":"2026-09-17T00:20:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T00:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/402011\/"},"modified":"2026-09-17T00:20:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T00:20:13","slug":"tampa-bay-schools-receive-grant-funded-art-supplies-from-gasparilla-arts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/402011\/","title":{"rendered":"Tampa Bay schools receive grant-funded art supplies from Gasparilla Arts"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Making \"Making Making space to create art<\/a> <\/p>\n

The ‘Gasparilla Festival of the Arts’ welcomes hundreds of artists each year. as we celebrate National Arts in Education Week, we highlight how organizers hope to inspire the next generation of creators. FOX 13’s Mark Wilson reports.<\/p>\n

PLANT CITY, Fla – Gasparilla Arts has launched a new program delivering thousands of dollars in art supplies to Hillsborough County schools.<\/p>\n

Funding the creative spark <\/p>\n

The backstory:<\/p>\n

In celebration of National Arts in Education Week, a new local initiative is helping Tampa Bay students bring their imagination to life. Through the “Making Space to Create” program, Gasparilla Arts is delivering much-needed materials directly to local classrooms.<\/p>\n

“A lot of our supplies have been used by hundreds and hundreds of students,” Tomlin Middle School Art Teacher Dillon O’Donnell said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Funded by a grant from Community Foundation Tampa Bay, the program provides $2,200 worth of brand-new art supplies to 20 Hillsborough County schools. Fourteen of those schools have Title 1 status.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each classroom receives boxes of paper, color pencils, paint and other standard supplies. Organizers hope this allows teachers to focus on specialized supplies, like clay for ceramics class.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overcoming tight classroom budgets <\/p>\n

What they’re saying:<\/p>\n

O’Donnell has a budget of around $1,000 each semester. To provide an example of how fast that money can go, a box of paintbrushes can cost around $150. To help with costs, the students participate in various local art contests and sometimes rely on community donations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

“It’s well known that teachers are often pulling money out of their own pockets to be able to support programs like the arts,” Clay Hollenkamp, an advisory board member for Gasparilla Arts, said. “We wanted to give some assistance to the teachers, help more kids benefit from everything that comes from access to the arts.”<\/p>\n

Inspiring students <\/p>\n

Replacing worn-down tools with new materials makes an instant impact on the daily learning experience.<\/p>\n

“Just to be able to get your hands on a fresh pencil or a fresh paintbrush that hasn’t been busted down to nothing is great,” O’Donnell said.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

By fostering critical thinking and self-expression, the organizers hope to give young artists the foundation they need to grow. As O’Donnell put it, the new materials allow “students to be able to be more creative and express themselves independently and individually.”<\/p>\n

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Tomlin Middle School Art Teacher Dillon O’Donnell and Gasparilla Arts advisory board member Clay Hollenkamp, as well as Community Foundation Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n

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