Gasparilla Arts unveils new brand as year-round nonprofit

Gasparilla Arts is rolling out a refreshed identity in Tampa Bay that positions the organization as the parent brand for its year-round programs, public art work and annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. The change aims to better reflect the nonprofit’s expanded mission as it prepares for the festival’s 57th annual edition in March.

Why it matters: - Gasparilla Arts is signaling that its impact extends beyond one spring festival and into year-round arts support across Tampa Bay. - The new identity could make the nonprofit’s broader work clearer to donors, artists, schools and community partners. - The organization is also protecting the visibility of the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts as its signature event.

What happened: - Gasparilla Arts introduced a new brand identity on August 5, 2026. - The refreshed identity positions Gasparilla Arts as the umbrella organization behind its year-round programs and initiatives. - The Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts remains the nonprofit’s annual flagship event. - The organization is preparing for the 57th Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, scheduled for the first weekend of March.

The details: - Gasparilla Arts has spent more than five decades producing the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. - The nonprofit supports scholarships for emerging artists throughout the year. - Gasparilla Arts also backs public art and mural projects. - The organization expands arts education and builds partnerships to strengthen the Tampa Bay creative community. - The new branding will roll out across the organization’s website, publications, digital platforms and community initiatives over the coming months. - Gasparilla Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. - The organization funds its programs and events through sponsorships, festival weekend retail sales, and corporate and individual gifts.

Between the lines: - The rebrand reframes Gasparilla Arts from an event producer to a broader cultural nonprofit. - The move helps the organization tell a fuller story about its work outside festival weekend. - Alexis Mootoo, president of Gasparilla Arts, said the shift is meant to reflect the full scope of the nonprofit’s mission without changing that mission. - Mootoo also called the festival the “crown jewel” of the organization’s work.

What's next: - Gasparilla Arts will phase in the new look over the coming months. - The organization will continue building toward the 57th Annual Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts in March. - Year-round programs in artist support, education and public art will continue under the new umbrella brand.

The bottom line: - Gasparilla Arts wants to be seen not just as the host of a major festival, but as a year-round driver of visual arts in Tampa Bay.