As part of the Tampa Community Design Center, The Urban Charrette is a venue for civic design initiatives. We work to generate livable communities through leadership and collaboration. We see a unique opportunity to bring together organizations, community leaders, professionals, students, and policy makers to design the future of the bay area. 
Tampa is a […]

A few weeks after the Reality Check event, the impact lingers. Perhaps it was the animated discussion by over 300 people talking about and building a vision for the region’s future. Maybe it was hearing planning, transportation, workforce and development representatives talk about preserving green spaces. Or could it have been seeing impassioned debate by […]

Every day before dawn they saddle their horses, coil their lariats and whips, and ride out to work the herds. They are Florida cattlemen—living legacies of the pioneer days and guardians of the landscape that has shaped them. 
Today their culture is under threat, as are the landscapes, watersheds and wildlife that thrive in their […]

There’s a distinct, textured sound to a master’s brush or pen stroke. It’s rhythmic and deft, but quiet. You have to focus—to be attentive—to hear it. But it’s the sound of inspiration and genius.
It’s also a sound long part of our collective Tampa Bay heritage—a legacy reaching back to the 1870s, the infancy of our […]

This week we kick off the very first Gasparilla Film Festival presented by Wachovia and Wachovia Insurance Services. The film festival opens Wednesday night, February 28, 7 PM at the Tampa Theatre. The Opening Night film is Fay Grim, starring Jeff Goldblum and Parker Posey. The festival runs through the weekend, with A Night in […]

The State of Florida was ranked 41st in America’s 2006 Health Rankings Study, a dismal honor considering the United States already ranks low among developed nations. Organized by the Patel Foundation for Global Understanding, a group of about 75 regional, multi-disciplinary leaders (including CreativeTampaBay) came together on Jan. 26, 2007 to discuss how to address […]

It’s odd. It’s artsy. It’s fun. It’s definitely not MySpace. It is the dream project for Tampa based entrepreneurs Karen Post and Jocelyn Ring. The concept was birthed during a work/play excursion to New York City in December of 2005 while splitting an incredible piece of flourless, dark chocolate cake and drinking a fine cabernet. […]

RIVERVIEW, FL — JANUARY 12, 2007 — Before summer of 2006, Tampa local Marcia Freespirit left a respectable position at a major healthcare provider to write and publish her memoirs. Her gamble to fulfill the lifelong dream has since matured into an exciting opportunity not only for herself, but the entire Tampa Bay area.
More than […]

Ever stop to think about what the Tampa Bay region would be like if its potential was fully realized? What if reaching its potential involved focused groups of civic activists united by a vision for the region? Upon hearing the word activist, visions of tree huggers and extremists used to come to mind. A long […]

I can only assume that most creative people in Tampa Bay know who Michael Bublé is.  If not, he is a 29 year old pop singer who does older classic songs in a newer jazzier style.  What does that have to do with anything?  Well on Nov. 20, the Planning Commission took a bold step […]