CREATIVE ECONOMY - Initiatives of Interest

	CreativeTampaBay is a not-for-profit, grassroots organization dedicated to synergizing the community’s assets to cultivate an environment that encourages innovation, expands the economy and is a magnet for creative people.
	Emerge Tampa connects and engages emerging leaders ages 21 to 35 in activities that support our community and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce while making Tampa, Hillsborough County and surrounding communities a more energetic, exciting and active place to live.
	The Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts, founded in 1989, is a not-for-profit organization of businesses committed to supporting the arts. The Tampa Bay BCA is the only affiliate of the national Business Committee for the Arts, established in 1967 by David Rockefeller and headquartered in New York City. It works with businesses and cultural institutions in both Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.
	Young Professionals Group (YPG) is a meaningful networking organization of dedicated, talented young professionals ranging in age from 21-40 in Sarasota County. YPG began with an explosive launch in May 2003 and a simple agenda: To enrich our community by uniting and developing our young professionals. In only a few short months our roster has grown to more than 600 young professionals from a wide cross-section of careers and industries. We continue with a momentum that has surpassed our initial expectations.
	The Manatee Young Professionals Group provides business, social and community resources for young and young thinking professionals in Manatee County.
	The City of Tampa's Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs has just launched a Web site to keep the community abreast of local arts events and issues. The site and newsletter feature stories on photographers, art festivals, an animation studio and the city's Creative Industries Council.
	EMERGE Lakeland is a meaningful networking organization of dedicated, talented young professionals ranging in age from 23-42 in Lakeland. This organization is a partnership of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Central Florida. Groundwork for such an organization began in 2003. The partnership offers a unique opportunity for collaboration between the two organizations for the continued strengthening of the community.

The Young & The Restless: How Tampa Bay Competes For Talent

A demographic wave is sweeping across our nation, and it will be a decisive force in shaping the economic destiny of Tampa Bay. As cities move increasingly into a knowledge-based economy, the kind of talented people each attracts will determine whether it wins or loses in the campaign for future prosperity. See how Tampa Bay stacks up and what we need to do to improve our competitiveness.

Learn More about this study commissioned by Creative Tampa Bay.

Investor Spotlight