Arts Alive! podcast: Margaret Murray, Creative Pinellas

Margaret Murray, the newly-appointed CEO of Creative Pinellas, has a very clear picture of the importance of both visual and performing arts in our community. Art, she says, “plays a role in mental health, it plays a role in economic development, it plays a role in enticing tourists to stay and extend their visits here.

“The arts are at the middle of the Venn diagram for a lot of things that are great about Pinellas County.”

Today’s guest on our Arts Alive! podcast, Murray discusses the road that led her to the top seat at the table – from working (in New York and Amsterdam) for the legendary indie record label Knitting Factory, to a Masters in Arts Administration from Savannah College of Arts & Design, to an eight-year tenure at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, where she was Director of Public Programs and Community Engagement.

“I’ve always worked in the arts,” she tells us. “I think I’ve had one non-arts related job in my entire career – and that was working for an animal rights organization.

“It’s always been that background scene that has interested me the most. And realizing how under-funded the arts can be, and how strapped everyone is, it’s a strength that I have, and I want to make sure it has as much impact as possible.”

Creative Pinellas works with government on all levels, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and other organizations to fund artists and arts organizations through grants and other programs.

Click on the arrow to listen to the interview.