Who We Are

Our Mission

Our mission is to encourage, promote, and support all the creative arts
in Hernando County and to provide a means to showcase the arts.

Through advocacy, engagement, education, and art-inspired programs and events, we work to fulfill this mission. We are dedicated to providing accessible opportunities that invite art into the lives of Hernando County residents and visitors.

Advocacy

We advocate for our growing community of artists and patrons of the arts. Through our strategic partnerships with organizations, agencies, civic groups, and nonprofits, we work to keep art a key component of our community.

Engage

We strive to keep art at the forefront of our community by actively engaging in the arts. We support local art happenings, as well as our own programs & partnerships, to provide artists a way to showcase their work through public art projects, festivals, contests, and various events.

Educate

We support arts education for all ages. Youth remains an important focus of our work as we continue to seek additional opportunities that engage more children in the arts. We also act as a resource to find art-related classes and workshops throughout the community.

Support

We are designated as Hernando County’s local arts agency by Hernando County and the state of Florida. In addition to offering funding for art initiatives through our grant programs, we offer support and resources to artists, nonprofits, and art-related businesses.

Then & Now

The Hernando County Fine Arts Council grew organically from a group of artists in Hernando and surrounding counties when they formed the Tri-County Professional Art League in 1982. Just two years later, the League needed a way to display their work and established the very first Art in the Park, an annual tradition that continues today.

It was a logical next step when a forward-thinking Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) created the Hernando County Fine Arts Council in 1987 under the authority of the Florida Statutes. 

Today, our 15 energetic and passionate volunteer members are appointed by the BOCC to serve up to two four-year terms and further our mission through our key programs.  Some of us are visual artists, some are performing artists, others are art students, and some are administrators, but all are passionate about supporting and growing the arts in Hernando County! Together we seek to represent the arts community in Hernando County.

Quick links: Meet our team | View our documents | Learn about membership | News

Fulfilling our mission

  • Art in the Park is a juried fine arts and fine crafts show that provides county residents and visitors an opportunity to enjoy visual arts, gives local artists and crafters a chance to display and sell their work, offers local performers a place to showcase their talents, gives county students a chance to participate in Art in the Park’s Student Art Show, and sparks creativity for children ages 3-8 through hands-on activities. The event has been held annually on the second weekend of March since 1984. The show traditionally attracts 6,000 attendees and 100 artists.

  • Community Arts Grants have supported not-for-profit groups projects that have engaged more than 30,000 people in the arts in the last four years.

    Our Arts in Education grants engage more children in the arts to improve developmental and academic success through grants to art teachers for supplies, field trips, and visiting artists.

  • Our Art Mark summer art program provides affordable classes for more than 100 K-12 students each year.

  • Art Everywhere helps both promote both local artists and businesses who agree to showcase their artwork.

  • Our online Art Directory of local artists and art-related businesses and our Artist Opportunity Page are designed to help artists promote and sell their work.