NOMADstudio — the Neighborhood-Oriented Mobile Art and Design Studio — began in Pinellas County as the mobile NOMAD Art Bus with a mission of “Art for ALL.”
Artist Carrie Boucher founded NOMADstudio in 2013 with a mission of “art for ALL.” The school bus, retrofitted with art supplies, rolled up and invited communities to “paint the bus!”
Now in its 10th year, the project continues to grow. As NOMAD “engages people in creative expression in places often with little or no access to arts programming,” it reaches into numerous settings and continues expanding to other Florida counties, offering a model for creative placemaking and community engagement through its mobile art studio.
As “artists, advocates, and activists tapping into the power of art to help build happier, healthier communities,” Carrie and a team of art therapists and creatives provide:
- Twice-weekly arts enrichment with youth detained at juvenile detention centers
- Weekly pop-up art camps in several neighborhoods that have been negatively impacted by policies or development projects
- Monthly art programs for children in foster care.
- Engagement with students in after-school programs.
- Programs for people in congregate living facilities: halfway houses, homeless shelters, residential facilities, and domestic violence shelters.
PCF Social Opportunity Works Fund grants have supported multiyear staffing needs and NOMAD programs, including the “NOMAD Art Bus Children’s Homes Project” and Justice Studio.
Receiving the Pinellas Community Foundation Social Opportunity Works Fund (PCF SOW) grant in June for program salary support has been a game changer.
The PCF SOW grant allowed us to bring Kinsey on full time. Prior to the grant, we knew how valuable she was, but due to limited resources, we had to ration her hours.
Having a second full-time staff person to work with as I run the day-to-day operations of the organization is making a big difference. It gives me a teammate to discuss ideas and issues with, a second person to be involved in important partner meetings — one who comes away with their own insights and impressions. It also gives me someone to bounce things off of and think things through with. It is helping us both to better advocate for the organization.
Your support is a big part of what allows us to have the impact that we do. We’re grateful to have your partnership.” Carrie Boucher, NOMADstudio Executive Director
Expand Your Reach Through Trust-Based Philanthropy
If you are a Tampa Bay nonprofit with a social justice imperative as part of your mission and are interested in learning more about the Social Opportunity Works Fund, or if you are interested in donating to help change our community through the PCF Social Opportunity Works Fund, please reach out below.