Polk Arts Guide – Submission Info

Description
The Polk Arts Guide is a print publication that lists arts and cultural entities and opportunities in Polk County. It is designed as a reference guide that constituents can use throughout the calendar year. It is targeted at visitors to Polk County as well as at new residents of Polk. In other words, it’s a document that provides users info regarding where and what to see/experience in the arts and cultural spaces of Polk County.
The art guide will be published in early 2025 and distributed throughout the calendar year.

Listing Specifics
– Any local arts and cultural organization or individual may have contact information listed for FREE in the guide. You do not have to be a member of the Polk Arts & Cultural Alliance (PACA). Specific category listings can be found below.
– Polk Arts & Cultural Alliance members can include a logo or image with their listings (see mock-up below) and may add a brief description of their organization. PACA membership info can be found HERE. A mock-up of a PACA member enhanced listing can be seen here:

Advertising Opportunities
Any organization/business may purchase an ad in the Polk Arts Guide. Rates and ad specifications can be found here. For more information, please email Christine Campbell at christine@destroyermedia.com

Listing Categories (please review these carefully to determine if an organization is eligible to be listed in the Polk Arts Guide).
The focus of the guide is to provide information related to arts and cultural PROGRAMMING: arts and cultural experiences (as opposed to arts training or commercial design work). To be eligible, an organization/individual MUST have an active website or social media presence so users of the guide may access more information about the organization/individual. As a reminder, organizations/individuals do NOT have to members of the PACA to be listed in the guide, however PACA members are entitled to an enhanced listing (logo and text description) – member info can be found HERE. Please note, the Polk Arts & Cultural Alliance reserves the right to reject an organization or individual whose main purpose does not fall within the category guidelines listed below.
The deadline to submit listing information is January 10, 2025.

• Art Museums & Art Galleries
  Any physical facility (no online or virtual galleries) that displays art for viewing and/or for sale. If a facility offers a rotating selection of art for viewing or purchase, it can be listed in this category. For example, if a bookstore (or a framing shop, or a coffee shop) has art on its walls for sale AND changes that art out periodically to market different local artists, then it could be listed in this category.
• Art Councils, Guilds, & Cultural/Historical Societies/Main Street Organizations
  Any organization with members or that represents other organizations to market their programming via a consistently maintained web-calendar and/or via social media support. These organizations may or may not have a physical site, but instead may convene virtually or in leased or donated spaces. This would include various “Main Street” organizations that promote arts and cultural events within their respective municipalities.
• Arts & Cultural Events Organizer
  Any organization that actively and consistently produces arts and cultural events in Polk County. Readers of the guide would visit the organizer’s website to see upcoming events being produced/sponsored by the organizer.
• Performing Arts – Music
  Any organization that produces live music on a regularly scheduled basis. This does NOT include solo artists or local bands that may or may not have regular performance dates. So, the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra would qualify, but Tom and Torpedoes (a local cover band) would not.
• Performing Arts – Theatre & Dance
  Any theatrical or professional dance company that is actively producing frequent and consistent performance events. This category does NOT include theatre venues that produce a season of shows/events (see below). Additionally, this category does NOT include dance organizations that are solely focused on dance education or on dance competitions. A deciding factor for eligibility would be that the organization offers and promotes dance events beyond student recitals and or dance instruction.
• Theaters & Theatrical Companies
  Any physical theatre complex (community or professional) that produces a season of shows/events.
• Live Music Venues
  Any venue that provides solely live music (as opposed to a performing arts center) for AT LEAST 50% of the days of the week the venue is open to the public. For example, if a brewery or nightclub is open six days a week and offers live music at least three of those days, it can be listed as a live music venue. Performing arts centers offer additional arts and entertainment experiences (theatre, music, live comedy, etc.) and would be listed under that category (see below).
• Educational Institutions
  Any educational entity offering frequent arts-and-culture-related programming that’s open to the public. This category is NOT for art-related training or education, but instead focuses on performances, exhibits, etc. that are available to the public.
• Museums & History Centers
  Any museum or cultural center that inhabits a consistent physical space and provides events, programming, and/or historical, educational, or cultural exhibits. This category would include children’s museums and history and culture museums.
• Dance Companies
  Any professional or community-based dance organization or company that produces frequent dance concerts. This category does NOT include organizations that are solely focused on dance education or on dance competitions. A deciding factor for eligibility would be that the organization offers and promotes dance events beyond student recitals.
• Film Theaters
  Any establishment whose primary arts and cultural offerings are film-based. This would include movie theaters as well as art-house cinemas.
• Performing Arts Venues
  Any establishment that offers a variety of performing arts events – music, live comedy, theatrical productions, etc.
• Municipalities/Chambers of Commerce
  Any city, town, or local chamber of commerce that maintains a separate web page to promote arts and cultural offerings.