From New York to St. Pete, Artists For Impact is a nonprofit organization providing opportunities for artists while fundraising for others. Artists For Impact
Updated Aug. 2, 12:10 p.m.
An earlier version of this article listed a different amount raised for Fútbol For Kids, and referenced chapters rather than events in New York, Connecticut, and D.C.; we’ve updated the article to reflect this, and include information about the organization’s Eckerd College chapter.
The Gabber Newspaper regrets the error.
What started as a small event for New York artists to connect turned into an official nonprofit organization expanding across the country — including a chapter in St. Pete.
In 2017, co-founders Dasha Boswell and Ris Igrec created Artists For Impact after realizing young artists lack spaces and opportunities.
Their mission statement says the organization is “simultaneously providing a platform for artists and giving back to the communities around us.”
Director of the St. Pete chapter, Willow Hart, described Artists For Impact as “a community organization whose goal is to uplift artists and support our community through the power of art.”
Hart learned about the organization while working at an art studio in Mamaroneck, NY. Boswell and Igrec booked the venue to host their first event. They raised a total of $465 for Fútbol For Kids.
“I was like, ‘Wow, this is a really cool thing for high schoolers to be doing’,” Hart explained. “They had an art and music event to raise money for a local nonprofit.”
Let’s Keep It Going
After a successful first event, Artists For Impact continued hosting events for artists. People freely expressed creativity while raising funds for other nonprofits.
By July 2019, Artists for Impact became a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with events in New York, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. Not too long after, COVID-19 brought a halt to the organization’s plans.
Eckerd College Chapter
In 2020, Boswell and Igrec opened board applications, and Hart quickly jumped on the opportunity.
“I applied and one of my goals as a board member was to start an Eckerd College chapter,” Hart said. “I was president for the first year that it existed at Eckerd.”
Hart said Eckerd’s chapter hosts two events each school year. According to the chapter’s website, “they held two artisan fairs raising $2485.33” their first year for nonprofits such as the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and Community Action Stops Abuse.
Director of Artists For Impact St. Pete, Willow Hart, spoke at the organization’s Pride event in June. Medina Karagic
The Beginning of St. Pete’s AFI
After graduating in May 2022, Hart didn’t want their AFI career to end.
“I spent the past the 10 months talking to people, networking, and building up the St. Pete chapter committee,” they said.
St. Pete’s Artists For Impact chapter held its first event in June 2023 at Coastal Creative.
“We had a Pride month fundraiser which was actually our first-ever fundraiser reserved for AFI,” Hart said. “Every other fundraiser we’ve done previously has been for a different nonprofit. We wanted to have a fundraiser so we could have a budget going forward.”
The fundraiser displayed Tampa Bay artists’ pieces, live music performances, spoken word poetry, and community resources sharing information.
“Artists get to sell their art, trade with other artists, network, and learn about different community organizations,” they said.
Hart said this Pride event raised $1,400.
The St. Pete Chapter’s Committee at the Pride Month fundraiser. Artists For Impact
What’s Next?
Artists For Impact hopes to host another event this fall at Studio@620.
“We are in the very beginning stages of organizing our next event,” Hart said. “But, we will definitely have an event coming up this fall.”
Find updates on the organization’s events on Instagram.
