Page 19 - 2018 Mar-Apr Art-i-facts

Florida Tax Collector's Kids Tag Art Program receives Division of Cultural Affairs' Diversity and Inclusion Award for 2018.

Tax Collector Wins State Award

Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs Recognizes the Kids Tag Art Program

Joe Tedder, Tax Collector for Polk County, announces that the “Southern Homes is proud to partner with Joe Tedder and his
Kids Tag Art Program, a drawing and fundraising program that team in support of the very successful and award-winning Kids
originated in Polk County is the recipient of the Division of Tag Art program,” said Greg Masters, President of Southern
Cultural Affairs’ Diversity and Inclusion Award for 2018. Homes. “We know that students who participate in the arts are
three times more likely to be awarded for school attendance
The Diversity & Inclusion Awards Program recognizes the and are more likely to graduate. By investing in this program,
efforts of individuals working to make arts and cultural we feel that we’re investing in the future of Polk County
programming in Florida as diverse and inclusive as possible. students and, ultimately, the future of our community.”
The Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs
recognizes Florida’s diversity as one of the key attributes to the Because of this statewide impact, The Florida Tax Collector’s
state’s vibrant cultural landscape and through this program Association has been awarded the 2018 Diversity and Inclusion
aims to support the ongoing dedication of Florida’s cultural Award by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural
organizations to lead in this area. Affairs and the Citizens for Florida Arts, Inc. This award was
presented on Wednesday evening, January 24, 2018.
Kids Tag Art has been a great success in Polk County for twelve
years and several years ago many other tax collectors took up The award comes with a cash prize of $1,000. The Florida Tax
the program to the point where in addition to each individual Collectors plan to use these funds to establish a statewide
Tax Collector program, a Florida Tax Collector’s Kids Tag Art awards program for the students’ artwork, to coincide with the
Program, hosted by the Florida Tax Collector Association (FTCA) FTCA Fall Education Conference held in Orlando each year.
was created. There are now over 13 county tax collectors that
are actively hosting this program across the state. To learn more about the Kids Tag Art program, please visit
http://www.polktaxes.com/kidtags/kidstagart.aspx.

Art-i-facts • A Publication of the Polk Arts Alliance 19