Veterans Art Center Tampa Bay is marking 13 years of service with a concert at The Dallas Bull that mixes Southern rock, stand-up comedy and a veteran art showcase to raise money for programs the nonprofit says have helped prevent veteran suicides. The “Rhythms, Resilience and Laughter” concert is set for November 15, running from 1:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the honky-tonk venue at 3322 U.S. 301 N. in Tampa. Organizers are aiming to secure more than 300 RSVPs and raise $20,000 to fund the center's 2027 programming.
As reported by the Osprey Observer, the lineup features Southern rock band Randy McNeeley and the Soul Circus Cowboys, alongside comedian Ginger Kelly and emcee Pat Largo. The event will include live music, comedy, a veteran art showcase and high-end silent auctions, with tickets available for purchase and sponsorship tiers ranging from silver to presenting levels offering recognition opportunities and exclusive event experiences, per the same outlet.
VACTB founder Scott “Mack” Macksam called the Soul Circus Cowboys partnership a celebration of veterans' resilience, according to the Osprey Observer's report, and said art is a lifeline for veterans. Macksam, a retired 20-year U.S. Army veteran who finished his service at USF St. Petersburg, was named a Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero in February 2025, earning a $50,000 grant from the Lightning Foundation for the center, according to Tampa Bay Lightning.
From a Street-Art Idea to Major Regional Exhibits
Macksam conceived VACTB in 2014 after noticing street art while running through downtown St. Petersburg, according to VoyageTampa. The organization went on to secure major exhibits, including the 2021 Eyes of Freedom Traveling Memorial in Brandon, which received an official proclamation from Tampa Mayor Jane Castor when it opened, the outlet notes. Per the Osprey Observer, the center has since provided six major contracted exhibits and dedicated a memorial to those served at the USF St. Petersburg campus.
The nonprofit, a registered 501(c)(3), says it provides alternative art therapies to military members, veterans, first responders and their families to facilitate mental wellness, build community and work toward suicide prevention, the Osprey Observer reports. According to the same report, VACTB has provided art therapy to more than 3,025 individuals, supported over 29,005 children, and collected more than 350 testimonials. The center says it has prevented seven veteran suicides, and program participants have reported a 75 percent increase in emotional well-being and a 90 percent reduction in suicidal ideation, per the Osprey Observer's figures.
Why the Stakes Are High for Florida Veterans
The fundraiser arrives against a sobering backdrop. Florida is home to more than 1.4 million military veterans, and suicide death rates among veterans in the state run at least 2.6 times higher than those of the general population, according to the Florida Department of Health. Separately, a federal data synthesis published by Riverside Recovery found that among Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans diagnosed with substance use disorders, 63 percent also meet diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder, underscoring the layered mental health challenges many veterans face.
The concert's setting carries its own local history. The Dallas Bull opened in 1979 as a small bar before relocating in 2006 to a facility that grew to more than $6 million and 31,000 square feet, making it the largest country honky-tonk venue east of the Mississippi River, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Headliners Soul Circus Cowboys, a Tampa Bay-based Southern rock act, have a patriotic single called “I Stand,” which Macksam described as an anthem for the veterans VACTB serves.
Local Roots Among the Performers
Co-headliner Randy McNeeley, whom the Osprey Observer describes as a Billboard-charting Southern rock performer, is a SouthShore local from Wimauma who plays 11 instruments and blends outlaw country guitar with country ballads, according to the Ruskin Seafood Festival. Comedian Ginger Kelly, who provides comedy for the evening, is a Ruskin-based military veteran and breast cancer survivor named “Best Up-and-Coming Comedian” by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay in 2024.
Emcee Pat Largo, described in the Osprey Observer's report as a veteran radio personality and comedian, spent 16 years as a Tampa Bay radio personality before launching Comedians Uncorked in May 2018 to produce stand-up comedy events across Florida, according to VoyageTampa. In August, Hoodline reported that the Tampa Bay Rodeo gave complimentary tickets to VACTB alongside MacDill Air Force Base and the Florida National Guard.
Macksam said VACTB invites the Tampa Bay community to support art and connection as tools for healing, according to the Osprey Observer. With tickets on sale and sponsorship packages still open, organizers are hoping the November 15 concert helps carry the center's mission into its 14th year.
