Equity crowdfunding is increasingly popular in funding new startups and philanthropic efforts, but there are also risks. In this opinion piece, local attorneys Richard B. Hadlow and Peter S. Lawler weigh in on the concept.

In Tampa Bay, as elsewhere, artists often serve as community catalysts for transformational change in neighborhoods that become attractive to investors. The phenomenon is the subject of Economist Richard Florida's book "Rise of the Creative Class,'' which promotes the idea that creatives, including artists, entrepreneurs and small shops, along with low barriers to entry, help foster urban renewal.