New Jacksonville art festival looks to arrive in urban core this fall

[Tacachale]

New Jacksonville art festival looks to arrive in urban core this fall
May 25, 2016, 2:28pm EDT
INDUSTRIES & TAGS Media & Marketing,  Economic Development,  Arts
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Alexa Epitropoulos
Reporter
Jacksonville Business Journal
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A four-day art festival that is looking to follow the same model as festivals like Grand Rapids' ArtPrize and West Palm Beach's Canvas plans to land in Downtown this fall.

The Art Republic wants to hold its inaugural festival between November 10-13 in the urban core, founder Jessica Santiago said. Santiago, who is from Jacksonville and owns Wall Street Fine Art, said she wants to bring the same sort of energy and economic development that art has effected in other cities and other neighborhoods, like Miami's Wynwood district, to the area.

A new festival wants to increase awareness of Jacksonville's street art culture.
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A new festival wants to increase awareness of Jacksonville's street art culture.

CATHERINE BYERLY

"I'm fascinated with what it's doing for real estate and entrepreneurship and what it can do. That's where the premise started from," Santiago said.

The concept is now in its fundraising stage and is in talks with local corporations and companies to sponsor the event. The goal is to forge multi-year partnerships with partners, who, in turn, get a chance to utilize the event to bolster their brands.

"We want partners who understand the event and leverage social media to advance it," Santiago said. "We're in talks with a few different financial institutions. We want our sponsors to receive benefits so that we are able to sign multi-year partnerships. That's the goal."

The concept would be to bring in national, and international, artists with large followings to work with local artists. Santiago said she's hopeful that in its first year, the artists can design 10 murals, have an art exposition and a fashion show.

...

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/05/25/new-jacksonville-art-festival-looks-to-arrive-in.html

Sounds similar to the Epoch Project, the idea that preceded One Spark. This quote in particular is interesting:

Although the art festival doesn't seek to replace One Spark, which has been majorly downsized this year from a week-long event to a one-day spinoff of Art Walk, Santiago said it could bring awareness to Jacksonville's art scene, which she says has largely gone unnoticed.

"Jacksonville is absolutely positioned to be a phenomenal arts city," Santiago said.

[Dapperdan]

 Will this festival be any different than Art Walk Wednesdays? Again, we have been promised big things before like the Jacksonville Film Fest, One Spark, etc. Gonna take some selling here.

[UNFurbanist]

I've heard that this woman is quite wealthy so my guess is that she has connections along with some means of her own to make this work. Also, when she says she'd like to have funding finalized in four weeks that either means she has no idea what she is doing or she already has some things lined up. Hoping it's the latter cuz I could see this being really cool.

[TimmyB]

As a native of Grand Rapids, I can tell you without question why ArtPrize has succeeded, where others have not: they had a VERY wealthy person with ties to the community (Amway heir) who put his money up front and got the instant recognition that it needed.  Artists around the world became interested right away, with that kind of dough; businesses became interested with those kinds of crowds to feed and house.  There was no rumor, no hoping, no maybe.  It was, "This will be the first prize" and it was massive, as were the others in the top ten!

If Jacksonville is going to do anything to compete with that, it can't be done in a half-assed fashion.   It takes major money, up front.

[5pointy]

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/08/26/two-major-jacksonville-companies-sign-on-to.html

Sponsors announced.

[BennyKrik]

Amway is a really reputable sponsor...yeah buddy

[TimmyB]

Amway is a really reputable sponsor...yeah buddy

Not sure of the point you're making there, Benny.  There are many (myself included) who couldn't care less for their business model, nor care for their meddling in politics where they shouldn't be, but if you have a company with billions to spend and they actually spend a big chunk on the local arts scene, how is that not "reputable"?

[Adam White]

Amway is a really reputable sponsor...yeah buddy

Not sure of the point you're making there, Benny.  There are many (myself included) who couldn't care less for their business model, nor care for their meddling in politics where they shouldn't be, but if you have a company with billions to spend and they actually spend a big chunk on the local arts scene, how is that not "reputable"?

Clearly, Benny is not living the "Diamond Lifestyle".

[blizz01]

Yeah, I doubt the the city of Orlando or the Magic had that sentiment when naming rights were inked for Amway Center.

[BennyKrik]

Bubbe, we are not in Orlando

[blizz01]

And water is wet.