Jax by Jax // Tim Gilmore

Jax by Jax, Jacksonville’s most recent literary festival, has an unlikely beginning with Tim Gilmore, a prolific local writer, professor, and self-professed introvert.

With festivals Jax by Jax, and publications like Bridge Eight  and Perversion, our literary scene here in Jacksonville is growing every year. With Tim behind it, Jacksonville is winding up for the 2nd annual  Jax by Jax, on Saturday, November 14th. This year it’s going to be bigger and better than last year, and rightly so. From 3:00 to 9:30, the literary community invites you to sample more than 20 different writers hosted by 12 small businesses on Park and King Street.

We’ve come to know that there is usually a reason behind the madness when someone takes on the responsibility of planning an event, and Tim is no different. For Tim, Jax by Jax really started years ago with his own work, and the books he’s published about characters like Eartha White, Virginia King, Ottis Toole, and more. The stories he chooses to delve into are always about a Jacksonville character, and Tim does plenty of research, both primary and secondary, to get the complete picture of the character in question. He’s had amazing success when it comes to the launches of these books, and has been fortunate in how well the books have been received by the community. Now, Jax by Jax is his way of trying to give back. His goal? “Make something that would do for others what others had done for him.” By giving other writers the chance to experience the feeling of a community launch, he hopes Jax by Jax will not only encourage other writers to share their work, but that it will encourage our community to tap into those writers and support them.

Tim views our city as a character and a “stage,” so what better way to set the stage than to “use small independent businesses as venues?” With the venues spread out along King and Park Street, Jax by Jax is designed for folks to be able to sample a writer’s work by hearing them perform excerpts or short works. Essentially, you aren’t committing yourself to a long reading or performance, but to manageable, social bites — giving you the chance to move on if the reader isn’t quite your style. Tim gave us a tip that if you really stay on task, you can hear as many as 8 writers, but that’s up to you.

In addition to giving a stage to Jacksonville writers, Tim really wants to use Jax by Jax as a way to say to the city, “Hey, look at what you’re doing.” Tim goes even further, saying t hat “anyone who cares about Jacksonville should attend [Jax by Jax], whether you love the city, or think it needs work.” If you’re looking to meet fellow passionate Jacksonville-ites, this event is right up your alley. While this event may sound like it’s only for the literary inclined, I’d ask you to give it chance. With so many great bars and restaurants on the tour, and with so many fabulous folks walking around, you’ll be hard pressed to have a bad time.

Jax by Jax is the sort of event that keeps on giving, even after it’s over. You won’t want to miss out on the Jax by Jax after party at Evervess Art Studios across from CoRK on King Street. While the festival throughout the day is free, make sure you get your $10 ticket for the after party. It gives you access to all the writers from the day with book signings, music, food, and drinks (for as long as it lasts).

With a variety of writers present at the event, you can be sure there’ll be something you’ll enjoy. Everything from poetry, short stories, and graphic novels will be read throughout the day, and yes, let me repeat: they are all local writers! That means that every word you hear throughout the day was written right here in Jax by a Jax writer. Talk about really diving into the heart of the city!

Check out the writers and the kinds of stories you’ll find on the 14^th by visiting the Jax by Jax website where you can find a printable event guide for the day. We’ll see you there!

Unity Plaza // Riverside

Concerts, seminars, new restaurants, oh my! The long awaited Unity Plaza had its opening ceremony on Tuesday, and we’re pretty confident that the new space in Brooklyn Station is going to deliver on its many promises to the community. What was once a retention pond on Riverside Ave will now be “a non-profit urban park, created to uplift, educate, entertain, and electrify our community,” according to the plaza’s mission. The plaza’s three pillars, Wellness, Community, and Performing Arts, are designed to provide the neighborhood with another interactive and cultural space, similar to the way that Hemming Park interacts with downtown Jax.  Unity Plaza’s construction is nearing completion, with finishing touches going on at both HOBNOB and Sbraga & Co, two of Jacksonville’s most anticipated new restaurants which will be opening this fall.

Besides these fanatic restaurants, we are very excited about the new on-site WJXT studio. Say what?? On October 26  at 11 am, River City Live, a brand new show about Jax events, people and places, will officially air from Unity Plaza. We can’t wait to catch the first episode! Be sure to tune in! The amphitheater park will feature outdoor restaurants and a fixed space for performances. Jason Faulkner, architect of Studio9, spoke about his inspiration behind creating a landmark of Jacksonville out of a retention pond.  “This is the beginning of so much more than a blank canvas,” he said. “It’s about creating a legacy.” Unity Plaza is definitely a legacy that we are excited to witness. One of the things we love the most about Unity Plaza is that it’s a non-profit. Executive Director Jen Jones has said, “We are not just a non-profit; we are a partner for non-profits.” The idea is to unite the Jacksonville community at this park, which already has a billion events lined up, including the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra on October 2 at 8pm, a National Beer Mile Run on November 14, and UP Winter Wonderland starting December 26. Feeling bored on a Friday night? Chances are, Unity Plaza will have something you’ll enjoy.

We loved seeing Flagship Romance perform after the ribbon cutting! They sounded wonderful, and it was great to see some Somewhere in the City friends at such a historical event for Jacksonville.Somewhere in the City is always looking for new people to meet. We’re confident we’ll be meeting a ton of interesting locals at Unity Plaza. We hope to catch you there!

Summer in the City

We had a blast picking blueberries yesterday at Harrietts Bluff Farm! The sky was a perfect blue and the sun was sweltering, which meant we all got nice tans and sweated a lot, but we were happy anyway. Special thanks to Suzanah and Rhonda of Bold City Pops for providing all who came with free pops! Your pops were refreshing and oh-so-good in the summer heat.

Thanks to all who came out to Harrietts with us! We hope you got plenty of blueberries to make something delicious. The top pickers were probably the Langs, who picked 17.5 lbs of berries. Way to go, Lang family! To everyone who came, be sure to send us a photo of whatever you decide to make with your berries. Even if you eat them all in one sitting, we’d like to see photographic evidence of that. We won’t judge.

Check out some of the highlights of the day, including Brentley and Farmer Sergio (he was such a good model, we just couldn’t resist taking photos of him). Also, we included a candid photo where it sort of looks like Rebecca is about to throw blueberries all over Anthony of DevouringJax. Food fight? Maybe next time, as long as we get to eat all the berries, because those are too good to waste!

Thanks, everyone. Let’s do it again next year!

   photo cred: Suzanah

Thanks, DevouringJax, for the next three photos!

Moonbeam Bash // Yelp Event

Remember when we introduced you to Allie, Community Manager of Yelp here in Jacksonville? Well, this year she comes bearing exciting news, especially if you’re into free food, free drinks, live music, the full moon, and cosplay. We’re assuming you are, so you should probably keep reading.

It’s time again for Yelp’s 2nd Annual Moonbeam Bash: Cosmic Cosplay, a Yelper party to bring all things Yelp to the people of Jax. This fantastic event takes place Monday, May 4, from 8:30-10:30. Guess where the bash takes place? At MOSH, where there will be a planetarium light show to go with the full moon and our awesome costumes. Did we mention costumes? Yes, take out your Halloween outfit from last year, ’cause you’ll want to wear it for this. If you don’t wear a costume, you can’t get any Corner Taco. Just kidding, you still can–you’ll just be missing out, so bring out the ol’ Spidey outfit or your Mario costume. We won’t judge. Allie herself will be sporting a sweet Game of Thrones outfit, but you’ll have to go to see which one.

In order to go to this entirely free event, all you have to do is RSVP right here. You have to have a real Yelp account, which is free and takes two seconds to make, so don’t forget to sign up if you haven’t already! There will be a suggested $10.00 donation, with all the proceeds going to MOSH, which was kind enough to let Yelp come back to throw another bash. You also might want to bring some cash to tip the food/drink vendors, some of which are: Corner Taco, Hawkers, Intuition, Veteran’s United Craft Brewery, Fusion Food Truck, Little Black Box, Rain Dogs, and more! There’s also some local fun provided by The Engagement Ring Studio, Authentic Touch, Zen Soul Therapy, and Bee-Utiful Skin and Nails. The live band will be Fjord Explorer. Basically, because it’s Jacksonville, there’s awesome stuff for everyone, so be sure to come!

If you’re looking to harness your inner retro nerd, come to Yelp’s Moonbeam Bash to interact with Jax and all your favorite Yelpers. Bring your nerdiest costume, or, if you’re not sure the world is ready to see your Zelda outfit, come and get your face painted for free. Meanwhile, as Allie says, SYOY! See you on Yelp! And we’ll see you May 4th at MOSH!

One Spark // Renaissance Jax + Mark McCombs

He’s a man with a plan. 26 year-old Mark McCombs is making waves in Jacksonville when it comes to educating students about robotics.

Walking into Mark McComb’s machine shop/teaching space/art studio in CoRK South is like…well, like walking into nothing you’ve seen before. You are immediately greeted by the noises of welding tools, the scent of burning argon, metal parts, and machines in various stages of progress, and perhaps, most importantly, a sense of community. Once you get to know Mark, and hear how connected all of his passions are, it’s not surprising to see how the space functions in so many ways.

Mark is the founder of Renaissance Jax, a non profit dedicated to establishing sustainable FIRST Robotics teams in elementary, middle, and high schools all over Duval County. He has attainable goals for the future, looking to find resources to build close to 30 rookie teams a year for the next 7 years, with a plan to extend the robotics programs to make sure that all students who want to participate can do just that. Nationally, FIRST has an 89% retention rate across its programs, which means they are doing something right, and offer over $20 million in scholarships each year.

A graduate of UNF, Mark finished with a Mechanical Engineering degree, but it was at the local Magnet high school Stanton College Prep where he first became involved in competitive robotics. Now, Mark works tirelessly to create a sense of community for students with the introduction of a FIRST Tech Challenge league for 7th through 12th graders. This program is made possible by the collaboration between Clay County Schools and the local company Vistakon.

“The kids that get into FIRST Robotics at an early age will have years of very valuable and typically unrivaled experience,” Mark told me. With that extra experience, those students are on the forefront of applied STEM concepts because they will have been designing, building, programming, and solving problems for years. Not only does that improve the quality of life for those students, but it makes Jacksonville a desirable hub for technology industries!

Mark chose the space in CoRK South precisely for its proximity to the many artists who work in CoRK. “I wanted the studio to be in CoRK because I wanted the people [students and teachers] coming into my building for robotics to have access to some of the most creative minds in Jacksonville,” he said. That kind of thinking has clearly paid off for Mark and his students, because more artists are migrating to CoRK South. Jokingly, Mark likes to say that he’s a CoRK colonial, and that he has helped spread the footprint of the arts district.

One of the biggest things that Mark wants people to know about the FIRST Robotics program and Renaissance Jax is that “robot” should not be a scary word. He maintains that anyone who wants to be a coach or mentor can be, and even encouraged this English Major to become a part of the program–I told him I’d stick to writing about the robots for now.

If you want to know more about his program, or if you’d like to become a mentor check out his website. You can visit Mark and his robotics students at One Spark 2015, Creator Number 22083. He’ll be set up near Hemming Park, and trust me, as the dude with the robots, you’ll know where he is!

GastroFest 2015 // Erin Thursby

At Somewhere in the City, we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t give you the low down on GastroFest 2015. The day-long food festival, happening on March 21st, celebrates local cuisine and North Florida’s culinary history. I got a chance to hang out with Erin Thursby, the Executive Director of GastroJax, at March’s Art Walk, and we discussed why GastroJax, and why now.

GastroJax Board of Directors at One Spark 2014: Jessica Fields, Nathaniel Price, Kamron Perry, Rachel Henley & Erin Thursby 

First, let’s talk the difference between GastroJax and GastroFest. GastroJax is a nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to food education. They do events and dinners throughout the year, like the Damn Good Dim Sum Dinner, while GastroFest is set to be an annual celebration of our food culture, showcasing everything from restaurants, food trucks, breweries, pop makers, and more–all in one day.

When I asked Erin why she decided to make GastroFest a reality, she said she felt Jacksonville needed a food festival dedicated to celebrating our local culinary scene. The hope is that GastroFest will show the rest of the world that Jacksonville is a culinary destination, something that Jax residents have known for a while. Like anything in Jacksonville, all it takes is one person to think, “Let’s do this” and it can become a reality. Erin is quick to say she couldn’t do it on her own, and certainly not without a lot of hard work. Erin cites help from her board members, as well as the fabulous start they received at One Spark last year, saying, “GastroFest would have been a pipe dream without the support we got from One Spark.”

The festival is split up into three parts: Taste Vendors, Marketplace Vendors and Education Vendors. It will be all day, from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm in Hemming Park. Entry to the festival is free, but you’ll need Taste Tickets or a VIP Pass to try the food. Tickets are $1.00 each and will be your currency throughout the day. It’s the perfect setup for people with dietary restrictions, that way you get to choose the samples you want to eat and purchase, or you can opt for the VIP Passes which allow you to try everything! In addition to the food, there will be plenty of free programming and movies happening at MOCA throughout the day, with mini-seminars at Down The Rabbit Hole on brewing your own beer; a workshop on making your own bread (presented by the talented ladies at Community Loaves); a Home Brew Competition; Cocktail Contest; Vegan Wine and Cheese Tasting and, oh yeah, SO MUCH FOOD. That doesn’t even begin to cover what’s happening at the Special Events Tent, the Kids Zone (they’ll have bees and chickens), and the live musicians playing throughout the day. Basically, there is something for everyone.

While she told me she wouldn’t, and couldn’t, pick a favorite event from the festival lineup, Erin did say that you must check out the “Food and Social Good Panel” happening at MOCA. In her words, “You don’t hear people talking about all the good that food can do and we want to shine a light on that. Food is a part of our daily lives; it something we have to do, and to do good in the world through making, eating, and sharing food is the best thing we can do as humans.” Don’t forget to say “Hi” when you do go, because you can bet Somewhere in the City will be there, trying everything! For details on Taste Tickets and VIP passes, event times, and the restaurants that will be set up, check out the GastroFest Facebook page or their website! We’ll see you at GastroFest!

 

#WeLoveJax Event// Recap

Well if we didn’t love Jax already, Friday night would have definitely been the perfect night to fall for our city. A packed house at Underbelly led to an exciting night of ideas, collaboration, and simply meeting new people.

#welovejax event at underbelly was a great success. New people, new conversation. #jacksonville… http://t.co/uPTL1YSFSP

— MarisaH (@MarisaH) September 29, 2013

Had an awesome time at #WeloveJax. Some awesome people in #Jax and I'm so glad to be a part of this city!!

— Brentley Stead (@BrentleyStead) September 28, 2013

#WELOVEJAX great event tonight at underbelly makes you love this city more when we have this kinda of spirit

— James Eddy 2015 (@Eddy4dist7) September 28, 2013

We were overwhelmed with the response to our event. The compliments paid to us as well as our partners Jesse Wilson & Outside the Den were so kind, and it made all of our efforts in putting the night’s events together beyond worth it. Even better, we watched people around the room talk to strangers and make connections. I told everyone that I would consider the night successful if just one person left inspired and ready to get engaged with a Jacksonville project. Based off of that benchmark, I would consider the night a rousing success.

Our speakers provided us with different flavors of Jacksonville enthusiasm and support. Grant Nielsen from The Elbow has such a great energy, it’s easy to see why he’s found success. My favorite part was that his parents came out to watch him. “I think he was the best speaker,” his dad told us later in the evening, “but of course, I’m a bit biased.”

Tony Allegretti (who attempted a great filibuster) gave us previews of some exciting things in the works, including the ability to bring your bike on the Skyway this weekend for Community First Saturdays, which has never been done before. “Even if you don’t have a bike, borrow one and bring it so we can prove that it is something the people want.”

Tony Allegretti, Wayne Wood, Ben Warner, Jen Jones and Grant Nielsen all made the case for supporting OUR city. #WeLoveJax

— Mona (@MonaMade) September 28, 2013

I love my life and I love my city! 🎈#welovejax

— Joanna (@joannakurycki) September 27, 2013

@dnaustin @jesselwilson Impressed with what you two did tonight. Just wow. #welovejax

— Abel Harding (@AbelHarding) September 27, 2013

Wayne Wood led the audience through his journey of becoming a Jacksonville advocate, and eventual champion. “I have gray hair,” he told the audience with a deadpan. Amanda told me later that she loved his talk: “I think it’s amazing that he’s been working for Jacksonville for such a long time. And it hasn’t been easy, in some cases, his efforts are just now showing, I mean it truly goes off of the analogy of sometimes the seeds we sow are not always reaped in our time frame. Hard efforts will pay off in due time but now is not the time to give up.”

“Some of us believe in an afterlife, and some do not. It’s possible that when you die, you’re dead,” Mr. Wood told the crowd. “Leave a legacy. Share your gifts. One of my gifts, is Jacksonville.” And speaking of the dead, he also invited everyone to the Halloween bash that he’s helping organize at the Casket Factory, so be sure to find out more about that! It’s sure to be a spooky good time.

Proud of my hometown this evening. I really wish I could have been at the #welovejax event. I miss all of you and I can't wait to come back!

— Bart Hutchins (@bartisnew) September 28, 2013

#GrantNielsen with #TheElbow breaking the myth that there's nothing to do in Jax!!! #welovejax #jacksonville… http://t.co/hdYLEwBabI

— Yvonne C. Lozano (@YCLart) September 27, 2013

"The negative perception is all smoke & mirrors." #WeLoveJAX

— Jairo (@ArmaObscura) September 27, 2013

Jen Jones gave us words that people used to describe their love of Jacksonville to paint a picture for the crowd. “After I thought about it,” she said, “I decided that I love Jacksonville because it’s beautiful, malleable, and unloved.” She also went on to tell us a little bit about what we can expect from Unity Plaza, a new park coming to Brooklyn with lots of exciting programming in the works. Modeled after Bryant Park’s system in New York, the space will have a 2,000 person capacity amphitheater, works of art, and the ability to hold multiple types of events. Maybe a #WeLoveJax rally one day? Who knows…

Ben Warner really got the crowd going with his talk about JAX2025. This was a personal win for me, because full disclosure, he’s my boss. Don’t get me wrong, Ben is a great speaker at every event. In fact, he was selected as one of the speakers for TEDxJax‘s Connecting Currents later this month. However, his speaking events are usually a bit more formal then say, a rowdy Friday-after-5 Underbelly crowd. But he read the room, and gave a great inspiring message: Democracy starts with you. If you want to make change happen, don’t wait. Come together and create it. “Now is the time that we get to decide what kind of city we want to live in,” he told the crowd, and encouraged everyone to visit JAX2025.org to get involved.

.@theelbowjax started to help build #Jax's cultural identity and show people why #welovejax. @ Underbelly http://t.co/OHmkIqLd1u

— Denise Reagan (@denisereagan) September 27, 2013

DUUUVAALLLL! #WeLoveJax What a great turnout. … @sitcjax @JAX2025 @OutsideTheDen thanks for calling us together!

— Ben Warner (@BenWarner) September 27, 2013

#JenJones with #UnityPlaza asking all of us to join in on the love & engagement that is the #WeLoveJax movement… http://t.co/8TtucUbJOI

— Yvonne C. Lozano (@YCLart) September 27, 2013

Feeling the inspiration and camaraderie at the #welovejax event tonight. I feel so lucky to be a part… http://t.co/HeT5kvOcua

— Sarah Brooks (@SarahhBrookss) September 27, 2013

After our speakers wrapped up, the night turned in to a networking party. We went around and met a great deal of people… maybe you were one of them! One of the best parts about the night was that the crowd was so diverse! We had a few SITCJax featurees in attendance, like Jared from Left On Mallory, Charzette from Jacksonville Looks, and Kerry Speckman, The Specktator. Also, people noshed on Dig Foods– their Sweet Potato Pizza? Outrageous!

We met some people that had just moved to Jacksonville and had only been in town for a matter of weeks, as well as some natives who were glad to see this kind of energy building. There were also people in attendance from the city’s Planning Department, the Cultural Council, organizers of the Northside Love Market, Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Folio Weekly, and so many other great organizations. Even a few suburbanites came out to play!

Looking around the room, there was no “one type” of person. It was clear that you can love Jax whoever you are, and that you might find a common ally where you’d least expect it.

Heather and Alex from Outside the Den sent us a list of what they loved about the night: “We had an amazing time at the first ever #WeLoveJax event Friday night! Here are the five things we loved the most:
• Meeting new people and seeing familiar faces who care about Jacksonville and want to make it a better place.
• Seeing people walk in off the street not knowing what was going on, and then participating just as much as everyone else.
• Listening to all of the speakers share their passion and inspire others.
• Feeling the energy of the room after the last speech was over, and talking to people about the amazing things that were already brewing in their minds.
• Coming home, seeing all of the positive feedback, and knowing that people want more #WeLoveJax events!

Listening to Ben Warner talk about the future of our city. @Underbelly. #WeLoveJax pic.twitter.com/1DPNUg6nyj

— janellconner (@janellconner) September 27, 2013

#ilovejax, #youlovejax, #welovejax. Let's give loving Jax a hand!

— Alvin Brown (@JaxMayorBrown) September 27, 2013

Dr. Woods is enlightening the youth here at underbelly #welovejax

— Captáin General Matt (@JaxMatt) September 27, 2013

Different crowd at the #welovejax event. Digging it. pic.twitter.com/d0ZgJqP0HS

— Abel Harding (@AbelHarding) September 27, 2013

In Downtown Jax with people who love our city! Good to connect, hear and share fresh ideas! #welovejax pic.twitter.com/RVM4ZzL2Qh

— Kumasi Aaron (@WJXTKumasi) September 27, 2013

All of us heard from different outlets that they’d like to see something like this happen again. We are so thankful that we live in a city that supports us and wants to help us succeed, and that’s why we’re happy to give that love right back.

So let us know what you think! Did you come to the event? Share this on Facebook or leave us a comment. Tell us what you took away from the night, or what you’d like to see happen in the future! We can’t do it without you.

After all, as our speakers reminded us, this is our home. Whether you’re a lifetime resident, a recent transplant, or somewhere in between, we’re all here together. Jacksonville deserves the love. We all deserve the love. We’re a town that stands behind our Jaguars even when they lose, fixes our bridges after they take a hit, and shows up to support events even when the weather stinks. We’ve never been fair-weather fans, and we’re not going to start now.

It’s a new season. It’s a new budget. The federal government might be shutting down, but Jacksonville is still open for business! This is an exciting moment to live here. Let’s celebrate that and see what we can do, together.

We. Love. Jax.

See you at Bold Bean. ;^)

-Daniel

 

#WeLoveJax TONIGHT!

We’ve been blowing up our social media feeds this past week with the #WeLoveJax event tonight. Not only have we been blowing it up, but everyone else has been sharing, liking, double tapping, retweeting, and inviting all of their own friends out. We’re completely humbled and a little baffled that an idea over coffee turned into Folio Weekly’s pick for the weekend, tweeted about by some influential people in our city, and mentioned on WJCT.

If you haven’t heard yet, let’s quickly recap. Awhile back Heather from Outside the Den created a power gang of people who want to make a difference in our city. We simply just sat at Bold Bean thinking of ways we could stop talking about doing something and actually do it. Between Outside the Den, ourselves, and Jesse Wilson, we came up with an event we think everyone can participate in. We’re calling it #WeLoveJax: A Meet-Up of Like Minded People.

So, if you love Jacksonville, or maybe you don’t love Jacksonville yet but are ready to have an open mind, come down to Underbelly tonight at 6pm. There’s going to be uh-mazing speakers, Dig Foods will be serving some scrumptious food, and you can network with someone else who loves the city. We’re thinking some fantastic brain storming ideas will come from this event.

So come with some business cards and be ready to connect and collaborate! You’ll be surprised what can happen when you meet up with like-minded people and just give it a go. We certainly were.

While you’re there make sure you’re hashtagging with the #WeLoveJax tag. We want to know who came out! We also want to know who made connections and what was rooted between conversations. We encourage you to not only come out but to take action steps after you leave. Stay for the show after us, go out to eat downtown, or check out the night life. Whatever you do, be proactive in our city. It’s going to take more people to make a difference and we think it’s better when we all do it together!

If you want to read some more lovely writing about the event tonight check out Daniel’s post from last week, Outside the Den’s post from Wednesday, or Jesse’s write up on The Elbow.

If we haven’t met you, please come and meet us! We can’t wait! See you all at 6!

Kyle// Local Artists Coming Together

Remember the event we attended not too long ago at Tapa That? If not, we’ll let you get a refresher here. We loved the idea that LACT stood for. In fact, we loved it so much that we just had to know a little bit more. In case you’re as interested as we were, LACT stands for “Local Artists Coming Together.” The name says it all, but we’d like to introduce you to the man behind the original idea: Kyle!

Kyle exudes confidence like no other, which is probably why LACT is doing so well. Oh, not to mention that he, himself, is a great artist. Kyle is originally from the tiny, south Florida town of Homestead. He’s been excited about art since the first grade, when it all started with a love for doodling in his notebooks. Even though he had this love for doodles and drawing from such a young age, he found himself at one point in his life not drawing for 9 years straight.

One momentous day, he finally decided  to pick up his pencil again, but he couldn’t find the utensil. He looked all over his house, but no pencil was to be found. He ended up drawing in a ballpoint ink, and now, because of that day, he specializes in creating art with pens.

Kyle created LACT to meet like-minded people. Now a little over a year old, LACT is a successful group of artists who have come together to empower one another. His main motivation for creating the group was the idea that aspiring artists should be self-sustaining; yet, they could also assist each other by being stepping stones. Most importantly, he wanted a judgment-free zone where artists could ask questions without feeling stupid.  If you’re an artist who has questions about selling or marketing, just ask whatever your heart desires on the LACT Facebook page here.

From my perspective, LACT collectively does a couple of real awesome things. First, they throw plenty of events, which you can find on the LACT website here. Second, I love how Kyle was very adamant about the fact that art already exists here in Jacksonville, though most of it is just now emerging. Not only is it just emerging, but everyone is actually starting to be more appreciative of art now, which Somewhere In The City is personally excited about.

The other really cool thing about LACT is that they have created trading cards. They’ve put together three series of trading cards so far and find local businesses to fund the printing and paper. Each card is chosen by judges. The first series was an “I love the 80’s” theme, and the website liketotally80s.com judged the contest to find the winners. The second series had the theme of “heroes,” and the staff at Tapa That chose the winners. This most recent series was themed “self-portraits,” and Mr. Mayor Alvin Brown himself and his assistant were the judges. Kyle told us he had a few cards that had blank sponsorship and wanted to show his appreciation for us by giving us a sponsorship title on one of the cards. We were so in awe and couldn’t get over how cool this was. Check it out!

We love what Kyle and the whole LACT group are doing for our local artists! We can’t wait for more art shows, more emerging artists, and more trading cards. If you’re interested in seeing LACT’s latest work, go and check them out tonight at Artwalk! They’ll be taking over The Landing inside and out. Want more details for that event? Click here! We can’t wait to see what the future holds for all Local Artists who are Coming Together.

-Amanda!