Do Good Spotlight: The Performers Academy
Ebony Payne-English, managing director of The Performers Academy describes the organization's headquarters as “the labyrinth.” As she leads me on a tou…
Tag: community
Staging Change at The 5 & Dime Theatre
Theatre and activism make excellent bedfellows. Almost from its roots in Ancient Greece, theatre has been pushing society’s collective buttons and poki…
8 Notorious Karaoke Bars on the East Coast
Karaoke is a beloved pastime of countless nations across the globe. Though it originated in Japan, where it is still much more popular than in the West…
Meet Your Maker — Gwen Meking of Aunt Gwen
Local multimedia artist Gwen Meking was gracious enough to invite me to her new studio on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. The shared space is tucked away …
Turning Tired Spaces Into Lasting Places — What’s Next for the Beaches’ Kmart Lot
Anticipating the potential for disagreement and vitriol surrounding the potential reuse and redevelopment of the former, Kmart-anchored center at 500 A…
Phoenix Rising Festival Seeks to Spark New Art Movement in Jax
If you're not already familiar with the newest art movement in Jacksonville, you will be soon enough. The folks behind the Phoenix Arts District, prima…
Bold City Shapers
Jacksonville is the home of many wonderful individuals. From philanthropists, artists, community leaders, coaches, politicians and everything in-betwee…
Dancing to a New Rhythm — Recovering After Irma
In preparation for Hurricane Irma, sandbags were placed around the building, constructing a three-and-a-half-foot fortress in the front and back. The d…
Connecting the First Coast — Melissa Ross
Melissa Ross is the host and producer of First Coast Connect, a local NPR radio show that broadcasts daily from the studios of WJCT. Her guests have in…
Love Over Fear — Donna Deegan
The Donna Foundation’s story started with cancer, but this isn’t a “cancer” story. When you meet Donna Deegan, you quickly learn that being a three-tim…
Duval County’s Teacher of the Year Taps into a Goldmine for Education
When you step into Latrece B. Sudduth’s fourth-grade classroom at Andrew A. Robinson Elementary, you can tell there’s something special about it. The …
The Art Next Door — Painting the 904 out of a corner
I arrived at CoRK Arts District at 4 p.m. on a hot and muggy Sunday afternoon. The rain had abated for a brief moment, allowing me enough time get insi…
Somebody Has To — An open letter to the First Coast music scene
It’s no secret the First Coast’s music scene took a hit after venues like Freebird Live at the Beaches, Underbelly and Burro Bar downtown and The Birdh…
Wicked Barley Revamps Food Menu
Since opening its doors in 2016, Wicked Barley Brewing has proven itself as one of the more unique brewery experiences in Jacksonville. The giant tapro…
The Art of the Double Tap — Curating Our Own Feeds
We’ve all done it. Scrolling through our Instagram feed, we see posts of murals or sculptures and think “Wow, I like that.” So we use our thumb and pre…
The Perfect Little Pick-me-up
Wake up, scroll through Instagram, see a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, place an order in less than three minutes, have them delivered to your girlfriend…
Local Lookout: South Point
South Point is the musical duo formed by cousins and multi-instrumentalists Christian Pittman (guitar, drums, vocals) and Ian Poland (strings, keys, gu…
Babes Who Hustle
I recently have seen social media taken by storm with Babes Who Hustle, and couldn't help but wonder on the story behind this amazing online community …
St. Augustine Company Celebrating Mermaid Life Across The Globe
Originating in St. Augustine, Mermaid Life, a woman's lifestyle apparel brand, is making quite the splash recently. In just a few short years, this nic…
Support Your Neighbors, Shop Local
It shouldn’t be news to anyone that giant retail chains have been threatening small businesses for ages. The more our city expands, the more big busine…
What’s Not #1 in the 904
As witnessed in this issue, Jacksonville is an incredible place full of innovative ideas and inspired people. Each passing season sees this city becomi…
Analyzing The Value of Local Artists
The art scene in Northeast Florida is growing. From new local galleries popping up around the area, new artists showing their work at markets and exhib…
How to Tell Your Friends About Jacksonville
It’s no secret that Jacksonville is a huge city. Not only is its landmass the largest in the country, but it also has a plethora of different neighborh…
Northeast Florida’s Booming Housing Industry
There seems to be a big boom happening in the 904 area code and we’re not talking about a baby boom. The housing in the County Road 210 area, which inc…
Proof of Progress: Taking Stock of Jacksonville’s Growth
“Screw this place, I’m outta here!” Anyone who has lived in Jacksonville long enough has heard this tune before. You hear it from all sorts — people wh…