Publishers Note
As the question of what to do with downtown remains, there is little doubt that green spaces are important for mental health and community growth. Parks are more than just green spaces in a city—they are crucial components of a healthy, vibrant community. For the Blue Zones Project Jacksonville, parks play a central role in promoting well-being and longevity. (Read more about Blue Zones initiatives on page 12.) A...
Jacksonville Symphony Celebrates 75th Season with New Branding and Special Events
By Steven Libman, President and CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony It is with great joy and excitement that we unveil the Jacksonville Symphony’s 75th season. Over the past seven decades, the symphony has served as the fabric of Jacksonville’s cultural landscape, weaving together the threads of music and community spirit through uplifting experiences. This milestone is a testament to our mission of reaching new artistic...
A Riverfront for All (Part 2)
By Laura Riggs It’s been demonstrated in many other markets that well-designed, maintained, and programmed public spaces strengthen the real estate market while positively impacting the local economy. Understanding that any plans must also take into account various past visioning exercises, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund convened a diverse coalition of business leaders, change makers, planners, and visionaries in 2021 to steward plans...
Long-Awaited Collaboration between the Florida Theatre and Theatre Jacksonville Culminates in Mame:
The Broadway Musical ~ In Concert! August 24 and 25 By Laura Jane Pittman It’s about time! A staged concert of the 1960s Broadway classic Mame—which originally starred Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur—is coming to the Florida Theatre this month in a first-ever collaboration between two of the oldest venues in the region. The chief executive officers of the Florida Theatre and Theatre Jacksonville first began kicking...
The Essential Role of Parks to Jacksonville’s Well-being
Parks are more than just green spaces in a city—they are crucial components of a healthy, vibrant community. For the Blue Zones Project Jacksonville, parks play a central role in promoting well-being and longevity. Ninety percent of Americans spend most of their lives within a 20-mile radius of their home, this is known as the Life Radius model. When parks exist within that radius, communities can have access to more spaces to make...
Just Face It
Bu Chris Flagg It was the early days of the pandemic, back in 2020, when professionals the world over were confronted with the stark reality of working from home for the foreseeable future. In my home office, away from the defined parameters of a regulated schedule, my workdays had become long and borderless. The soft edges between day and night contrasted with my sharp, relentless focus on a computer screen from early morning well...