Downtown Perspectives
Igniting Downtown Through Public Art
The Story Behind Frank Stella’s Jacksonville Stacked Stars Written by Amber Sesnick, Director of Communications, Arts UNF & MOCA Jacksonville If you have explored downtown Jacksonville this summer, you may have been stopped in your tracks by a monumental new work of public art in the heart of the city. Standing at nearly three stories tall, “Jacksonville Stacked Stars,” created by Frank Stella and installed just outside of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Jacksonville, is the culmination of the museum’s 100th anniversary...
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The Haydon Burns Now The Jessie: Rebirth of a Welcoming Community Space
By Wayne W. Wood A century from now, when architectural historians come to visit Jacksonville, one of the four most important buildings they will want to see is the former Haydon Burns Library, aka The Jessie. (The other three would almost surely be the St. James Building, Gulf Life tower, and Chart House.) The fact that the old library building still exists is a miracle in itself. Like many of the buildings in downtown Jacksonville, it is interwoven with the story of destruction and rebirth. On May 3, 1901, 90 percent of...
read moreSmall Businesses With a Big Mission
There are a variety of health and wellness facilities and businesses in Northeast Florida. Degree Wellness offers an effective range of recovery and wellness services such as cryotherapy, infrared saunas, IV drips, and compression therapy in one luxurious space with private suites. Be Still Float is a wellness center that aims to help those suffering from anxiety, stress, pain, and incontinence through float therapy, emsella, MLS laser therapy, and massage therapy. Row House in San Marco provides full-body group fitness classes that are...
read moreNa’Zir McFadden Jacksonville Symphony Assistant Conductor
Photo: ©Andrej Grilc Audience connection is at the heart of your work. From the podium, how do you create those powerful moments of connection? I try to create moments that feel personal and alive—where the orchestra and audience breathe together. It’s about honesty and presence, letting the music unfold naturally so everyone feels part of the same journey. When that connection happens, the performance becomes something shared, not just witnessed. Your career has already seen impressive milestones at such an early stage. Is there one moment...
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