Spirited Collaboration

Local arts organizations, businesses and artists have combined talents in a special series of spirits


In an inspired arts and business collaboration, born just in time for locally-focused holiday gift-giving, Manifest Distilling has released the Commedia Dell’Arte Artist Collector’s Series. This limited edition set contains five distinct spirits created in-house at Manifest, with bottles featuring artwork by local artists and packaging design by local advertising firm Brunet-Garcia (B|G) – who developed the series’ art concept. Proceeds  will benefit local performing arts through the STAGE Fund and Cultural Council of Northeast Florida. The STAGE Fund is a local non-profit dedicated to the compensation of theatre professionals in Northeast Florida and the enrichment of Jacksonville’s cultural landscape.

Artist: Chris Clark

The bottle labels and case design convey the whimsical, satirical nature of 17th century Italian improvisational theater – commedia dell’arte – the source from which all modern theatrical character types were born. Featuring interpretations of these archetypes by artists Hiromi Moneyhun, Elena Øhlander, Searing Limb, Chris Clark, and Cody William Wicker, these sets will be produced in a single run to be available exclusively from the Downtown Jacksonville Tasting Room at Manifest.

Arbus asked each of the collaborators to share their take on the project, including a recent and successful precursor to the Commedia Dell’Arte Artist Collector’s Series – a collection of twenty-four bottles featuring work created by artists for auction at the 2019 Arts Awards: LEAP (as in leap into the arts). This was the first collaboration between the Cultural Council and Manifest Distilling.

On collaboration

“The Arts Awards: LEAP collection began as an idea at the bar in Manifest. Jim [Webb] suggested the idea, I said yes, then the magic began. The Cultural Council did a call to artists, juried, and had the bottles ready for auction within forty-five days. True to its mission to invest in arts and culture, the Cultural Council didn’t ask artists to volunteer, artists were paid for their work. 

Art Awards bottles

When the bottles were completed, photographed and revealed, artists and the community were abuzz! 

The Cultural Council found this to be a win-win-win partnership – Manifest Distillery got its product into the community, artists were paid, and the Cultural Council earned income from the auction of the one-of-a-kind bottles.  

Given the success of the twenty-four bottles created for our Arts Awards: LEAP, the creation of a boxed set is a natural progression. We are looking forward to partnering with Manifest for years to come.” 

~Joy Young | Executive Director, Cultural Council of
Northeast Florida

“Manifest was founded on the principle that a great vision can only be achieved through unity. Individual talents and abilities are integral to our success, but the sum is always greater than the individual parts. 

In taking on the Artist Series, we wanted to celebrate the talents of local artists along with our locally crafted spirits, and in the same spirit (no pun intended) support the performing arts through this partnership.”

~Jim Webb | General Manager, Manifest Distilling

Read More

 

Author: Arbus

Share This Post On

Subscribe for the Weekly Buzz from Arbus Magazine

Join our email list! It's your spot for cultural to-do's around Northeast Florida.

You have Successfully Subscribed!