The Jacksonville Historical Society is sponsoring a day-long event on June 11, 2022 to celebrate Jacksonville’s Bicentennial.  The day will be filled with art exhibits, vendors, music and fireworks. Detailed event information can be found at jax200.org.

Puerto Rican Mosaic Artist Celso González Quiñones depicted Ebony Payne-English, a local author, playwright and educator in this mural, located outside of Jessie duPont Ball Center. Photo by Charlee Guillaume.

Art tells the history.

Annelies Dykgraaf, President,
Jacksonville Artist Guild

Founded in 1822, the city of Jacksonville, Florida, is brimming with history and the stories of those that have influenced its vibrant culture over the past 200 years.  

Just walk down its streets and you will be inspired and influenced by its art.

Art Community Involvement

Seven years ago, Artist Ron Episcopo relocated from Fort Lauderdale to Jacksonville with his husband and two dogs. Now, he is immersed in the local art community. As the Chair of JAX Art 200, he has been working tirelessly with different art groups, museums and local businesses to plan various art exhibits, historical commemorations and to raise the awareness of the bicentennial events on June 11th.

Jacksonville has so much to offer, especially to the arts. when I saw the murals downtown, when I visited the Cummer, MOSH… MOCA really floored me.

Ron Episcopo, artist and Chair of JAX Art 200

On June 11th, the art community will converge on Laura Street downtown both exhibiting their works and presenting live art demonstrations. Vystar Credit Union, Erick Wahl Art, Wells Fargo and Farah & Farah are sponsors of the Arts of Jacksonville for the bicentennial.

The collection of art by local children in Duval county, entitled the Vystar Kids’ Wall of Art, will be located in front of the Jacksonville Public Library. The library will also host a local artist exhibition during the entire month of June 2022. There will be a second exhibition location to be named at a later date.

Miami artist 2Alas (Andrew Antonaccio) was inspired by Augusta Savage’s iconic 1937 sculpture, “Harp” to create this mural on Hogan Street. The sculpture paid homage to James Weldon Johnson’s hymn “Life Ev’ry Voice and Sing.” Augusta Savage was born in 1892 in Green Cove Springs, Clay County. Photo by Charlee Guillaume.

The Imposters, a group of character actors, will be dressed in 1822 attire and mingling with the crowds as representations of influential figures in Jacksonville history. And many more exciting things are yet to be announced.

Steven Teller, a Florida-born muralist, also paid tribute to the James Weldon Johnson’s poem, “Life Ev’ry Voice and Sing” in this mural featuring Akai Marje, a local singer/songwriter who recently moved to Atlanta, GA. The mural is located on the corner of E. Forsyth and N. Market streets.

Get Involved

The Jacksonville Artist Guild and the Art Center Cooperative are coordinating the artist calls for the bicentennial exhibitions to include the Vystar Kid’s Wall of Art. These organizations recently exhibited at the Jacksonville International Airport. According to Lisa Lofton, the art exhibit was all about Jacksonville from the parks and bridges to the zoo and the Florida Theater.

do things. work with your hands. be creative. It doesn’t matter what you’re creating. just create!

Lisa Lofton, President of The Art Center Cooperative

The theme of the Bicentennial Call to Artist is Illustrate your Jacksonville with a current or past event, place, person, etc. Screening fee for local artists is $30. Submission deadline for local artists is May 18, 2022. Submission deadline for children is June 1, 2022. Check out these links for more information on children art submissions and local artist submissions.

This promotion video and its original music were sponsored and produced by Mix Theory Studios.