Mission, Vision & Goals

Recognizing the needs of artists and working on ways to support these needs by providing:

· Affordable studio spaces and housing
· Exhibition opportunities
· Business training and marketing consultation
· Workshop and teaching opportunities
· Community outreach initiatives

Our vision is to have a building in downtown Jacksonville which would provide low cost artist studios and apartments with communal living facilities for artists. The building would house an art gallery, a business and marketing center, training workshop areas, Photography darkrooms, resource library and studios for visiting artists and artists in an MFA program.

Our goals:
· have a building donated or leased to us at a minimal cost
· convert spaces into artists studios and apartment lofts with communal bathrooms with showers and kitchens
· convert space to an artist run art gallery open for first Wednesdays ArtWalk
· convert spaces for a business and marketing center, training and workshop areas, photography darkrooms and a resource library
· have a building manager/director to oversee the day to day operations of the building
· have partners in the business community to help artists with marketing, accounting and business plans
· seek donations of equipment, materials and supplies such as computers, copiers, refrigerators, showers, darkroom enlargers etc…
· have a successful annual fundraiser that would create awareness for the needs of artists
· be fiscally responsible and sound
· to eventually be able to provide studio spaces for visiting artists and universities with an MFA program.

By having a community of artists living downtown…commerce is created. Other than the artists' own patronage of the shops and restaurants downtown, the public will be drawn to the mystique of the artists lifestyle and be more apt to choose downtown for dining, shopping and entertainment.

I've often said that there is an art movement happening at any given time but we wouldn't know what it was until an art historian in the the future has defined it. And I also thought that there would be extreme changes at the turn of the century. What I didn't know was that the art movement which is happening at this century's turn would be uncharacteristicly evident to us -- even as it is occurring. Is this what happens when art and the masses collide? And although we may find ourselves obsessing over the artists who painted in context to thier times.. what about the ones who didn't and ended up impacting art history anyway. Is it enough for an artist to be honest.. seeking only his or her own path, regardless of the trends or movements? Just a few questions and insights to get us started.