Our Mission
Enrich Life in Northeast Florida by Investing in Arts and Culture.
Our Vision
Arts and Culture are Recognized by All as Essential for Our Quality of Life.
Our 
Values
Collaborative
We value collaboration as a means to expand our collective vision.
Engaging
We believe that as community leaders we must represent and serve the interests of the cultural sector and the public at large with energy and integrity.
Placemaking
We believe in the process of creating quality places in which people want to live, work, play, and learn, as well as using arts and cultural strategies to implement community-led change.
Imaginative
We believe it will take vision and innovation to ignite the creative spark that will lead Jacksonville to realize its potential.
Inclusive
We believe that everyone benefits from access to arts and culture and we are committed to championing policies and practices of cultural equity that empower a just, inclusive, equitable city.
Our Values in Action:
- Ensure broad accessibility and public engagement with the arts culturally, socially, educationally, and economically.
- Build relationships and enhance communication with artists, cultural organizations, educational institutions, and the public at large.
- Expand public awareness of issues that affect local, regional, and national funding for the sector.
- Advocate for public and private financial support for the sector.
- Work to build communities that are healthy, vibrant, and equitable.
- Promote arts and cultural events, projects, and initiatives in Northeast Florida
Photo courtesy of Jessica Brantman.
Diversity, Inclusion, and Representation
As members of the arts and cultural sector, it is our responsibility to foster a community that is diverse, inclusive, and collaborative. Presently, there are geographic regions in Jacksonville, whether these are inner city neighborhoods or rural communities, that have limited or no access to the arts.
We firmly believe that access to the arts, especially during developmental ages, leads to greater chances for prosperity and a better quality of life.
There is a national effort to improve diversity and inclusion in the arts. Such efforts include research and outreach, funding initiatives, and pilot programs. Locally, there is a strong network of arts and culture organizations, of which the Cultural Council is one, that are committed to addressing systemic issues directly, through proactive and quantifiable initiatives.
For the arts and cultural sector to fully serve the community, local statistics related to access and inclusion must improve. The first wave of improvements should include diversifying Board and staff makeup so that it is representative of Northeast Florida’s demographics, as acknowledged through census surveys. Organizations that are committed to this change are positively impacting the value the sector creates for the residents of this region.
Cultural Equity Statement
To support a full creative life for all, the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville commits to championing policies and practices of cultural equity that empower a just, inclusive, equitable city.
Our History
Incorporated as The Arts Assembly of Jacksonville. Founders included Helen Lane, Jacqueline Holmes, and Ann Baker.
Honored Jacksonville's cultural leaders with the first annual Arts Awards Luncheon.
Raised funds to create an endowment for individual artists and small arts organizations in partnership with The Community Foundation of Jacksonville.
Designated as the official regranting agency for arts and cultural organizations by the City of Jacksonville.
Founded Cultural Arts Network - Volunteers, Artists, and Students (CANVAS), a model
employment program for at-risk youth that utilizes the arts.
Successfully advocated for passage of Jacksonville's first Public Art Ordinance.
Designated as the official administrative agency for the City of Jacksonville's Art in Public Places program.
Launched SPARK initiative to help activate the downtown core as an arts and cultural district; 14 projects were funded over three grant cycles.
Successfully advocated for a change to Jacksonville's Public Art Ordinance to broaden the scope of public art.
Hosted the 40th annual Arts Awards and honor 40 of Jacksonville's cultural leaders. Successfully launched the Cultural Service Internships and Cultural Export programs.
The first African American woman became the executive director of the Cultural Council.
Championed financial relief for the Arts and Culture Sector. Provided leadership for the sector during the pandemic by hosting weekly convenings of nonprofit arts and cultural leaders that featured special guests; curating a regular COVID resources e-newsletter and website; administering $800,000 in COJ Cares grants; and creating an artist relief fund in partnership with VOID magazine and other local small businesses.
Innovation and Community Support
The Cultural Council hires the youngest female executive Director in its history. CCGJ develops the See and Shop project providing additional sales opportunities for Duval visual artists during the pandemic.
Piloted the City of Jacksonville-funded Cultural Service Capital Grant Program with a funding pool of $250,000. Through bi-partisian support, the program grew to $500,000 for FY2023 and $1 million for FY2024, providing support for projects ranging from replacing HVAC systems to constructing new cultural facilities.
Three years of significant increases in city-funding to the arts culminated in an $8.25 investment in the Cultural Service Grant Program, administered by the Cultural Council. Double the City of Jacksonville’s Public Art financial allocation.
