Diana Donovan, Executive Director, Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville
Diana Donovan spoke with Invest: about Jacksonville’s dedication to its rich cultural heritage and development of the arts, while emphasizing the importance of investment in artistic endeavors and the value it adds to the community.
What have been some of the highlights for the cultural council over the last year?
In just a few years, the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville has experienced transformative growth as the leading local arts agency in premier regranting and public art. As a nonprofit, we are above the national average of regranting by over 10% with 92 cents on every dollar going back into the community. We’ve quadrupled our level of grant management, target audiences served and the types of grants available. We’ve had multi-million-dollar historical investments within our nonprofit sector and have made history with the city of Jacksonville by launching the first-ever Artist Grant, with 60 artists receiving $10,000 each. Regarding economic investment within public art, we’ve received the first-ever CPAC public art funding allocation for all six districts as well as an equity investment across all individual districts of the city, representing a total investment of $750,000. These elements combined, collectively enhance Jacksonville’s creative economy, delivering a return on investment of $114 million from our nonprofit regranting. Additionally, public art investments contribute to increased property values, improved public safety, and infrastructure enhancements.
When national and international businesses seek partnerships in Jacksonville, they prioritize high-quality investments that enhance quality of life. Such investments are crucial for attracting and retaining top talent, as well as supporting the families they bring with them. Jacksonville’s arts and culture sector positively impacts both the city’s financial bottom line and the overall quality of life for our residents and visitors. In the northeast region, Duval County has the largest funded and ordinance-mandated arts and culture agency through the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. This empowers our city as the regional leader, not only through the arts, but leveraging cultural tourism as the city enhances its current season of renaissance. As we lean into cultural tourism with a data-driven approach and a lens of public and private partnerships, we anticipate fiscal, population and housing growth as Jacksonville leans into its next chapter of dynamic growth and expansion.
What are your goals for the grants distributed among Jacksonville’s local artists?
We’re firm believers that where your budget is, there your values lie. We want to be able to elevate our cultural sector and workers to help them feel seen, validated and nurtured in Jacksonville, as well as on the national and international stages. We want talented people to know that they can be successful here in our arts and culture sector. We want them to know Jacksonville is innovative and progressive in how we think about refining not just who we are as a city, but also how we operate throughout the creative economy.
Where are the opportunities for growth and expansion in the arts and culture environment?
A thriving Downtown area is intrinsically linked to a vibrant arts and culture scene. For instance, an event at the Florida Theatre not only energizes nearby restaurants, ride-sharing services, bars, and parking facilities but also supports the artists and theater staff involved. The economic impact of such events generates significant local benefits. Our investment in arts and culture has yielded an impressive return on investment (ROI) of over $114 million, with $105.7 million of this amount benefiting Downtown Jacksonville. This includes contributions from arts and culture nonprofits, such as the Jacksonville Symphony, MOSH, and the Cummer Museum, who are supported through the city of Jacksonville’s Cultural Service Grant Program.
It’s exciting to see multi-million-dollar investments coming back to a city that is a thriving metropolis. The future of the city lies with the Jacksonville Jaguars, autonomous vehicles and Downtown development to curate places where people want to eat, play, and stay. Arts and culture is the thread that runs through them all and plays a pivotal role in giving our residents a better quality of life and our visitors a reason to come back. When we talk about numbers, we want our community to understand how they contribute to that bottom line and how the value is returned to them.
Americans for the Arts nominates an economic “impact city,” and the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville is the largest cultural council in the region. We wanted to make sure we were capturing all data for our region to provide AFTA opportunities for the survey. Based on the survey results, our nonprofit arts and culture sector generated $319.9 million in economic activity. Nearly 2.1 million attendees spent $87.24 per person, per event beyond the cost of admission, with the national average at $35. Even better, 40% of our attendees that travel from outside of our five-county areas spent an average of $136.36 per person. Over 87% of nonlocal attendees reported that the primary purpose of their visit was specifically to attend their chosen event. We want to see these numbers continue to grow, and believe that we are well on our way to seeing that happen.
What is the impact of the various communities on the arts and culture of Jacksonville?
LaVilla once stood as the Harlem of the South, a vibrant and innovative community before the great fire reshaped its landscape. Renowned for its pioneering contributions to jazz and the arts, LaVilla was a cultural melting pot that played a defining role in Jacksonville’s identity. It bridged diverse commerce sectors and communities, offering profound cultural exposure and experiences.
One of the fundamental aspects of arts and culture is its ability to unite communities, demonstrating that we are a composite of multiple, interconnected communities living and thriving together. The legacy of LaVilla continues to inspire and enrich Jacksonville, cultivating a dynamic arts and culture scene that connects people and communities. LaVilla is just one example; we have amazing communities with their own unique stories across the city. It is through these shared stories and collective experiences that Jacksonville maintains its unique character as a vibrant place to live, work, and play.
What are a few challenges you face when promoting arts and culture in Greater Jacksonville?
Advocacy and education remain fundamental. To elevate the perception of the arts beyond mere visual aesthetics, we must emphasize their broader impact. Research shows that, much like athletes who develop grit and resilience, children engaged in the arts tend to excel academically. Introducing the arts at an early age not only nurtures their creative abilities but also enhances their academic potential and fosters the leaders of tomorrow.
Ongoing and increased investment in the arts and culture sector is essential for not only sustaining but also amplifying our city’s quality of life. Such investment plays a crucial role in bolstering local businesses and nonprofits by fostering cross-sector partnerships and driving mutual growth and enrichment.
As we champion the expansion of the arts and culture sector in our city, it is critical for all our city officials, civic and corporate leaders to maximize the value of these economic drivers to the benefit of the city. By aligning cultural development with the interests of companies and businesses, officials can enhance the benefits and opportunities for the local, state and national economy.
What story can Jacksonville tell from a cultural perspective, and what are the main cultural attractions that have recently seen growth?
We are proud to house longstanding cultural attractions like the Jacksonville Symphony and the Florida Theatre, which is a historical venue owned by the city, but operated by a nonprofit. The Symphony is celebrating its 75th season this year; meanwhile, the Florida Theatre recently completed a multi-million-dollar restoration and renovation initiative. The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is also celebrating its hundredth anniversary this year. The Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens has been an institution in Jacksonville for more than 60 years, highlighting stunning exhibitions and its historically significant gardens on the St. Johns River. Together, these institutions — and many others — speak to the dedication that generations of Jacksonville leaders have committed to the arts. But we also need to consider how arts and culture can meet newcomers, and populations that don’t always enjoy equal access to the arts. WJCT, our local NPR radio news station is a great resource for newcomers and natives alike – and they are supported by our CSG program. Children are introduced to the arts and have their creative spirit empowered by partners like Jacksonville Arts and Music School (JAMS) and Cathedral Arts Project (CAP). CAP is an example of an important nonprofit that not only serves our local children, but elevates art educators and advocates for access and equity in arts education. JAMS is celebrating a decade of impact this year, empowering the creative leaders of tomorrow.
Our parks are another great example of that approach in action. Many of our parks now prioritize interactive art, so that everyone — children to senior citizens and visitors of varying abilities, backgrounds and languages –– can enjoy our local artists’ work, including a beautiful musical exhibit called the Sphinx located in San Marco and administered through the City’s Art in Public Places program.
What is your outlook for the Cultural Council over the next few years?
The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville’s forward-looking vision in the coming years, as we champion innovation, advocacy, education and investment, will remain centered on our city’s quality of life. As we explore equitable funding distributions for public art, capital projects, and operational grants, our goal is to seamlessly integrate these initiatives into our future growth strategy.
We envision our city as a dynamic cultural hub, where we leverage our expertise in cultural tourism to position Jacksonville as a premier arts and culture destination. We aim to attract individuals to eat, stay, and play here, ultimately making Jacksonville their home. By providing our emerging talent with leadership opportunities that surpass those in years past, we can cultivate a vibrant, innovative community.
Through strategic partnerships and investing in the long-term growth of arts and culture, we can significantly enhance the quality of life in our city, setting the stage for substantial benefits over the next five to 10 years. Our aspiration, as an essential player in the cultural landscape, is to leverage the nexus point of regranting and public art opportunities through the lens of innovation and civic vibrancy.
The future holds exciting possibilities, and the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville is at the forefront, ensuring that arts and culture remain vital to the fabric of Jacksonville’s growth and success.
