News from Britt Hill – February 2026
HAPPY 2026, friends! Britt announcements are well underway, and the excitement around this year’s summer season is palpable. Our programs team, led by Chief Program Officer Mike Sturgill, always works hard to ensure that Britt has something for every palate, and I think they’re really outdoing themselves this year. We’re especially excited to officially welcome Norman Huynh to the podium as he embarks on his first season as Music Director of the Britt Festival Orchestra. Registrations will also open soon for this summer’s Rock Camp, giving the teens in your life something wonderful to anticipate for the summer, as well.
We’ve made a lot of big changes over the last few years at Britt: we adopted a strategic plan to take us to 2029; our logo was changed to reflect our community and sense of place; our website was upgraded; we’ve made enormous investments in improving the facility; and so much more. And of course, the US Hotel has been a quiet, but exciting, project humming along in the background. This year, that project will start to move forward in a more public way. We are working through the necessary permitting with the City of Jacksonville so that we can move into construction. In the coming months, I’ll be sharing plans for the space so you can see what we have in store. As promised, the building includes public gathering space, meeting spaces, and an education center. Our staff will move into the building when construction is complete, and we are all eager to welcome you to the Box Office on the corner of California and 3rd, host you for events and meetings, and join you for creative exploration at an education workshop.
Construction is focused on the interior of the building, and our General Contractor, S&B James, is very focused on ensuring that there are no negative impacts on the community. The team we’re working with also managed the construction of the Fire Station, so they know our community well. We feel lucky to be working with a team that has such deep knowledge of Jacksonville and the particular needs of our specific site.
There’s also a lot of fundraising that needs to happen to get this project done. We’re in the earliest phases of fundraising, and I’m looking forward to announcing our lead gifts in the very soon!
2026 promises to be an exceptional year, and there are more big announcements to come, both in terms of programming and our community involvement. As always, thank you for your support!
All best, Abby