News From Britt Hill – August 2019

Back in early July, I spent a Saturday afternoon enjoying a wonderful reception and book signing at Art Presence Art Center. As I stood in line to purchase three of Debbie Earley’s creative little glass mushrooms, I flipped through Ken Gregg’s beautiful new book, A Year in Jacksonville, amazed and enamored with the incredible talent in our valley.

Speaking of talent, by the time you read this column, your Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) will already have performed three or four concerts including our first-ever “Teddy’s Discovery Tuesday: Family Night.” We sure hope that you attended and if you did, trust that you enjoyed every minute of it.

The grand piano is set, tuned and ready for action! From BFO Guest pianist, George Li to Jackson Browne to The Piano Guys, we are ready to bring you multiple genres of music that are sure to entertain and captivate audiences.

With sixteen main stage concerts and four BrittKids Koncerts, August 2019 will be the busiest Britt Music and Arts Festival month ever and that translates into a vibrant tourism industry. Through inspiring, affordable performances this month—people from all walks of life will visit our town to listen, watch, learn, shop and play.

We all know that music and art sets moods and creates atmospheres. That is why we throw on an upbeat playlist while we are working out, put on smooth jazz on a romantic date, or go to a museum for inspiration. Britt, Art Presence, Rebel Hearts Books and all in our welcoming business community are contributing to our small town with a big atmosphere through our collective offerings.

So in short, music and art, as well as our openness to diversity, have the power to culturally and emotionally influence our community; the more intentional we are as a community to support all kinds of music, art and visitors, the more successful we become in creating a marketable identity rooted in our welcoming culture.

One of the things that I love most about Jacksonville, is that when visitors wearing cowboy hats to dreadlocks walk down the street, they feel like they belong. We not only have a big atmosphere, we have a big heart and that combination leads to opportunity and prosperity for all.