News from Britt Hill – October 2024
IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, you’ve heard or read a fair bit from me about the acquisition of the United States Hotel building. What I’ve yet to share, though, is how that building purchase fits within the greater context of our vision for Britt in its next chapter: the Next Big Dream. Our vision, which outlines 64 distinct goals that we want to undertake in the next several years, can be distilled down into one large outcome: a community that thrives through the creation and enjoyment of the arts.
What does that mean, in practical terms? For me, it means that the arts are a proudly integrated part of daily life, and that the arts—and Britt—serve as a galvanizing force for community, a gathering place, and a setting for us to have fun and grow year-round. We strive to grow the community we serve; provide diverse opportunities for creativity, discovery, and imagination; and steward and conserve the land and facilities we occupy for future generations.
Key objectives include major projects like achieving zero-waste status organization-wide by 2033 (a project that, even broken into bite-sized pieces, will be a massive undertaking). We plan to bring back our summer rock band camp and other interactive programs for teens and tweens, along with off-season educational workshops for grown-ups. We are undertaking a rebrand, so that our logo and visual identity reflects the uniqueness of our local community and our organization. We are launching a new website that improves accessibility and makes it easier for our patrons to find us. We’re expanding our work with community organizations to provide admission-free programs to all ages. We’re implementing a $5 ticket program for SNAP benefit recipients. We hope to begin livestreaming orchestra performances into closed networks in places that house our patrons who cannot traverse the hill, such as elder care facilities.
And of course, we’re centralizing our operations in Jacksonville through the purchase, retrofitting, and renovation of the United States Hotel.
Our vision for the building is to ultimately house a flourishing hub of arts activities. We’re retaining the ballroom, which will house year-round small performances, workshops and events (I’m not-so-secretly dreaming of monthly swing dances!) and will be available for community event rentals, as well. We plan to add sufficient and accessible bathrooms, dressing rooms, and preserve the bar for intermission hospitality. Downstairs will primarily house our offices, and will also serve as our box office and a small retail store where patrons can purchase records and Britt merchandise. Everyone has asked about the bank vault, which we plan to preserve and use as meeting room space (though staff members are already calling dibs on it, too). And there will also be classroom space for smaller programs—imagine private music lessons, or lectures about music history, or maybe even a costume-making workshop. To make sure every part of the building is available for all our patrons, we’ll be building an elevator to ensure access to all floors.
The economic impact of all of this remains to be seen. Through the purchase of the building, Britt has invested a significant chunk of resources into downtown Jacksonville, and that investment will grow throughout the construction process. Once we’re up and running in our new home, we believe that our offerings will help amplify the rest of our business community by driving traffic downtown for programs that never compete with our business neighbors. Each year, Britt generates well over $10 million of economic impact for our region, and we anticipate that the Next Big Dream will grow that number significantly.
And we will need help. Britt will be investing its own cash into the project, of course, but we will be heavily relying upon grants and our fundraising to make this project happen. Capital projects like this one are successful when entire communities join forces to bring projects to life. We’re currently working with architects, general contractors, and consultants to understand the project budget, and then our fundraising efforts will begin. We’ve led successful capital campaigns for many years, investing money into the venue at the Britt hill, and many of you have been essential donors to those campaigns. I hope you’ll consider investing in this community by contributing toward the renovation and retrofitting of the US Hotel, when the time is right.
Like any big dream, this project will take a few years. We’ll make sure you’re updated as it unfolds, and of course there will be opportunities for community input. This is our shared community, and we can’t wait to come home. Britt and Jacksonville have come of age together. When Britt started in 1963, Jacksonville was beginning its campaign to become a National Historic Landmark community. Our stories are inextricably linked; we’re in this together, and Britt’s Next Big Dream is intended to make life in Jacksonville even more fantastic. Thank you for being a part of this journey. I can’t wait to see what we create together.
All best, Abby
Featured image: Britt Board Members on US Hotel Balcony – Photo: Matt Honnies