The crowd erupted for AquaJax. It roared for Theatre On A Mission. It was quite loud for Project Atrium.
After almost five days of celebrating, there was little quit in the crowd Sunday afternoon in Hemming Plaza as the final curtain fell on One Spark 2014.
There was too much dancing and music. Too much talk over who might win. Above all, there was there was a heightened sense of enthusiasm — like that of the AquaJax advocates sprinting toward the stage, high-fives and fist pumps along the way — to claim their $10,000 bonus for garnering the most votes in the science category. With it, the hope of a Downtown aquarium might be closer.
Enthusiasm like the smiles and cheers for the students from Theatre On A Mission, which took home the most votes in the art category and earned $10,000. That money will go a long way toward the group returning to Kenya to teach children about performing arts.
“We are so thankful,” said Chelsey Cain, the group’s founder. “It means so much.”
And like a victorious prize fighter, Shaun Thurston hoisted a $10,000 check for the cheering crowd to see, moments after #ProjectAtrium was announced as the juried award for the art category. The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville and future emerging artists stand to benefit, as Thurston plans to donate half the funds. Maybe more art supplies are in the works, too.
The five days of creativity, ingenuity and dreams of 600-plus creators attracted more than 250,000 people Downtown.
Those creators took home close to $360,000 — not counting to potential
millions in private investment — that was given to the champions of art, innovation, music, science and technology. In all, 11 groups took home five-figure checks.
City Council President Bill Gulliford told the crowd the only word to describe the events was “wow.”
After the curtain closed on the 2014 edition, Executive Director Joe Sampson said it was more historic.
“I think One Spark just became one of the most significant events in Jacksonville history,” Sampson said. “I think we can only go up from here. Momentum is growing, the buzz is growing.”
As for an encore next year?
“Bigger and better,” Sampson said.
One Spark’s encore won’t be in Jacksonville, though. It heads to Berlin Sept. 12-14, festival co-founder Elton Rivas announced.
As for making Jacksonville’s next festival “bigger and better” as Sampson seeks, Rivas said the focus will remain on allowing creators to have the resources they need. Everything else — the size, the scope, the scale of the event — will fall in line.
“More people will come to see great creators,” Rivas said.
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