Awash in bold primary colors, the T-U Center was the scene for the Arts Awards program presented Tuesday by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.
“This event is a celebration of the strides we have made in arts,” said Marilyn Spiller, chair of the event and co-owner of spiller vincenty gallery.
Highlighting the ceremony was keynote speaker Eric Booth, an author, actor and educator, who discussed how the arts help build communities.
His ideas included how to get young people interested in the arts, persuading businesspeople to hire artists for their creativity and, most popular with the guests at the luncheon, paying local artists as well as artists from out-of-town are paid.
“We must break down the false impression that outside is better,” said Booth. “We lose a lot of our best young talent that way.”