by Amy Limbert
Staff Writer
We all know the usual suspects when it comes to groups that often lobby politicians — businesses, educators and environmentalists, to name a few.
Now the cultural community is gathering to make its voice heard, too. Artist Jim Draper has spearheaded an event to draw the greater Jacksonville creative community and those who support the arts to discuss issues including arts funding, PBS and arts education. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and his wife Grace will attend the event.
Draper said the idea for the event came about during a conversation with Grace Nelson when he was in Washington, D.C., hanging some of his work in Sen. Nelson’s office in the Hart Building.
The event will be Friday at Draper Studios, 1821 N. Pearl St. in Springfield, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Draper said the goal is to draw attention to the arts and the potential the cultural community has as a political contingent.
“The arts are more than enhancement,” he said. “We’re also a viable economic force, and there are lots of us who make a living in the arts.”
Draper added that the cultural community — which includes all forms of art from architecture and photography to music and writing to paint and sculpture — must make the effort to band together.
“There is no awareness as a political group,” Draper said. “There is no lobbying effort for the cultural community. We’re important, but we don’t have much money.”
Considering that, this will not be a traditional political fundraiser — attendees are only asked to bring canned goods to be donated to the Lutheran Social Services Food Bank of Northeast Florida.
Draper announced the event via e-mail Aug. 17, and said the response from the community has been overwhelming. He said the event might draw 300-500 people based on the responses.
Draper said this won’t be the last time Jacksonville hears from the cultural community. Artists and art supporters in Springfield will host cultural events “with a little political flavoring” on the last Friday of each month for the next six months.
“We want city, state and federal people to have the sense that they should stop by,” Draper said.
This event with the Nelsons, as well as the upcoming monthly gatherings, are aimed at creating “a more cohesive arts community and establishing a social outlet for the community with slight political overtones,” he said.