by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
“Reincarnating cities takes people working together to make great places. Artistic thinking may be the biggest contribution.”
Those were some of the comments made by Charles Landry, author of “The Creative City: A Toolkit for Urban Innovators,” and the keynote speaker at Tuesday’s 31st Annual Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville Arts Awards luncheon. The event, sponsored by AmSouth Bank, was held on Moran Theatre’s stage at the T-U Center.
Landry’s mission is to help communities understand the importance of utilizing cultural resources as tools for economic development and as a way to revitalize downtowns, using examples he has collected from his travels to cities all over the world.
“Think of the city as a work of art. It’s more of a jazz jam than a symphony. Making a city is not an accident, it’s about choices and art generates a sense of civic pride,” he added.
Mayor John Peyton spoke of the role the arts play in economic progress and said, “The number one economic driver is the way we live in Duval County. A strong and vibrant arts community drives the types of businesses we want to attract and is a very important tactical weapon. We must never underestimate the impact of the arts community.”
The primary purpose of the luncheon was for the Cultural Council to honor three local arts leaders for their contributions in supporting the arts in Jacksonville.
John Bunker received this year’s Individual Arts Award in recognition of his three decades of leadership. Bunker is a well-known visual artist whose works have been exhibited nationally and are held in private and corporate collections.
Bunker has also been a leader on many community boards including the Jacksonville International Airport Art Commission, the City’s Art in Public Places Committee and the Riverside Fine Arts Series.
He served as the interim director of the Cummer Museum and as the Education Director of the Jacksonville Art Museum where he helped secure exhibits including those of Andrew Wyeth and Ramses II. He was also recognized for his generosity in supporting nonprofit causes with gifts of original art.
The 2007 Arts Educator is Dana Johnson, who has creating a program allowing special education students to participate in her art class at Landmark Middle School. She leads an after-school arts club that has carried out several community projects including a holiday craft and art party for families at the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless and creation of scarves for chemotherapy patients at Shands Jacksonville.
The Corporate Award was presented to Brumos Motor cars & Lexus of Jacksonville. The company sponsored the recent gift of public art at the T-U Center titled, “Lyrical Light,” which was created by students and faculty in the Jacksonville University Glass Program. It is more than 100 feet long and hangs in the riverfront lobby at the center.
Brumos also supports numerous cultural events and organizations including the Florida Forum, the FCCJ Artist Series, the Alhambra Dinner Theatre, the Jacksonville Symphony’s BRASS program and North Florida’s Fashion Group International.
This year’s honorees received an original piece of glass art created by Brian Frus, adjunct professor at Jacksonville University.