“Being an architect I’ve been involved with local arts and artists for 30 years. I’ve made some great friends,” said Michael Dunlap to explain part of the motivation behind the opening of Southlight Gallery. It’s on West Forsyth Street facing the Bank of America Tower on the first floor of the former Gold’s Gym.
The space opened as part of Downtown Vision, Inc.’s “Creative Community Initiative.” It’s a program that matches artists looking for a place to work or exhibit with property owners who have empty spaces. The idea is to enhance the vibrancy of Downtown by creating an urban community of artists and their work.
The gallery’s name may sound familiar if you were involved in the local art scene in the mid-1980s. Dunlap and his fellow artists used the name for what he described as “one- or two-day shows. Sometimes we were taking them down almost as soon as they went up.”
At about 4,000 square feet the new space is Downtown’s largest gallery of its type. In addition to Dunlap’s fine art photographs, other artists exhibiting at Southlight include Dominick Martorelli, Doug Eng, Paul Karabinis, Paul Ladnier, Jay W. Shoots, Jim Draper, Mark Howard, Bill McQuaid, Tom Hager and Bill Yates. Dunlap said there will be other guest artists from time to time.
Part of the arrangement is that Dunlap and his fellow artists don’t have to pay rent for the space, although they do contribute a fee for lights and air-conditioning. It’s also a month-to-month arrangement so Southlight Gallery will be there until the space is leased.
“We made a commitment to Downtown a long time ago,” said Jacksonville Bank Building Property Manager Maurice Nichols. ”We got on board as soon as Art Walk started and this initiative is an extension of that.”
He also said there’s an advantage to the program for the property as well as for the artists.
“Instead of having an empty storefront we have a very nice art gallery,” said Nichols.
For hours and other information visit www.southlightgallery.com.