Director, Riverside Arts Market
Mission: Organized by Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP), a neighborhood nonprofit, the Riverside Arts Market offers a dependable and affordable weekend storefront for artists and artisans within a vibrant outdoor arts and entertainment venue.
Serving Jacksonville: Since 2009.
Those served: Though physically located in the Riverside neighborhood, RAM is not just a neighborhood market. Now in its fifth season, RAM has become known as Jacksonville's premiere outdoor arts and entertainment venue with upwards of 10,000 visitors each week. Easily accessible from the Interstate 95 and I-10 interchange, RAM welcomes Jacksonville residents and visitors to the city from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. every Saturday, March through December.
Biggest challenge: Like all nonprofits, limited resources provide a significant challenge. With more than 200 active vendors, hundreds of participating entertainers and our weekly provision of booth spaces for local nonprofit organizations, managing all of their activity while planning and marketing special events to draw in visitors with just one full-time and two part-time staff members is a true feat in multitasking. The pressure of making decisions for the good of the market as a whole as well as maintaining a positive visitor experience while knowing that your leadership impacts hundreds of participating small businesses who rely on the market's success is significant.
Biggest satisfaction: Being on site each Saturday, surrounded by visitors soaking in the market experience, is highly fulfilling. Being a part of a weekly event that truly reflects the essence of Jacksonville's creative community, and being able to partner with organizations such as Downtown Vision Inc., St. Johns Riverkeeper, The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and our parent organization, Riverside Avondale Preservation, means that I play some small part in the work of so many incredible organizations serving our community. It's an honor to come to work every day.
Hometown: Jacksonville, born and raised.
First experience with community service : I suppose my first experience with community service was as part of my church youth group, visiting senior centers and nursing homes, serving meals at homeless resource centers and the like. As a student at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, I developed a passion for the arts which led me to pursue a degree in arts administration. I began my career on the administrative staff at Atlanta Ballet and also have worked for Georgia Shakespeare Festival and the Jacksonville Children's Chorus. I currently sit on the boards of the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Alumni Association and The 5 & Dime Theater Company, and am a member of the TEDx Jacksonville Team.
Your job before joining Riverside Arts Market: My immediate previous position was as the director of the Women's Board of Wolfson Children's Hospital. Before that I served as senior public affairs consultant with Langton Associates, securing state and federal grants for local government projects throughout the state of Florida.
Upcoming events: RAM hosts theme days and special events on a regular basis.
June 8: The Jax4Kids.com Kids' Day.
June 29: Our first Local Authors Expo.
July 4: We'll be hosting a family-friendly Fireworks Viewing from Under the Bridge from 6-10 on the 4th of July, featuring our food vendors, beer trucks and rock bands on the River Stage.
July 6: We're most excited about our new signature event, River Ruckus, in partnership with St. Johns Riverkeeper. With extended market hours until 9 p.m., River Ruckus will celebrate all things St. Johns, highlighting the importance of healthy river ecology and the potential of the St. Johns as a recreational resource for our community. Highlights include a Celebrity River Jump, the arrival of Expedition Florida 500 and an accompanying flotilla, boating excursions by Freedom Boat Club, bluegrass music on the River Stage all day and much more. It's also a "Beer Day" featuring SweetWater Brewing Co., a strong river advocate throughout the Southeast.
Contact information: Riversideartsmarket.com
Facebook: riversideartsmarket
(904) 389-2449