News & Blog

We at the St. Johns Cultural Council know that many individual artists and arts organizations are suffering greatly as a result of closures and cancellations related to COVID-19 — especially those hosting or performing for events or relying on ticket revenues.

We are working toward solutions to support our local arts community.

We need your help as we advocate for emergency funding, grant reimbursement for canceled events, and other sources of relief:

If events have been postponed or canceled, please update them on www.historiccoastculture.com. If you need help with this, please email Kathe O’Donnelly at sjcc@historiccoastculture.com. If you are a TDC grantee with a canceled event, please be sure to document your efforts to minimize expenses related to that event. This will be important information to share with the County when staff is making decisions about reimbursements for cancelled events. Complete the damage assessment survey at www.floridadisaster.biz. The results of this survey could make relief programs available to artists and arts organizations in St. Johns County.

Our staff is working remotely until at least April 1st, but you can reach us by telephone at 904-808-7330 or email to sjcc@historiccoastculture.com and christina@historiccoastculture.com. We are working regular business hours.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have or ideas for how we can better support you. Meanwhile, we are working to move scheduled workshops online and will be announcing an initiative to provide some support to individual artists before the end of this week.

Thank you all for making St. Johns County such a wonderful place to live and visit. These are difficult times, but I feel fortunate to be facing them in this culturally rich and beautiful part of the world.

Christina Parrish Stone

Executive Director

St. Johns Cultural Council in the News

February 22, 2021

St. Johns Cultural Council helps bring a new food and wine festival to town

Annual Stakeholders' Meeting

February 18, 2021

The St. Johns Cultural Council held their Annual Stakeholders' Meeting on Wednesday, February 17th via Zoom.

Executive Director Christina Parrish Stone discussed upcoming Arts, Culture and Heritage funding opportunities. Participants provided input for future programming and events.
The meeting included an introduction to Robin Malpass, principal of our new marketing agency.

Art in Public Spaces Exhibition

February 18, 2021

ArtBox Gallery and the St. Johns Cultural Council present “Outside the Box” a St. Johns County Art in Public Spaces Exhibition in the Rotunda of the County Administration Building located at 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine. Experience the work of more than twenty ArtBox members during the weekdays from 8 am until 5 pm beginning February 16 until April 29, 2021. Learn more about the exhibition here.

Experts and active community members create Visual and Performing Arts Advisory Board at Flagler College

January 7, 2021

This fall, the Office of Institutional Advancement at Flagler College hosted a hybrid model meeting to introduce Dean of the School of Creative Arts & Letters Andrea McCook, along with other faculty, to the new Visual and Performing Arts Advisory Board. Those in attendance included representatives from the St. Augustine Art Association, EMMA Concert Association, The Amp, St. Johns Cultural Council, A Classic Theatre, Inc. and Limelight Theatre among others including alumni, parents and community members.

Lightner Local: The Lightner Museum Artists Initiative

January 5, 2021

With support from the Benjamin and Jean Troemel Arts Foundation, the Lightner Museum announces Lightner Local. Created to showcase the extraordinary talents of artists who live in the Northeast Florida region, three artists will be awarded with solo exhibitions at the Lightner.

Cultural Council Procurement Committee Meeting Dec. 2, 2020

November 25, 2020

Cultural Council Procurement Committee Meeting: Wednesday, December 2, 2020: 9 am until 1 pm - Via Zoom

The St. Johns Cultural Council Procurement Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 from 9 am until 1 pm to receive presentations from selected marketing agencies in response to a Request for Qualifications: Marketing Support Services broadcast November 2, 2020 via DemandStar.

St. Johns County 200th Anniversary Celebration and Exhibition

November 20, 2020

The St. Johns Cultural Council is organizing an exhibition to be presented in the Rotunda of the County Administration Building during next year’s 200th Anniversary Celebration, from July 20th through September 30th, 2021. This exhibition will highlight significant people, places, and events during the period 1821 to 2021 and will showcase businesses and organizations operating in the County today.

Seven Local Artists and Arts Organizations Receive Grants from the St. Johns Cultural Council

October 21, 2020

The St. Johns Cultural Council is pleased to announce the recipients of the Fall 2020 State of the Arts (“SOTA”) Grants. These grants, presented annually, are available through funds raised by the sale of “State of the Arts” specialty license plates and have provided more than $120,000 of support to arts organizations and individual artists in St. Johns County.

The most recent grantees are:

Apex Theatre Studio – SOTA funds will support a production of the play “Our Town” by this St. Johns County theatre studio.

San Sebastian District

July 15, 2020

St. Augustine has an incredible art community and though you can find lots of galleries in Historic Downtown, the art doesn’t stop there! Head west of Flagler College to the San Sebastian District to discover St. Augustine’s great industrial history, public art, local restaurants, and a heaping handful of galleries run by recognized and reputable award-winning artists.

History

St. Augustine’s Bayfront – South of the Bridge of Lions

July 8, 2020

On a warm summer day, nothing beats a breeze coming in from beautiful Matanzas Bay during a walking along St. Augustine’s seawall! The Bayfront has long been a hot spot for visitors to St. Augustine with beautiful views and interesting attractions. This blog provides a glimpse into the history of this area along with suggestions for places to visit, eat, and stay.

Historic Site

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