Reflecting on a decade of the JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival, we examined its significant effect on the Jacksonville community and the evolving landscape of storytelling. From its inception to the present, the festival has acted as a catalyst, nurturing literary appreciation, forging connections between local writers and audiences, and shaping the narrative landscape of Jacksonville.
If you are interested in attending the event, you can find more information here.
Guests:
Tim Gilmore, author, historian, blogger and founder of the JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival.
Darlyn Kuhn, author and poet, former director of JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival.
Erica Saffer, writer, educator, storyteller and new director of JaxbyJax.
Do you love to tell stories? Do you love to hear them? Storytelling is one of the most ancient arts, and the subject of a JaxbyJax workshop at 3 PM on Sunday, December 3rd , given by Anna Jacobson in Bldg. B, room 203.
Jacobson teaches English, writes poetry and essays, and participates in Jacksonville’s growing storytelling community. As a curriculum creator, Anna has worked with the Smithsonian Museum, the Reynolds Journalism Institute, the New York Times, and the National Scholastic Press Association. Her work has appeared in Moss Gossamer, Boned: a Skeletal Anthology, Roots and Branches, Word Revolt, and Brain Child. She currently sits on the board of the local chapter of Women Writing for (a) Change.
JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival X, a celebration of Jacksonville Writers Writing Jacksonville, will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, December 1, 2, and 3, 2023 at FSCJ’s Kent Campus, 3939 Roosevelt Blvd, Jacksonville, FL, 32205.
JaxbyJax is grateful to our generous sponsors: FSCJ, Alternate Roots, Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, 904WARD, Chamblin’s Bookmine and Uptown Café, Delegal & Poindexter, Andres Rojas, Jacksonville Literary Arts Alliance, Babs’ Lab, JaxPsychoGeo, San Marco Books and More, Scribbles, and Brad Kuhn & Associates, LLC.
Tim Gilmore, Ph.D, writes about the haunted South as center of America’s cultural rifts. He’s the author of 22 books, most recently The Culture Wars of Warren Folks. He and his wife Jo Carlisle founded JaxbyJax in 2014. His website is a collection of more than 650 narratives through which he seeks to map Jacksonville, one story of one location at a time. Tim has written four works for the stage, each produced at FSCJ, where he teaches Writing.
Gilmore will read from his work at 5:45 PM on Saturday, December 2nd in the Main Auditorium F-128.
JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival X, a celebration of Jacksonville Writers Writing Jacksonville, will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, December 1, 2, and 3, 2023 at FSCJ’s Kent Campus, 3939 Roosevelt Blvd, Jacksonville, FL, 32205.
JaxbyJax is honored to host lyricist, producer, audio visual artist, storyteller, musician, and recipient of the Community Foundation Individual Artist Grant, Willie Evans, Jr. for a presentation of “The Brown Wonder,” an interactive cultural installation that draws from influences including James Brown and Stevie Wonder, which provides rich commentary on the Black experience.
The Brown Wonder will show at 7:30 PM on Friday, December 1st in the Main Auditorium of FSCJ Kent Campus.
Evans is a multi-talented international artist, whose 25+ year long career has included touring the world with his hip-hop group, Asamov. His independent records include “Introducin”, “Underground Utilities”, “Communication”, and “And Now”. Willie Evans, Jr. has produced albums such as “Black Dialogue” for The Perceptionists, which was a Rolling Stone top 50 album. He also contributed to the production on platinum selling artist Pharoahe Monch’s “Th1rt3en: A Magnificent Day for an Exorcism”. As a creative force, Willie’s recent focuses channel his talents to progress societal conversations, with hopes of broadening his projects to impact larger audiences.
A Q&A Session moderated by Arsun F!st and Still Water will follow the presentation.
Though he was born in Panama City, Panama, Arsun F!st spent his formative years (from age eight on) in various places around the U.S., where he developed a love for hip-hop. After receiving degrees in both psychology and recording engineering, the emcee set out to pursue his musical career, becoming a member of the group Steam Mechanics along with Stillwater and Paten Locke (R.I.P.)
Still Water is a recording artist, performer and writer originally from Philadelphia who has been involved with the elements of hip hop for more than 20 years. He creates from a space of documenting the culture with thought provoking content. As 1/3 of the group Steam Mechanics out of Jacksonville FL that also includes Arsun Fist and Paten Locke (RIP) he continues to represent the foundation of hip hop, pushing creative boundaries and collaborating with other artists locally and abroad.
JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival X, a celebration of Jacksonville Writers Writing Jacksonville, will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, December 1, 2, and 3, 2023 at FSCJ’s Kent Campus, 3939 Roosevelt Blvd, Jacksonville, FL, 32205.
