Artist Members
The Southlight Collaborative was founded in 2009 by local Architect, Michael Dunlap, and Artists Jim Draper and Mark Howard, as a space where local and emerging artists may exhibit and sell their own work without incurring a gallery commission. The majority of our esteemed members are Jacksonville’s leading artists, each with more than 30 years of experience. Half of our members have been current or retired art professors from the University of North Florida, Florida State College of Jacksonville, and local art teachers from Bolles, Stanton and Douglas Anderson School for the Arts.
Acclaim
The Southlight Gallery is heralded as one of Jacksonville’s prominent fine art galleries. In fact, we are named Jacksonville’s “Best Gallery” 2015 – 2018 in Folio Weekly’s annual Best of Jax poll. Since 2014 we have enjoyed a resounding response to our juried Summer Guest Series, with over 200 local artists participating. Last May we joined FSCJ South to co-host the first “South by Southlight”, a juried exhibition that culled the largest response to a call to artists in the history of their Wilson Center for the Arts Gallery.
Accomplishment
For the past TWELVE years, Southlight Gallery, Northeast Florida’s premiere artists’ collaborative, has showcased the works of 52 select local art professionals. We have curated 117 fine art exhibitions, including 8 annual UNF student and faculty shows since UNF ArtSpace joined us. Our popular monthly ArtWalk openings that have featured over 100 local performing artists in the areas of music, theater and dance. We have also served as private event venue for organizations such as United Way, St. Johns Riverkeeper, Duval County Communities and Schools and a range of corporate sponsored events.
Advocacy
Southlight has occupied five key downtown locations during the past eight years, ranging from 3500 to 6000 square feet. We have helped to boost the revitalization of downtown Jacksonville by attracting full-time leases to all the spaces we have held. The vacancy sitting option has dwindled to run down spaces away from the Art Core. While our current space on the first floor of the Wells Fargo building is attractive, its minimal size does not adequately showcase all of our members and cannot offer the events and programs that Southlight excels in sponsoring. We have an ongoing partnership with King Maker Brewery in the historic King Street district, featuring our members’ artworks and juried selections from artists in the community.
Southlight Gallery
southlightgallery@gmail.com
http://www.southlightgallery.com
1 Independent Drive Suite #113
Jacksonville, FL 32202
CONTACT:
904.434.9864
MICHAEL DUNLAP ARCHITECT P.A. 