City of Artists Closing Reception Tonight at the Main Library: 164 Artworks by 91 City Employees and Their Children, and a Best of Show Award

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The City of Jacksonville will hold the closing reception and awards ceremony for its "City of Artists" exhibition at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, during November Artwalk, according to a media advisory from Mayor Donna Deegan's office. The event takes place in the Main Library Gallery, on the main floor of the Jacksonville Public Library at 303 N. Laura St. in downtown Jacksonville.

The exhibition has been on display at the gallery since mid-October. It features 164 visual arts pieces created by 91 City of Jacksonville employees and their children, and it was created to celebrate their talent and creativity, according to the advisory.

Prizes, including Best of Show

Each piece was judged by three Jacksonville-based visual artists: Jenny Hager, Erin Kendrick and Tony Smailagic. Prizes will be awarded in several categories, including Best of Show, the advisory says. The City did not list the other categories.

Who is speaking

The advisory names three people for the ceremony:

• Darnell Smith, chief of staff, City of Jacksonville
• Kevin Carrico, Jacksonville City Council member
• Jackie Szafara, executive director, National Arts Program

Who put the exhibition together

The exhibition was curated by Jacksonville-based visual artist Cheryl McCain, with help from Cliff Buckley, Teresa Eichner and Heather Schatz, who work for the City. Kate Frey MacKinnon installed it, according to the advisory.

Funded by a National Arts Program grant

City of Artists was made possible through a grant from the National Arts Program, the City said. The National Arts Program Foundation describes itself as the only national nonprofit dedicated to workplace art exhibitions. It says it partners with more than 80 venues across more than 30 states to hold exhibitions celebrating the creativity of employees and their families, and that it provides funding, guidance, cash prizes and an online gallery.

If you go

For more City information, call 904-630-CITY (2489) or visit jacksonville.gov.