About Us
What We Do
The mission of Arts and Culture Nassau is to support, promote and enhance the Arts in Nassau County, and to provide a framework to network and address common concerns among art and cultural organizations throughout Nassau County, FL.
We support and facilitate cooperation and communication among those organizations, as well as offering grants to those 501 (c) 3 organizations that serve senior citizens program and programs for youths. I addition, we recommend and facilitate Public Art installations throughout the County.
To visit the State of Florida Arts and Culture site CLICK HERE
2023 Board Members:
- Chair: Richard Restiano- County at Large Rep
- Vice-Chair: Penny Reid - City at Large Rep
- Carol Kish- Island Arts Association
- Lauren Templeton-AI Chamber Music Festival
- Summer Bias- AI Museum of History
- Ann Freeman- Friends of the Library
- Fran Shea- AI Book Festival
- Kim Wild- Amelia Community Theatre
- Alexia Bean- City at Large Rep
- Johnnie Robinson- Amelia Island Jazz Festival
- Brad Wells- County at Large Rep
By Supporting Us, you support the arts organizations that you love.
For us to support the grant programs and to help local Nassau County 501 (c) (3) art and culture organizations, we rely on the proceeds generated by residents purchasing and displaying the Florida "State of the Arts" license plate on their vehicles. (Pictured at right). These plates are available at the local county vehicle registration offices. The County then funds our organization from the sale and renewal of these license plates. You can get your own plate at the vehicle registration office near you.
Thank you!
Nassau County vehicle registration locations: Information- 904-491-7400
- Historic Courthouse, 416 Centre St., Fernandina Beach, 32034
- 86130 License Road, Fernandina Beach, 32034
- 450077 State Road 200, Suite #13, Callahan, FL, 32011
- 15885 County Road 108, Hilliard, FL 32046
Public Art Policy
Click to read policy in Downloads section below.
Click to get Application in downloads section below
Click to get application in downloads section below
Grants Programs
There are 2 Grant programs, one for seniors and one for youth programs.
SENIOR PROGRAMS: Arts & Culture Nassau (ACN) grant program is intended to foster appreciation of and participation in arts and culture for the senior citizens of Nassau County. It is our belief that fostering arts and culture appreciation among Nassau County citizens will benefit the quality of life for all Nassau County residents. Grants are designed to encourage new projects that serve the senior citizen population of Nassau County or to expand an existing program.
Click here to get the Senior Application in Downloads section below
YOUTH PROGRAMS-The Youth grant program is intended to encourage participation and appreciation in arts and culture for the youth of Nassau County creating a lifelong enjoyment of the arts and the culture they grew up in.
In both cases these grants are designed for Nassau County residents and for projects and programs within Nassau County.
Click here to get the youth program application below in Downloads section below.
PREVIOUS GRANT RECIPIENTS
Blue Fire Theatre; Arts Alive; AI Jazz Festival; AI Book Festival; AI Chamber Music Festival; AI Dance Festival; West Nassau Historical Society; Island Art Association
OUR CULTURE
A brief History and list of Historical Markers
There's much to see here in Nassau County. So, take your time, look around, and learn all there is to know about our culture.
To read a brief history of Nassau County-
To see a list and learn the locations of historical markers click below-
Our Organizations
Arts and Culture Organizations
These are the organizations that we support. Click on each site to see their current events.
Amelia Community Theatre- ameliacommunitytheatre.org
Amelia Island Book Festival-
Literacy | Amelia Island Book Festival | Florida
Amelia Island Jazz Festival-ameliaislandjazzfestival.com
Amelia Island Museum of History-ameliamuseum.org
Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival-ameliachambermusic.org
Friends of the Nassau County Library-fernandinafol.org
Island Art Association-islandart.org
West Nassau Historical Society-wnhsfl.org
Amelia Island Singers- ameliaislandsingers.com
Amelia Island Quilt Guild-ameliaquilters.org
Amelia Island Writers Assoc.-ameliaislandwriters.org
Amelia Island Dance Festival-ameliaislanddancefestival.org
Arts Alive Nassau-artsalivenassau.org
Amelia Island Opera-ameliaislandopera.org
Blue Fire Theatre-bluefiretheatre.org
Country Star Quilters-countrystarquilters.org
Story and Song Center for Arts and Culture- StoryandSongArts.org
Friends of Fort Clinch- fortclinch.org
Friends of American Beach- friendsofamericanbeach.org
Yulee Historic Council- https://www.facebook.com/groups
* To be supported by Arts and Culture Nassau the organization must be in Nassau County and offer services open to the public. They must also be a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization
City and County present proclamations to Arts & Culture Board
NOVEMBER 2022
Arts and Culture Nassau located in Fernandina Beach, FL. along with the Arts and Culture Board, the City Mayor, and County Commissioner, is pleased to announce the unveiling of three public art exhibits in conjunction with the celebration of its 15th year anniversary. The event was held on Thursday November 17 at 10am in front of the Fernandina Beach Court House on Center Street. The Mayor, Michael Lednovich and Fernandina County Commissioner, John Martin presented proclamations to the Arts and Culture Board to commemorate the 15 years of service to the County and City in supporting and fostering the Arts and Culture of Nassau County FL. The event also presents a new Public Art display established through the authority granted by the City to Arts and Culture Nassau- "Arts in Public Places Program" established by the City in 2012. There are two other public art installations placed as part of the Court House installation. One at the Public Library and another at the Marina parking area D along with the Court House installation.
"In joining in with local artist Jarred Bishop, the Arts and Culture Nassau commission is pleased to assist in bringing these 3 art installations to the city and available for residents and visitors alike to enjoy." Arts and Culture Nassau Commission Chair Richard Restiano
The County established Arts and Culture Nassau in 2007 to “support, promote and enhance the Arts in Nassau County and to provide a framework to network and address common concerns”, - its mission statement.
" Arts and Culture Nassau proudly celebrates its 15th Anniversary supporting area arts organizations by facilitating grant assistance programs, fostering cooperation and communication, and making facility and infrastructure recommendations to improve and enhance the use and enjoyment of the arts" Michael Lednovich, Mayor, Fernandina Beach.
Why Art Matters
WHY ART MATTERS- FOLLOW THIS LINK- https://www.arts.gov/stories/blog/2015/why-arts-matter
"The life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of a nation, is very close to the center of a nation's purpose...and is a test of the quality of a nation's civilization." --"LOOK magazine, 'The Arts in America' (552)," December 18, 1962, Public Papers of the Presidents: John F. Kennedy, 1962. (Inscribed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.)
Art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye and the eye through the mind. As the sun colors flowers, so does art color life.” – John Lubbock 1913
Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.” – Stella Adler
“Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it.” – Ai Weiwei
Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo Picasso
About the Artist
I have been deeply enamored with structural steel from a very young age. I am originally from a small town not worth mentioning, which had no art and very little deviation from a crippling lackluster culture. I took the first opportunity to escape by traveling for various blue-collar trades, where I was taught some skills as a welder, iron worker, and millwright. Eventually I was able to earn my pilot’s license, and I continued to travel as a skydiving instructor and pilot. I have taken every opportunity to create art for the past two decades. Although I have been represented by some galleries in South Florida, I haven’t made my art career my main priority- until now. I found Amelia Island in 2011, when I came to work as a pilot for a few weeks. I fell in love with this place while swimming out to the Amelia River after surviving a plane crash near the Shave Bridge. That experience was somewhat of a metaphysical cleansing for me, and, for reasons I am unable to fully understand, it seemed to further exacerbate my creative angst and obsession with steel manipulation.
I feel as though thought provocation, aesthetic magnetism, emotional invocation, contemporary uniqueness, and the absolute truth are the driving forces which comprise progressive works of art. My work is heavily influenced by aviation and the cataclysmic activity at the subatomic level. I use pieces of steel to satiate deeply seeded archaic desires which proliferate from raw human emotion, and many times I destroy my work in doing so.
JARRED BISHOP
LOCATIONS
The Library- "Waiting for the Sun"
Recycled stainless steel
The Court House- "Moonrocks"
Cold Forged recycled steel
Marina Parking Area D-
"Shelly Shrimpinowski"
Cold forged recycled steel
Volunteer
Arts & Culture Organizations Always Need Volunteers.
Have you always wanted to work backstage at a concert? Act in a play? Lead a history tour? Meet a Famous author? Teach children a musical instrument? Assist with a dance, choir, opera, or chamber music group? All of our listed organizations are run by community volunteers who use their acquired skills and talents to become leaders of organizations. You may have some of these skills and talents and they would love to have you join them.
All our supported organizations listed above need you! Volunteers help continue the work that makes Nassau County such a wonderful place to live and spend your time working in the arts or culture organizations that you have always appreciated. Volunteering is a wonderful way to meet interesting and like-minded people, try new things, and give back to the community. It can be hard work, but it is so rewarding and yes, fun!
Why not get started today? Just click on the link to anyone of our organizations listed above, covering all the arts, history, music, library, galleries and so much more. Once on their webpage sign up. You won't regret it.
