photo credit paperbits

Exciting news to announce! I am now the Website Editor for One Spark, an organization focused on innovation in Jacksonville.

A Nutshell Explanation of What We’re Up To

One Spark is a group of influencers who want to develop a community, focused on encouraging idea generation and disruptive thinking in Jacksonville. We will reinforce the belief that “good” failure is okay, risk is a natural part of new ideas, and that keeping an idea quiet only increases the likelihood it will never launch.

Ultimately we will support the creation, relation, and execution of ideas.

I’ve developed a content strategy that we will execute in the next few months, beginning today. Our first post is called 5 Ways to Help Spark Innovation in Jacksonville. In this post we define our vision of what the One Spark website will be. We also issue a call for connectors, video directors, content producers, designers and event producers who want to join our team:

We’re creating something that not only inspires, but informs. Call it what you want: an online tv station, a magazine, a innovation portal, whatever. It’s all those things and we want to shine a spotlight on smart people and inspire others to do what they’re passionate about.

What Does This Mean for Urban Jacksonville

I am currently working on a website redesign and I will be relaunching with a focus on features and less daily posting. I anticipate more in-depth posts, videos galleries and podcasts coming your way soon.

What Is One Spark?

Today we announced I’m leaving Wingard Creative (wing-ard) to take a job with Beeline. It’s a happy-sad day for me. Sad I’m leaving a creative agency I love and believe in. Happy I’ll be able provide my family with more opportunities.

It’s All Good

Many times when a high-profile member of a company leaves, everyone’s first inclination is to think “there must be something wrong”, but I can assure you, Wingard Creative is stronger and better than ever. In fact, I don’t want to leave. It’s such a fun place to work and the people are amazing.

In the past two years at Wingard, we’ve accomplished a lot. We built an interactive department from the ground up and in the process won quite a few awards including the Cultural Council’s Small Business of the Year in 2011.

We organized Creative Company to help small businesses learn to market their services online and work with creative agencies, it was a blast. We launched a beer brand and helped protect the St. John’s River in more ways than one.

We made friends on Facebook and Twitter and then we showed our clients how to do it. All along we developed a high level of customer service, which we promote as a feature of working with us.

Then End …?

One end is a new beginning and I don’t see us stopping here. I have a feeling Wingard and I will be involved for a long while after I leave. If we’re not already connected on Linked In or Facebook, lets do that now. Onward!

Left to right: Christopher Ball (business), David Wingard (principle), Caitlin Robinson (design), Katie Riffle (design), Crystal Jones (interactive/design).

Black Kids will appear on Yo Gabba Gabba this Monday, at 10:30 a.m. on Nickelodeon. It’s the season premiere, with Weird Al Yankovic, Sarah Silverman and us doing bits about The Circus.

You may have noticed my lack of posts last week and that’s partly due to a new role I’m assuming in the community. If you’ve followed Urban Jacksonville for any significant amount of time this announcement won’t surprise you.

Beginning in March I’ll start serving as a communications co-chair for the Jacksonville chapter of the AIGA. This is my official disclosure of my relationship with the AIGA. It’s not a paying position so anything I mention in regards to the AIGA is based strictly on my perception of value to you the reader.

Recent event The Morning Leak

How I Fit In

My views on graphic design in the city are well documented. My 3 years in the Minneapolis design community and 3 years at nGen Works further solidified my views on how design can advance our community and add value to our businesses.

In my 20 predictions for 2010 I said “graphic design in the city will continue marching forward, elevate the city visually in ways we haven’t experienced.” When asked to explain this I happily obliged:

By having a strong visual community we present a visually unified face to people who may only experience Jacksonville through the media, billboards or logos we create. More…

I have about 15 different responsibilities and they circle back to getting the word out about AIGA’s events, philosophy and good deeds. I relish this position and it figures nicely into my personal and professional goals.

Me and current AIGA president and my homey Varick Rosete. Photo by Daniel Goncalves

AIGA Jacksonville

AIGA Jacksonville was founded in January 1989. At the time, twenty people signed a petition to form a local AIGA chapter called “The North Florida Chapter of AIGA.” Twenty-one years later, AIGA Jacksonville boasts over 200 members – graphics designers, interactive designers, illustrators, copywriters, educators and design students, as well as professionals in related fields such as printing, prepress and photography – with goals of doubling membership within a few years as well as increasing activity and awareness.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Flickr

AIGA Jacksonville hosts a variety of programs throughout the year which emphasize both professional and educational development. Some events promote excellence in design, but all AIGA events offer both students and professionals a prime opportunity to network. Ultimately, AIGA Jacksonville strives to position Jacksonville as a leader in the field of design.

Upcoming event: I Love Design » House Industries Loves Letters

To find out more about the AIGA attend the upcoming I Love Design: House Industries Loves Letters. Rich Roat, co-founder of House Industries will be speaking.

Get in on the $1 raffle ticket action where you could win House’s Girard Blocks, PLINC Blocks or Neutraface Slab Blocks (pictured below) in our $1 Raffle. Posters and additional merchandise will also be on sale at the event.

2.18.10 @ 6:00pm at Modis Building
Tickets: $20/member, $30/non-member, $5/registered volunteers

More Events
» AIGA Jacksonville Gives Back: Salvation Army Soup Kitchen
» Pecha Kucha 8

The amazing Art Behind the Fridge boys contributed cover art to this Urban Jacksonville Mixtape. You won’t meet a nicer pair of dudes in the city. They’re always involved in the art community and we’re lucky to have them. Thanks to you Nick and Jim!

Download Urban Jacksonville Mixtape #13

If you like what you hear, you can get more tonight at First Friday’s in 5 Points. I’ll be DJing at Underbelly from 9 till close. Treehouse Yall! Nick Fresh will be there from 6-9 and there will be a show featuring art from the famous Jacksonvillian Jim Draper.

On To The News

Credit: I’m Board IV from Tara Kane

Credit: I’m Board IV from Kicksluvme904

It was an epic FAIL to miss last night’s I’m Board IV. I heard it was awesome. Until next year! Here’s some footage from my friend Dennis, now let the rest of the photos and videos roll in!

I’m Board Art Show from Thought & Theory on Vimeo.

Re-imagining JTA

The Concept Design students at the Art Institute have been working on a JTA re-design project. The studente have re-envisioned the logo, the bus stop sign, bus wrap and bus stops.

You can see all of their work on the class blog.

Springfield Car Wash Heading for Appeal

The Springfield car was hype machine is revving back up
Silas Jones is probablly silently singing that O Jay’s song to him self: they smile up in your face, backstabbers. Last month Silas’ carwash was approved by the SPAR and now there are behind-the-scenes efforts to get the approval reversed by some on the SPAR board.

Many supporters of the carwash say this negatively impacts the development of the neighborhood by devoting energy to sqaushing a project instead of working with the business owner to help him push his project forward. At this point Silas Jones has spent about $400,000, according to some.

Quick Hits

Abel Harding says Jaguars should market to women
Fogle Art Gallery to close
Lomax Lodge (aka Shantytown 2) to open on 2/15
Why Jacksonville Should Immediately Invest In Rail
Late Night Cookery with Bert Noshirt

First some news to get out of the way. Monday February 1st on Urban Jacksonville Weekly we’ll have Kyle Lemstrom talk about his new San Marco gallery space SUPER WONDERFUL. The line-up for the first gallery show on Friday, February 12th is Tonya Lee, Jen Morgan, Dustin Harewood, Matt Allison, Clay Doran and Kyle Lemstrom.

Urban Core Vision Plan Steering Committee Meeting

Rendering: Springfield & Hogan’s Creek District. Compliments of Metro Jacksonville.

Urban Core Vision Plan to be Unveiled
Seeing these renderings makes me want to cry. It’s what Jacksonville can be if it realizes its potential. (via Metro Jacksonville)

Ed Ball Building – 1st Floor Training Room
214 N. Hogan St.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
5:30 – 7:30p.m.

VIDEO: Live Urban Jacksonville Weekly Parts 1 and 2

LIVE Urban Jacksonville Weekly Part 1 from Joey Marchy
on Vimeo.

LIVE Urban Jacksonville Weekly Part 2 from Joey Marchy on Vimeo.

Events from Facebook

WAREHOUSE SHOW – Of Legend, Chicken & Whiskey, Bermuda (flyer)
Art Walk at the ZINE Library
Home Team Happy Hour – Young Professionals Supporting Sulzbacher
WINTER LIGHTS: 2010 on Friday, Jan.29th @ Endo Exo
HIP HOP HELL presents…A TRIBUTE TO DJ PREMIER
Undraped – Underbelly Grand Opening with Art by Jim Draper (Interview)

The Gallery Group at The Art Institute of Jacksonville Presents Dustin Harewood’s Recent Portraits Exhibition

Thursday, February 11, 2010 from 5 PM to 7 PM

“For the past six months I have worked on a show of portraits. All information that I have deemed unnecessary has been removed. The result is an isolation and examination of the most important and expressive part of the human body: the head,” said Harewood. “The people I have chosen to draw have all fascinated me at one time or another. Some are well known celebrities while others are local artists, who in my opinion should be considered just as important,” added Harewood.

In a post early Tuesday morning, Tom P announced he will no longer be posting at JaxScene:

REAX made a decision to take everything online, and to move in a more national direction while still possibly publishing paper twice a year. I have always wanted to take advantage of their desire to grow so I can push the things I post about (bands, friends, clubs, artists, and culture) and expose them to a broader audience. This Friday the site REAX has been working on for the past three months is coming online. Once it launches I will be blogging over there instead of on JaxScene.

Good for you Tom! I’m glad to see you move on to bigger and better things. Your presence at JaxScene will be surely be missed, but now you have a louder megaphone to tell everyone about Jacksonville. Good luck and I’ll see you soon.

As a side note, JaxScene will continue to exist, just without Tom.

Quite a few of my 2009 predictions never panned out. I was way out in front on quite a few like:

The trolley will begin making daily runs into San Marco Square, with Hendricks Avenue being the preferred route over San Marco Blvd

I was much closer to home on items like:

There will be a resurgence in new local bands

I thought 2009 blew with city budget issues, national economy collapses and a downtown revitalization that appears to still be quite a few years off. Urban Jacksonville Weekly producer Jack Diablo had the opposite view in his look back at 2009 while Wacksonville says there will be no mercy in 2010.

On Monday’s Urban Jacksonville Weekly, we’ll debate whether 2009 was shit or awesome, talk about my 2009 predictions and look at some predictions for 2010. Join us at 9:30am.

20 Predictions and Trends for 2010

1. We will see a resurgence in investigative reporting from the Florida Times-Union and it will be led by Jacksonville.com, the online wing of the paper.
2. The year leading up to the 2011 Mayoral race will engage this city in local politics like we haven’t seen in a decade.
3. Hyperlocal media players like this blog and others will play a major role in shaping and guiding the political conversation in the 2011 Mayoral elections.
4. I will endorse and campaign for the Mayoral candidate who I think can help Jacksonville reach the next level.
5. Social media, specifically Twitter and Facebook, will continue to connect our geographically dispersed city.
6. Urban Jacksonville will be redesigned to better integrate the Urban Jacksonville Weekly live show and podcast.
7. If 2009 was the year of relationship building via social media, 2010 will be the year of putting those relationships to work and getting shit done.
8. There will be an explosion of event programming from MOCA as a result of the new UNF partnership.
9. Graphic design in the city will continue marching forward, elevate the city visually in ways we haven’t experienced.
10. 2010 will be our last year of lingering in the past. It will begin to usher in a new era of change, vision and leadership for the city. 2010 is the year we tie up the loose ends and prepare to clean house for 2011, the year of change.
11. 2010 will be the year of the Courthouse. Hopefully notable for good things like an on time completion with little to no cost overruns. I’m not hanging my hat on this one.
12. JaxScene will get a redesign.
13. Jacksonville.com will get a(nother) redesign.
14. The Sinclair gets new neighbors. West Forsyth rises again.
15. 2010 will be the year of respect. Respect for this city and respect for ourselves. I said something in a Whacksonville interview that struck me and I want to repeat it here: I want to have a awesome city everyone loves and fiercely defends to anyone who says otherwise. It’s time for that.
16. Whacksonville will finally get it’s wish and dominate all other blogs in 2010. It will then immediately begin beefing with itself, effectively ending any and all blogging in the city.
17. East Bay Street or “E-Town” (I just have to say worst district name ever) will flourish thanks to continued strength of nightlife scene.
18. 2010 will be the year of independently produced audio podcasts and video content. People will grow tired of laborious time behind a keyboard and will start spending laborious time behind a microphone and video camera LCD.
19. The Jaguars will have another tumultuous year. It will be better than 2009, but the drum in LA will still be beating. The Jaguars will go 10-6, make it to the playoffs as a Wild Card team and will not draft Tim Tebow. They will also have two home blackouts.
20. Fill in the blank. What’s your trend or prediction for 2010?

The Winners

To the winners and runner up, call me at 294-4800 or email me at joeymarchy@gmail.com by 2:00pm so we can work out the details!

First Prize Best Overall Holly Goleski’s Kindergarten class » Watch
Tickets presented by Custom Signs and Holmes Stamp » Section 233 Row Q Seats 25 and 26

Second Prize Eric Peck’s I’m on Fiyaaaaa » Watch
Tickets presented by Gil Samson and Urban Jacksonville » Section 229 Row Z Seats 18 and 19

Third Prize Young No’s Go Hard (Jaguars Anthem) » Listen
Tickets presented by Wingard Creative » Section 414 Row BB

Runner Up Prize Patrick Donnell’s Football Shotgun » Watch
Prize presented by NUFSED Clothing » Duval Jaguars Shirt (Purple/Large). Note: The runner up is also the first alternate if someone does not pick up their tickets.

Honorable Mentions
Stompin’ Time by James Terrence Brown (listen)

Everyone Can Be A Winner with Generation J

Show your Jaguars spirit at the Colts game or the stadium party with your own Generation J t-shirt. How to win your free shirt: Text the word Jaguars to 724665. Keep our return text message and show it to us on your phone. Get more details here: Young Generation J loyal to the Jaguars

REMEMBER! Teal out on Thursday

This is one of the most important things I can emphasis going into this game. EVERYONE WEAR TEAL ON THURSDAY. Work. School. Church. Home. Whatever. Let’s show some city spirit on Thursday with everyone wearing teal. DO IT!

Once Again, Thanks To:

Halftone Def Studios for the awesome jagsonville.com domain.
Varick Rosete for the awesome jagsonville.com web design.

The Jagsonville promotion has far exceeded my expectations, and turned out to be exactly what I hoped it would be. Thanks to everyone who participated and will participate in the coming day. Here is some important information for the promotion along with some of the best entries from the past week.

Winners Announced Wednesday at Midnight

Winners will be announced Wednesday night at Midnight on the Jagsonville.com site, the Urban Jacksonville Facebook page, Twitter and the Urban Jacksonville blog. Winners must contact me by 2:00pm Thursday to coordinate ticket pickup. If I have not talked to you by 2:00pm your tickets will be given to the runner up.

Teal out on Thursday

This is one of the most important things I can emphasis going into this game. EVERYONE WEAR TEAL ON THURSDAY. Work. School. Church. Home. Whatever. Let’s show some city spirit on Thursday with everyone wearing teal. DO IT!

The Prizes

I’ve neglected announcing the locations of the tickets:

• First Prize Best Overall Presented by Custom Signs and Holmes Stamp » Section 233 Row Q Seats 25 and 26
• Second Prize Presented by Gil Samson and Urban Jacksonville » Section 229 Row Z Seats 18 and 19
• Third Prize Presented by Wingard Creative » Section 414 Row BB
• Runner Up Prize Presented by NUFSED Clothing » Duval Jaguars Shirt (Purple/Large). Note: The runner up is also the first alternate if someone does not pick up their tickets.

Credits

Halftone Def Studios for the awesome jagsonville.com domain.
Varick Rosete for the awesome jagsonville.com web design.

A Final Word

Please read Gil’s latest article on the Jaguars David and Goliath. Not only is it a triumph in headline writing, he drops a crafty double entendre at the end of the post. Here’s a paraphrased excerpt:

Win out, and you’re in.

This has caused many people to say that the Jaguars “control their own destiny.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve always disliked that phrase. Suggesting the future is predetermined, and at the same time you are somehow able to change it seems contradictory. It’s either one or the other, isn’t it? I’d much rather leave destiny out of it and say that the Jaguars control themselves. Or at least, they will need to.