History
Michael Dunlap, director and local architect, embraced the opportunity to reunite artists from the former “Southlight” Exhibitions, which date back to the mid-1980s. Our mission is to provide a community-involved art space where local artists may show and sell their own works with limited gallery fees.
Our collaborative efforts have curated prominent annual exhibitions including: ArtWalk exhibitions, monthly member and guest exhibitions, juried summer guest exhibitions, that have hosted over 200 local guest artists.
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.