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The SOFO Cinema program, presented by the Sowal Foundation and sponsored by the St. Joe Company Foundation, is making waves along the Emerald Coast. This innovative initiative is designed to spotlight local filmmakers and their short films on a monthly basis at a variety of rotating venues. With its commitment to enriching the cultural landscape and offering unique opportunities to local talent, SOFO Cinema is quickly becoming a cherished community event.

“SOFO Cinema offers filmmakers and film lovers an experience to view locally made short films,” says Jessica Plowden Anderson, Executive Director of the Sowal Foundation. “We also bring in four feature-length films from artists outside of our local community, some of those films are on Netflix, Amazon Prime & other streaming services as well as award-winning films from film festivals.”

The program’s dual focus on local and external films creates a rich viewing experience that highlights the creative talent residing along the Emerald Coast while also introducing audiences to acclaimed works from around the world. Each screening not only features local short films but also includes an opportunity for viewers to engage directly with the filmmakers through Q&A sessions. This dialogue provides a unique behind-the-scenes look at the filmmaking process and fosters a deeper appreciation for the art.

The program is also on the lookout for new and exciting venues to host its screenings. If you’re a business interested in participating, SOFO Cinema welcomes collaborations with local establishments to broaden the reach and impact of this vibrant cultural initiative.

SOFO Cinema is more than just a film screening series; it’s a celebration of local creativity and an invitation to engage with the broader film community. As it continues to grow, it promises to offer even more opportunities for filmmakers and film enthusiasts alike to connect and inspire.

SOWAL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES NEW GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR FILMMAKERS

The SOWAL Foundation is excited to announce a new grant opportunity for filmmakers along the panhandle of Florida. The Foundation is now accepting applications for its inaugural Short Film Grant, designed to support and elevate local filmmakers by providing crucial funding for their projects.

The SOWAL Foundation Grant will award $2,500 to one outstanding filmmaker to assist in the production of a short film. This grant aims to foster creativity and encourage the production of high-quality, impactful films that resonate with our community.

Applications are open until September 13, 2024. The winning project for September’s deadline will be selected by the SOWAL Foundation Board and announced at SOFO Cinema Night, our monthly event that showcases local short films and celebrates our vibrant arts community. The Foundation will be awarding a total of four grants annually, underscoring its commitment to supporting local artistic talent throughout the year.

For more information or to apply for the Grant please visit sowalfoundation.org

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by Kimberly Stanley, SEASIDE Institute™

SEASIDE Institute™ and Franklin Tomorrow will be hosting a Vision City Conference, October 15-17, in the heart of downtown Franklin, Tennessee. This marks the second collaboration between the two influential nonprofit organizations. In 2004, the Institute worked with Franklin Tomorrow and other local Tennessee organizations to conduct a multi-day workshop that analyzed traditional neighborhood developments, providing valuable insights into successful community design.

Franklin Tomorrow is dedicated to fostering a vibrant, collaborative, and forward-thinking community. They are renowned for their commitment to advocate for a shared vision that enhances Franklin’s character, economy, and quality of life for its residents. Their mission aligns with that of Seaside Institute as the Institute strives to inspire livable communities through design, education, and the arts.

The 2024 Vision City Conference, themed “How History Impacts the Future”, will bring together experts and thought leaders from around the globe to explore contemporary issues in urban planning and building a community. Attendees can look forward to a robust program featuring a diverse lineup of speakers, interactive sessions, town tours, and networking opportunities. There will be presentations on the founding principles of both Seaside and Franklin, land use economics, historic preservation, the role of tourism in community development, and critical development issues currently facing cities and neighborhoods. The speaker roster is currently in progress, with a variety of dynamic leaders already committed to the event. The conference will provide a comprehensive experience and will include most meals and additional activities. There will also be an opportunity to help celebrate Franklin’s 225th Anniversary.

Registration for the conference offers options for full event participation or single-day attendance. For those traveling to Franklin, hotel accommodations have been arranged at The Harpeth Hotel and Spring Hill Suites Franklin Cool Springs. Special group rates have been negotiated to provide convenient and comfortable lodging options for attendees.

Conference sponsors include Atmos Energy, Ragan Smith (a Pape-Dawson Company), and the City of Franklin. Additional support includes The TMA Group, The Factory at Franklin & Holladay Properties, Studio Tenn Theatre Company, Franklin Theatre, and Visit Franklin. Businesses, organizations, or individuals interested in sponsoring the conference can contact Christy Milliken at Seaside Institute or email admin@seasideinstitute.org. To register and secure your spot for the conference, visit seasideinstitute.org.

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Seven new sculptures were recently added to North America’s first permanent Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park in South Walton, Fla.

Named by TIME Magazine as one of 100 “World’s Greatest Places,” and a 2023 CODAworx Award winner for “Collaboration of the Year”,  the UMA is the first presentation of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA)’s Art In Public Spaces Program and is produced in collaboration with the South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA). The purpose of the UMA is to create art that becomes marine habitat, expanding fishery populations and providing enhanced creative, cultural, economic and educational opportunities for the benefit, education and enjoyment of residents, students and visitors in South Walton.

The 2024 installation includes the following pieces of sculpture: Reef Goddess By Raine Bedsole (Santa Rosa Beach, FL), Deep Sea Three by Matthew Gemmell and David Showalter (Baltimore, MD), Sea How We Flow by Elise Gilbert (Santa Rosa Beach, FL), Poseidon’s Throne by Nathan Hoffman (Highlandville, MO), Bubby Barnacles by Donna Conklin King (East Orange, NJ), Sunken Spores by Ashley Rivers (Gulfport, FL), and Ring My Bell by Bradley Touchstone (Santa Rosa Beach, FL).

On August 8, more than 75 onlookers, including several of the artists and project partners, were on site to view the historic deployment. This year, the team was able to expand the livestream to include a host to narrate the event with information about the sculptures and insightful details about the process. The event is available to view on the UMA website at umafl.org.

With support from Visit South Walton, Walton County and Walter Marine/The Reefmaker, the sculptures were deployed with SWARA’s existing USACE and FDEP permitted artificial reef project that includes nine nearshore reefs located within one nautical mile of the shore in 58 feet of water. This installation joins the 40 sculptures previously deployed on a one-acre permit patch of seabed off Grayton Beach State Park, expanding the nation’s first permanent underwater museum to a total of 47 sculptures. The UMA patch will continue to be filled with several new sculptures annually.

Individual sculptures are sponsored by the Ellis Family, Hilton Sandestin Golf Beach Resort & Spa, Laurel Machine & Foundry, SearchNexus, Seagrove Village Market Café, the St. Joe Community Foundation, Touchstone Architecture and Walter Marine / Reefmaker..

“The CAA is very proud of the continued collaboration with our co-founders and project partners SWARA, Allison Wickey and Walton County, and grateful to the artists, fabricators, deployment team and sponsors for working with us to grow the UMA each year,” said CAA President & CEO Jennifer Steele. “We were especially excited about the addition of the 2025 installation’s livestream footage, which ensures that every person can experience the magic of the UMA. We look forward to bringing more technological advancements, underwater video and photos to our website to show the real-time evolution of the artwork as artificial reef.”

Admission to the UMA is free, however, the site is only accessible in person as a dive location. Divers who wish to visit the site can take a dive boat .93 miles off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park. The coordinates for the Super Reef UMA entrance are N 30°18.754 / W 86°09.521. Out of respect for the art, boaters are asked to anchor *[ONLY on the ‘EAST’ side of the Super Reef Anchor Point]* to protect the sculptures from unintended contact or damage. *[Per FL State Law, always heed dive flags and other vessels!]*

Visit UMAFL.org for more information about dive tours. Photos and videos of the sculptures will continue to be updated online periodically to document the marine growth on each sculpture.

Both SWARA and the CAA wish to extend special thanks to our deployment partner, Walter Marine, for their dedication to excellence in helping bring our vision into reality.

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The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) is proud to announce that The Foster Gallery’s summer rotation of artists will be featured in a partner exhibition at the Coastal Branch Library located at 437 Greenway Trail in Santa Rosa Beach. Original work by fifteen regional artists will be featured in the exhibit which runs August 1 through October 26, 2024. The public is invited to attend a special morning celebrating art and creativity on Saturday, September 7 from 10 a.m. – Noon. Meet the artists and enjoy some coffee and light breakfast bites all while connecting with fellow art enthusiasts in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. All ages are welcome.

The selected featured artists are Gisselle Barnhart, Dorothea Berkhout, Stephanie Bloyd, Melody Bogle, Bill Chambers, Donnelle Clark, Elena Filshtinska, Linda Kernick, Wes Hinds, Lennon Michalski, Linda Kay Moriarty, Patti Overholt, Kristine Senft, Sierra Swan, and Diego Urioste.

All rotation artists are members of the Cultural Arts Alliance. All exhibited works are for sale, and online for viewing and purchase at CulturalArtsAlliance.com/foster-gallery.

The Foster Gallery is located at 13370 Emerald Coast Parkway (US Hwy 98) and is part of the Miramar Beach Creative Campus featuring regional artist rotations on a quarterly basis as well as special exhibitions. Currently The Foster Gallery is exclusively hosting the 2023 Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Visual Arts touring exhibition through September 14. This special exhibit showcases the talents of nine Southeastern visual artists — competitively selected by a panel of jurors from a pool of 800-plus applicants — who represent various disciplines and career levels.

The public is invited to attend the Foster Gallery Féte and Artist Talk with Southern Prize Artist Nadia Meadows on Thursday, August 15 from 5 – 7 p.m. This intimate artist talk and visual storytelling session will be hosted by local artist Doug Foltz. Nadia’s sculptures facilitate intercultural exchange and understanding that defies social, economic and political norms. She does this by molding wood and uncommon mediums – such as human hair – creating interactive installations.

The gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. For Coastal Branch library hours, please visit waltonlibraries.com. For more information, including class schedule, ceramics services and space rental of the Miramar Beach Creative Campus for private events, call 850.842.3051 or visit CulturalArtsAlliance.com.

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