# We Are Open for Art Walk
Celebrate our community's deep pool of creative talent with us on the first Wednesday of each month in Downtown Jacksonville! The Main Library stays open until 9 p.m. for the festivities! We are conveniently located directly across from James Weldon Johnson Park, one of Art Walk's two major hubs of activity. Not only that, there is usually local art on display, zinesters meeting and collaborating on the first floor, and sometimes special drop-in activities going on in the Teen Room.
Don't forget to pick up a Map & Guide to the Main Library on your way in! You'll find public art, a huge vintage map collection and more!
# We Are Open for Poets
# Hope at Hand, Inc. Presents: Open Mic Night
This month, adults (18+) can join us from 7 - 8:30 p.m. in the Lounge at 303 North (just inside the Laura Street entrance and to the left) for a special Jax Poetry Fest Open Mic Night sponsored by Hope at Hand, Inc., with emcee Taryn "LoveReigns" Wharwood.
Note: Our friends at Art Walk are also partnering with Animal Care and Protective Services this month. If you'd like to donate or drop off pet supplies for the ACPS shelter, look for the “I Love Art Walk” tent in James Weldon Johnson Park. Supplies needed include dry dog/cat food, durable toys, leashes, puppy pads, medical supplies, office supplies, and much more.
# Drop-In Activities
# Zinester Meetup
Make, trade, read, and discuss zines with local zinesters and comic makers at our monthly Zinester Meetup in the "Zine Zone" from 6 - 8:30 p.m. (across from the first-floor gallery).
This month, drop in for a poetry zine-making workshop with UNF Professor Andrew Kozlowski. You'll explore how surprising text and image pairings can spark new stories.
If you haven't already, this is also a good time to browse the Zine Collection (they are available for checkout!). If you have a zine or self-published comic to donate to the Library, bring it with you! For more about the Library's Zine Collection, visit jaxlibrary.org/zines.
# Drop-In Board Games
Relax at the Main Library with board games! Come join us the first Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m. (during Art Walk) and enjoy a selection of our tabletop games and meet other gamers. The group meets on the first floor (near the Zine Zone) and is open to adults. Note: Participation from beginning to end is not required and players can join/leave at any time.
This month, we have Cascadia, Codenames, Coup, Dominion, Horrified, Jaipur, MonsDRAWsity, and Love Letter: Princess Princess.
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# Art Exhibits
# A Showcase of Wonder, Imagination
Libraries and discovery go hand-in-hand. A great book can spark a lifetime of curiosity. And nothing quite beats that look of awe and surprise on a child's face the first time they walk into a library... All they have to do is use their imagination and worlds of possibilities await them!
The annual Best of Elementary Art Show honors the fantastic work of student artists and their teachers at Duval County Public Schools. The show runs through April 14 at the Main Library, followed closely by our annual Best of Middle School Art Exhibition (April 17 - May 14).
Artwork on display at our downtown library represents a mix of students from around the city. The Best of Elementary Art Show also runs through April 23 at 15 other library locations across Jacksonville. Artwork featured in these local exhibits are, by and large, created by students from the elementary school closest to each participating library.
This month's gallery exhibit is part of an ongoing partnership with Duval County Public Schools and their Fine Arts Department.
We also work with local artists' groups. If you are interested in exhibiting your artwork at one of our libraries and you're already a member of The Art Center Cooperative, Inc. or Jacksonville Artists' Guild, please speak with your respective group about upcoming shows. You can also Request to Exhibit on your own. For more information, check out our Exhibit Policy or ask to speak with the manager at the library location that you're interested in working with.
