The founder of a not-for-profit art organization in Jacksonville is stepping down from her role after more than a decade of service.
Clare Lynd-Porter created the Imagine Foundation in 2004 as a way to provide visual, dramatic, musical and written art education to the community.
In that time, Lynd-Porter says Jacksonville provided her with creative opportunities that a big city would have denied.
“It is a supportive community if you want to try something new. We have focused on young people who haven’t had that much money and didn’t grow up in the arts. We’ve focused on community in non-traditional settings instead of an art gallery,” says Lynd-Porter.
As for the most memorable experiences she had in Jacksonville…
“It is what I’ve got to do with kids. Our artsy summer camps and starting clubs that give kids similar opportunities to sports. The thing about my time over these twelve years trying new things is that sometimes it was good and other times chaotic. Overall it has been wonderful.”
She’s also proud of the success of the Downtown Gallery Hop.
“The Downtown Gallery Hop has been taking place the first Friday of almost every month. People can go from business to business downtown looking at artwork, hearing music and having something to eat. It is free and you just go place to place.”
As her children prepare to move on to college, Lynd-Porter is making a big change as well by relocating to St. Louis.
Lynd-Porter hopes to go “out with a bang” following a performance from Gangstagrass on December 16th at Playhouse on the Square.
Lynd-Porter says the organization is being left in great hands and knows fantastic things will keep coming for the Imagine Foundation.
Check out the Imagine Foundation Facebook page or imaginearts.org to see what the organization has planned in the future.