Nikki Rakov (b. 1972, Virginia) is an artist based in St. Augustine, Florida, whose work bridges realms of memory, mysticism, and the metaphysical. Currently pursuing her M.F.A. in Painting at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Nikki anticipates graduating in January 2025. She layers acrylics, oils, watercolors, and drawing media to conjure mysterious figures and landscapes inspired by dreams, visions, and her research into folk magic and family histories. Her paintings reveal hidden energies and challenge conventional narratives, spotlighting women’s forgotten histories and reimagining mythological and historical female figures as symbols of resilience and power. Drawing on Anglo-Celtic folklore, Nikki’s work blurs the line between reality and the unknown, inviting viewers to explore “thin spaces”—liminal places where the physical and spiritual worlds intersect.

Our Music Our Future, presented and hosted by The Jessie, is a series that brings emerging artists into Downtown Jacksonville, Florida. It is an evening curated by Winterland Presents in celebration of the shared experience of live music, one of the most primal forms of human connection. Join us in moving into a future where music and culture flow freely through our cityscape.

The first installation of the series brings Atlanta's Omni. The music of Atlanta trio Omni has always swung fast and hit hard. And Souvenir, their fourth album and second for Sub Pop, packs their biggest punch yet. Inactive during the majority of the pandemic–the longest downtime in their history–they approached this recording with lots of pent-up energy. They converted their creative fuel into sharp, driving songs that land immediately, sporting chopping riffs, staccato beats, and wiry melodies.

Direct support comes from La Sécurite (Montréal/Tiohtià:ke) - a collective whose art punk is equal parts: jumpy beats, off-kilter arrangements and minimalistic melodic hooks; run through an insomniac filter, the result of excessive exposure to the city’s neon lights. The lyrics share the ethos of the Riot Grrrl movement, and celebrate the autonomization of women, friends (mean and nice) as well as benevolence. The motley bunch meanders the fringes of punk, new wave and krautrock, mischievously flouting stylistic form every chance they get.

DUCATS, from Jacksonville, is a mid-fi, indie-garage outfit.

In her thesis exhibition, Maribella’s World, A Fragmented Narrative, Rachel Korzeb reflects on a self-written short story about 15-year-old Maribella’s journey to self-love and acceptance. The fictional tale is woven with autobiographical subtleties, examining the interconnectedness of human lives, with emphasis on the divine feminine. In a non-linear way, visual representations of the story are collaged with symbols and abstract expressions, in contemplation of the characters’ psyches, their relationships and individual impact on the world. Embedded in the paintings, are observations about today’s youth, technology, human footprint and the supernatural. The overall aesthetic and concepts are inspired by expressionism and symbolism, neo-expressionism, as well as current artists extending from these movements. Through an intuitive, poetic approach to creating, the work reveals itself in a multifaceted and enigmatic way, open to limitless interpretations.

Our Music Our Future, presented and hosted by The Jessie, is a series that brings emerging artists into Downtown Jacksonville, Florida. It is an evening curated by Winterland Presents in celebration of the shared experience of live music, one of the most primal forms of human connection. Join us in moving into a future where music and culture flow freely through our cityscape.

The second installion of the series brings Benny Trokan from NYC (Daptone Records). With a gruff voice not unlike his Spoon bandmate Britt Daniel, Benny Trokan makes passionate, retro-minded garage rock as a soloist. After tenures in bands including his own Robbers on High Street and Greg Cartwright's Reigning Sound, he joined Spoon as bassist in 2019. His solo debut EP, Hey Lover, appeared in 2022 and was steeped in clattering vintage rock and soul. The full-length debut Do You Still Think of Me? followed suit in 2024.

Direct support is Snacks from Huntsville, Alabama. The latest single “Eyes Closed” coasts on the spirit of the sublime, featuring Zach’s sinewy delivery and a rhythmic chugging arrangement that the late John Peel would have been wild for. It entertains that world of wonder and imagination that exists in the imagination of the beyond when the fantasias of the unconscious and the prelude to dreams.

Opening the show is Rambler Kane, a beloved Jacksonville native who's classic country calls back to John Prine with contemporary notes that graze Justin Townes Earl.

What if you had the opportunity to experience Ella Fitzgerald before she became The Ella Fitzgerald? The Jazz Discovery Series does exactly that – it gives you access to the next wave of jazz musicians that may very well become legendary. Stay tuned for the line-up of up-and-coming performers at this event.