ACE Announces Grant Recipients for 6th Annual Foo Foo Festival
Date Posted: May 24, 2019
12-Day Coastal Cultural Celebration Takes Place October 31 – November 11 in Pensacola
Pensacola, Fla. – May 23, 2019 – The nonprofit organization, Art, Culture, and Entertainment, Inc. (ACE), today announces the 6th Annual Foo Foo Festival grant recipients for the 2019 event taking place October 31 – November 11, 2019 in Pensacola, Fla. A total of thirty-eight organizations applied for $400,000 in grant funding.
The Foo Foo Festival celebrates art, music, dance, theatre, cuisine and more with programming from grant recipients, throughout the city of Pensacola for nearly two weeks. Strategically positioned in and around some of Pensacola’s most popular events, the Foo Foo Fest encourages cultural tourists to make Pensacola an arts destination those two weeks. Longstanding events include the 47th Annual Greater Gulf Coast Arts Festival, the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show, Pensacola Eggfest, the 35th Annual Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival and the 15th Annual Pensacola Marathon.
Foo Foo Festival’s impressive roster of events has become highly anticipated for its outstanding grant recipients who celebrate individual experiences specific to their craft whether that be art, music, dance, opera, theatre or cuisine.
2019 Foo Foo grant recipients include:
- Choral Society of Pensacola – Choir! Choir! Choir! an event that is equal parts singing, comedy and audience participation
- Downtown Improvement Board/Artel Inc. – Fire and Rain, a suspended sea of billowing holographic strands ripples high over historic Intendencia Street like a quilt of sparkling diamonds
- First City Arts Alliance – 3DPrintsacola combines machine generative art with hands-on artmaking practices to create 3D printed skateable concrete “Skulptures”
- Greater Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Inc – Legendary pianist Garrick Ohlsson performs with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra
- Japan-America Society of NWFL – Tastes of Japan, a 4-day culinary event with national chef tastings, street food showcases, sake tastings and chef dinners
- Jazz Pensacola – Jazz Pensacola presents renowned Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, a contemporary jazz & swing revival band from Southern California
- Lamplighters, Inc. – StompFest 2019 will immerse the Gulf Coast in contemporary African-American art, dancing, and stepping blended with a mix of spoken word, live music, and visual artistry
- Legal Services of North Florida – Jazz for Justice brings in well-known musicians and local artists for a unique jazz and blues festival in downtown Pensacola.
- Pensacola Little Theatre – A performance of “The Savannah Sipping Society,” created by the same writers of The Golden Girls
Organizations and campaigns that did not receive funding will participate as “Friends of Foo” during this diverse arts and culture event.
“We asked this year’s Foo Foo grant recipients to create next gen programming targeting the highly coveted cultural tourist,” said Maria Goldberg, Foo Foo Fest Committee Chair. “Pensacola is highly regarded in the arts and culture community but is quickly becoming the culture capital across the Southeast. We’re excited to present a stellar and diverse experience that will attract both regional and national visitors alike.”
In addition to the arts, Pensacola offers historic walking tours, a large farmer’s market, quaint shops, food trucks, brewery tours and daily running clubs. In the evenings, travelers can enjoy a sophisticated cultural arts experience. From the inspiration of dance to compelling visual arts to the philharmonic strains of a symphonic orchestra, all events are staged in the backdrop of relaxed elegance unique to this historic city on the Gulf Coast. Visitors on holiday can stroll along the bay, enjoy the beautiful beaches, experience the culinary arts scene and take in historic sites while simultaneously enjoying the beauty and creativity of fine arts.
For more information about the 2019 Pensacola Foo Foo Festival visit www.FooFooFest.com or follow Foo Foo Festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Art, Culture, Entertainment, Inc. (ACE)
ACE is a nonprofit organization that receives Federal, State of Florida, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, corporate, foundation and personal funds. ACE disperses these funds through an equitable granting process to nonprofit arts, culture and entertainment organizations throughout Escambia County, Fla., and promotes Escambia County as an arts and cultural destination through the annual Foo Foo Festival and other marketing efforts. For more information about ACE, visit www.acepensacola.org.
Media Contact:
Amanda Leesburg
Leesburg PR
404-218-6578