In Good Company
Bazar À La Carte’s September stop at Legacy Studios in Jacksonville combined elements of creative collaboration, liberation, restoration, reflection and a love for all things local.
By Tyler Francischine
When I arrived at Jacksonville’s Legacy Studios on September 20 for the third installment of the Bazar À La Carte Florida Tour, a cool breeze was inviting the tree branches to dance while evening sunlight was painting the grass in bold swaths of gold. Maybe it was the unseasonably pleasant weather that made the little hairs on my arms stand up, but I imagine it was anticipation for what would soon occur.
I began my rounds about the space, eager to take in the 60 booths lovingly decorated with locally made wares for sale, not to mention the food truck rally, bachata classes, photobooth experiences and creative workshops that accompanied the market. On my third loop around, I was struck with a realization: Damn, I thought to myself, every single value or principle that How Bazar utilizes to holistically guide its work was represented throughout this event.
From the collaborations sparked in real time in the open mic lounge to the conversations about liberation buzzing in the Watermelon Market, the Jacksonville Bazar embodied all that How Bazar stands for. I decided to speak with a few of the Jacksonville-based creatives who made this market possible to learn more about the shared commitments that guide their work. Here’s what I learned:
Fighting for liberation via connection and education
As any seasoned Bazar À La Carte attendee will tell you, there are many, many things to see and do at a Bazar, but first must come shopping. That’s because every Bazar is filled to the brim with local vendors offering one-of-a-kind, handmade pieces, and no one wants to eye the T-shirt of their dreams only for it to be scooped up by the time they’ve circled back to that vendor.
Careful to not miss out on any unique finds, I began my exploration of the September Bazar at Watermelon Market, an arts and maker mini-market whose proceeds go to families in Gaza and mutual aid efforts in Sudan. Here I found 11 vendors offering Palestinian baked goods and dishes, hand-made jewelry, clay pottery and windchimes, as well as hoodies, T-shirts and stickers emblazoned with messages and images of resistance, liberation and love.
Photo by Akeia Campbell/ @iamakeia
I spotted several items of interest, but I became distracted from my shopping when I overheard a poignant and truthful discussion between a vendor and a customer about the issues underpinning these wares: namely, the U.S.-backed, “Israeli” genocide of the Palestinian people and the United Arab Emirates-backed genocide of the Sudanese people. A couple days later, I spoke with Sherif, who organized the Watermelon Market alongside three collaborators, Tab, Tamara and Aurang, to learn more about their work combining community involvement and education in the fight to achieve liberation for all.
“We run quite a few campaigns for families in Gaza, where we send the money to them directly, and we send money to Mutual Aid Sudan, a grassroots organization in Darfur aiming to help the communities facing the hardest struggles during the war and genocide in Sudan. These are central to our work, because in both Gaza and Sudan are people who are part of our family as Arabs and Muslims. They have been facing extreme oppression in both countries ever since I can remember, and it’s at its worst now in both Palestine and Sudan. It’s important for us to try to help the people there in any way we can, because it’s our obligation as human beings, and as people who are complicit by our tax dollars and in a much wealthier country that benefits from their exploitation,” Sherif said. “It’s important for people to know one another, and this market was an opportunity to try to reach a new audience, educate them about Palestine and raise awareness.”
Sparking inspiration through collaboration
In the far back corner of Legacy Studios, a chalk sign hand-drawn on the wall pointed guests down a short hallway into the open mic lounge, a cozy space bathed in red light where Jacksonville’s lyrically minded shared their ideas over melody and rhythm.
Artists performed one track each for a roomful of listeners who doled out affirmations and expressions of encouragement to both veterans of Jacksonville’s open mic scenes and new faces eager to show off their talent and passion. When the artist Soliloquy asked the audience if they’d prefer “some sad shit, some lovey dovey shit or some freaky shit,” the crowd screamed for the last choice and fell silent as the performance began. You could hear a pin drop as Soliloquy described just how he’d like to be desired by a lover, and by the time he finished, more than one attendee had to whip out their personal fan to cool themselves off.
Jointly produced by WineDown Wednesday and Poetically Mic’d, the open mic lounge was simply the place to be toward the later hours of the Bazar, especially when the cypher got started. A group of performers gathered onstage for their 45 to 60-second turn on the mic to freestyle over beats created in real time by music producer King TravELight. A battle ensued, and the audience chose their favorite without hesitation: Reign Supreme.
Photo by Tim Rodriquez / @TRodriquezPhotography
A Jacksonville-based performer and recording artist currently working on “Still Growing,” the upcoming album documenting his healing and evolution as an artist and human, KEIA performed a track during the open mic portion and jumped in the cypher, too. He told me what struck him initially about the open mic lounge was the intentionality and warmth imbued in every detail: from the lighting and room setup to the conversations shared between performances, all filled him with a sense of community and shared vulnerability.
“From a performer’s point of view, the energy was real. The audience was tapped in — not just listening, but feeling everything being said. You could tell they came to experience something genuine, not just to pass time. Being in the cypher was special because it felt like iron sharpening iron — everybody feeding off each other’s creativity, pushing the energy higher. No egos; just expression. It reminded me why I love performing in spaces like that, where art feels alive, spontaneous and rooted in community,” Keia said. “The open mic lounge at How Bazar felt like the start of something special for the city. It brought together artists from different corners of Jacksonville — poets, singers, rappers, photographers — all feeding off the same creative energy. You could feel people getting inspired in real time.”
WineDown Wednesday Creative Director Khalliah Bryant-Tull said the open mic lounge served as proof of concept for Jacksonville’s impending creative renaissance, a rebirth that requires the collaborative contributions of many open hands and hearts, even among those who don’t reside within city limits.
“This collaboration wasn’t just putting on an event; it was proof that healthy, cross-city collaboration can happen, and when done right, it amplifies everyone involved. The night reignited old partnerships, sparked new creative relationships and set the tone for what’s possible beyond Jacksonville,” Khalliah told me. “The event solidified what many of us already feel: that the creative renaissance of Jacksonville is here. It’s bigger than WineDown Wednesday, it’s bigger than Poetically Mic’d, and it’s even bigger than these events. It’s about the collective. It’s about the artists, curators and community builders who continue to keep the heartbeat of the city going. How Bazar didn’t just come to collaborate; they came to honor the creative pulse of Jacksonville. They showed genuine love and appreciation for our city’s artists and energy, in ways that were felt deeply by everyone present. In truth, it was the kind of respect that even many developers who come into the city sometimes overlook. And that spoke volumes.”
Merci organizes spoken word artistry showcases in Jacksonville through the platform Poetically Mic’d, and he said what made September 20’s open mic lounge so unique was its diverse cross-section of creatives in attendance, folks of all mediums and scenes who gained the rare opportunity to witness each other’s art and scheme up new ways to join forces.
“There was just so much networking going on during that night,” Merci told me a few days later. “When it comes to the people who frequent these spaces of creation in Jacksonville, we have a pretty tight-knit family. A lot of us may typically see the same faces and know each other, but this was one of those events where, due to the fact that there was so much collaboration going on, all the different audiences from the different areas of the market mixed together. That sparked a lot of conversations, and there are even future events in the works already, because people just want to get together and do something similar again.”
Providing third place
After a couple hours making slow and curious rounds about Legacy Studios, I needed to sit down and decompress a while to really drink in what I’d seen and heard so far. Ideally situated next to one of the most delicious juice crafters I’ve ever tried, Juice Gawdess, was a community craft table hosted by grlcrafts. Ru Miles and Haley Wright Tinkle, both members of grlcrafts and its sister organization, Chunky & Funky Co., were warm in their greetings and asked if I wanted to make a friendship bracelet or create a mood board or collage. I opted to just chat and learn more about their passion for their area of the market, which featured a plus-size clothing resale pop-up.
Photo by Christine Caven/ @onlyingainesville
“We talked to everyone who came over with the intention of getting to know them as individuals and wanting to connect with them on a larger scale,” Ru told me a few days later. “Events like Bazar À La Carte have the ability to bring so many of the coolest people together, but being in a room full of artists can make you feel like an imposter among peers. It’s cool to see how something as simple as a friendship bracelet or mood board can help you find your place within the creative world. We encouraged people to make something for themselves or something to share later. By the end of the night, we were happy to see so many different connections being made.”
If you ask me, providing space for the simple act of creating something pleasurable and reflective — and then pairing it with open dialogue and an inclusive, sustainable shopping experience — feels like much-needed medicine amidst an increasingly mystifying national landscape.
“Community and collaboration are crucial, now more than ever, with a country that is committed to dividing its people,” Haley told me. “We need to continue to create spaces for connection and belonging, showing that there is no room for hate in our beloved Jacksonville.”
Responding to our communities and environment
Resting just behind the Jacksonville and Gainesville-based DJs who filled Legacy Studios with the sounds of your favorite throwbacks, a visual art exhibition jointly curated by Sam and Vic Alexander of Elevated Media and Jarett Walker of Trust God Studios thrust Jacksonville’s local artists into the spotlight. Guests paused to view more than 100 diverse works from about 40 artists, who each answered an open call to create something uniquely Floridian.
Photo by D’Avril Grant/ @april.visuals
As a lifelong fan of the Atlantic’s gentle waves, I was drawn to the gorgeously graceful and evocative textures of an acrylic painting by Selah, a Jacksonville-based artist whose love for Florida beaches spills out from her canvases. I resisted the urge to run my fingers along the smooth seashells Selah included in the work “Shell Shore” and instead enjoyed a quick moment of gratitude for our surrounding environment. A few days later, I spoke with Sam, Vic and Jarett about the passionate undercurrents that keep them churning out new visual creations like so many tides.
“We recognize that the city is growing, so for us to be able to create moments like Bazar À La Carte, that’s everything to us right now,” Vic said. “Jacksonville’s had a rich history in arts, music and culture, but I think a lot of that has been dormant lately, so opportunities like this can help wake up everyone around the city to this type of engagement and help put our city on the map. We want to continue to build events that are going to further that narrative for our creatives here in Jacksonville.”
“What made this collaboration so great,” Sam added, “is that we were able to be artist-centric, working alongside our artists to focus on their experience and what they would gain and learn from showing their work in this room, while the How Bazar team focused on capturing and captivating our audiences. As someone not originally from Jacksonville, I feel such a love for the community who’s adopted me, and it was amazing to see the amount of people who came out to support our local community of artists.”
Jarett echoed Sam’s sentiment and highlighted another important impact produced by the exhibition: the wave of renewed enthusiasm and support experienced by the participating artists.
“What this event did was give a lot of young, up-and-coming artists (and I’m not talking about age; I’m talking about how long they have been pursuing being an artist) the opportunity to see their work on a wall, some for the first time. This show gave them a level of confidence in submitting, pursuing and showing their creativity,” Jarett told me. “I think a portion of Jacksonville’s up-and-coming artists felt seen by this show, and I have to give a lot of credit to Sam and Vic, who did a phenomenal job of choosing who will be a part of the show and hanging the work.”
Keeping it local
As the grass finally lost its golden hour shimmer, folks gathered on the lawn out front of Legacy Studios for a screening event of films and music videos — all shot and produced in Jacksonville by Jacksonville-based artists. Monique Madrid, creator of LOL JAX Film Festival and city producer for Jacksonville’s 48 Hour Film Project, curated the night’s programming as a visual love letter to the city she calls home. Selections included “Outside,” a documentary about Jacksonville’s hip-hop scenes shot by Kyle Dorrell and produced by Marquiette Dorrell, and "Summertime in Duval," Carlos Smith II’s short film highlighting all that makes Jacksonville unique. Monique has been creating film festivals and screening events for a decade in Jacksonville, and the opportunity to shine a spotlight on her city’s creatives keeps her energized to continue the work.
“Artists in Jacksonville are really working hard to put our city on the map. As a community, we must love them back in the same way,” she told me. “With every opportunity like Bazar À La Carte, more locals discover what I already know, which is that Jacksonville’s artists are top tier. They are talented, and they wake up ready to prove they’re the best at their craft. When there are obstacles and challenges, they don't let that stop them from creating. They make a way. No excuses.”
Photo by Tim Rodriquez/ @TRodriquezPhotography
Speaking of challenges, hosting a screening event at a happening as bustling as Bazar À La Carte and still impressing the audiophiles among us was a tall order requiring a little creative problem-solving. In a stroke of luck, or maybe serendipity, Hush Hush Headphones calls Legacy Studios its home base. Hush Hush Co-owner Cory McCracken said it felt like a family effort to assist with providing silent disco headphones for the screening, not to mention sound for the DJs inside the massive, inflatable dance tent that glowed all night long as InTune Magazine hosted their fourth issue release party inside. Cory told me that Bazar gave Hush Hush the rare opportunity to collaborate across mediums with their fellow Duval creatives.
“In Jacksonville, there are so many creative hubs spread out across the city and across industries. We don’t always get opportunities to rub shoulders, because we are all just trying to make ends meet, so it creates a special camaraderie to have a platform where we can work together and lift each other up. It takes a big vessel to hold us all,” Cory said. “The creatives here are passionate and have big dreams. Jacksonville has a big city/small town vibe, and if you commit, you really have a chance to make a mark. I grew up in Jacksonville, and part of what drew me back was noticing creatives really making a career of their craft. That’s what we’ve been fortunate enough to do as well.”