Friendly Suggestions for Next Year's One Spark

[Riverrat]

I thought it was a fantastic event - the creativity was really abuzz downtown...the energy was just amazing to feel. It was unlike anything I've experienced in this city. Kudos!

My one thought, is that I felt all of the vendors (creators) were set up randomly - there seemed to be no rhyme or reason as to who was placed where. I thought it would be nice if there were designated areas for each type of category...say these few blocks are designated for business ideas...these few blocks are for performance art...these few blocks are for visual arts...etc. etc. Just a thought so that it would seem a little more organized.

I also was confused on how to vote - so I didn't vote. A phone app would have been a nice option for that (perhaps there was one, but if there was, it wasn't clearly explained).

Outside of those few suggestions, I just have to say it was a great event!

[ghalti]

I think the first year of One Spark was great.

I made 3 separate trips to the event and plenty of my family and friends went as well. Many of these suggestions came from them, keeping in mind the age and socialeconomic groups are well varied.

They complained about the voting. Those that didn't spend time reading up on the event didn't understand the process of casting their ballot, some without smartphones felt it was too much of a hassle and some didn't know they could vote more than once.

The venues were extremely far apart if you were an 75 year old with bad knees. Perfect if you had the health, time and drive to see it all.  Having volunteers point out the venues was a good idea but it wasn't enough. Maybe instead of being spread out that far we could co-op a few of the crummy surface lots and put tents up.  And consider  "districts". We had an entertainment area, why not have serperate districts for art, technology, etc. A clearer map would help as well.

I agree with the statements about chosing one category to be entered in. It gives the appearance of "salting" the vote somehow. If your idea is entered under many categories and if you have the benefit of a large group of constituents (say a mega church or two) and request votes from you can't help but win.

I'd like to see much more substantial cash prizes to the winners, but everyone get a little something to offset their costs of doing business downtown for 5 days.

If a creator was a no show they should not be allowed to take a space the following year.  And a creator should be required to staff their booth at all times during the event. I was downtown from 10 am until 3 pm on Friday and their were many booths that were not set up. (yes, I know it is a work day but make other arrangements)

Honestly, all in all I loved it. It can only get better each year.

[Cheshire Cat]

Lunican taught me how to share pics.  Thanks Lunican!  Here are two from my Friday visit to One Spark

[Charles Hunter]

Way to go Cheshire, hitting on the hunky firefighters!

[Ralph W]

I christen thee "Quacker Jax"

It's no secret that I think the "One Spark" event was a success.  The numbers for event attendance and voting support that reality.  Considering the fact that some very talented folks, investors and volunteers created such a great venue in a very short time I give them all a big "Two Thumbs Up"!

As is to be expected after the inauguration of any new venue, there is always a time to discuss what was a hit, what might be made better and to add new ideas to what is already established for the next event.  So I respectfully begin by making a single idea suggestion that is neither earth shaking or event changing but simply fun. 

I want to talk about the whimsy to be discovered downtown during the event and one big smile maker was the huge yellow duck.  You know the one that appeared the morning of the event floating in a Hemming Plaza fountain.  It was such a fun entry and one that I believe should be considered as a mascot for future "One Spark" events.  I have even come up with a name for him which is "Quacker Jax"!  lol  The media spin on the duck could cover everything from T Shirts for adults and children, to small rubber ducks being sold to benefit the event or another cause.  The duck could be presented in a different location or pose from year to year.  My family really loved it.

Perhaps others would like to share their comments and ideas on this thread in order to help the One Spark creators make next years event even bigger and better.  Things like how the voting is done or more food trucks.  A much larger food venue filled with many of the wonderful food trucks talked about on this site would be fantastic and perhaps moving the entertainment district closer to the action. 

Any other ideas or comments?

Quacker Jax moves out to home pond tomorrow at 10am. Should get just as many double takes going out as it did coming in.

[Cheshire Cat]

I christen thee "Quacker Jax"

It's no secret that I think the "One Spark" event was a success.  The numbers for event attendance and voting support that reality.  Considering the fact that some very talented folks, investors and volunteers created such a great venue in a very short time I give them all a big "Two Thumbs Up"!

As is to be expected after the inauguration of any new venue, there is always a time to discuss what was a hit, what might be made better and to add new ideas to what is already established for the next event.  So I respectfully begin by making a single idea suggestion that is neither earth shaking or event changing but simply fun. 

I want to talk about the whimsy to be discovered downtown during the event and one big smile maker was the huge yellow duck.  You know the one that appeared the morning of the event floating in a Hemming Plaza fountain.  It was such a fun entry and one that I believe should be considered as a mascot for future "One Spark" events.  I have even come up with a name for him which is "Quacker Jax"!  lol  The media spin on the duck could cover everything from T Shirts for adults and children, to small rubber ducks being sold to benefit the event or another cause.  The duck could be presented in a different location or pose from year to year.  My family really loved it.

Perhaps others would like to share their comments and ideas on this thread in order to help the One Spark creators make next years event even bigger and better.  Things like how the voting is done or more food trucks.  A much larger food venue filled with many of the wonderful food trucks talked about on this site would be fantastic and perhaps moving the entertainment district closer to the action. 

Any other ideas or comments?

Quacker Jax moves out to home pond tomorrow at 10am. Should get just as many double takes going out as it did coming in.

Where is the home pond?  Do you know who created it?

[Tacachale]

^It was created by UNF design students and was formerly in one of the ponds on campus. I think the intention is to bring it back there.

[Cheshire Cat]

^That's great!  It really was fun and the design students did a terrific job.  I am sure "Quaker Jax" will be happy on campus.  I hope we see him again next year at One Spark, perhaps wearing something "trendy" around his ducky neck. Bling, bling perhaps. 

[Cheshire Cat]

Diane.  On a personal note, you really look fantastic.

Wow, thank you Stephen!  That was really sweet.  I am digging being sixty by the way. 

[Cheshire Cat]

Way to go Cheshire, hitting on the hunky firefighters!

Indeed Charles.  You know me.  They had to pull me off the dance poll a street over.  lmao

[ProjectMaximus]

As for the lounge on bay street, my friends who were volunteering said that nobody came by except for dinnertime. The place would be packed but then empty out once the food was gone. AND, they said it was intended to be for VIP or Creators only, but they always opened up to everyone due to a lack of traffic. Don't know if that jives with what you saw first-hand, TUFSU, but that's what I was told.

yes....all the lounges were restricted spaces, but the one on Bay Street was opened up to everyone for Thursday and Friday night....lesson learned is that the entertainment zone need not be "open" on Wednesday night....on Friday night we had a good crowd in the lounge from 9pm until about 10:30...and then again after 11:15pm when people came in to get out of the rain

I'll defer to your knowledge over my hearsay for sure, although it sounds like what my friends were saying might be the same thing you witnessed. It's all relative, right? 

[fsujax]

Maybe they will bring the "Quacker Jax" back for Jazz Fest.

[John P]

I cant believe the top creators only got a few thousand dollars for 5 days work plus prep work. That needs to go up to interest quality innovators. Not every particpant needs to get a cookie.

[CityLife]

I cant believe the top creators only got a few thousand dollars for 5 days work plus prep work. That needs to go up to interest quality innovators. Not every particpant needs to get a cookie.

I'm sure a lot of the creators made great connections and got more exposure for their projects....but $6,000 is nothing and certainly isn't going to entice anyone from outside of North Florida next year. IF this is to truly be a Worldwide, National, or even statewide event, the money needs to go up significantly and there needs to be some quality control.  I'd also be interested to know how much of the money raised/donated to the project went to creators and how much went to administrative costs, marketing, and salaries. Anyone know?

A few friendly ideas:

-Not have it at the same time as Coachella. Not that many Coachella types would have been here this year, but if the event is to grow, you simply can't have it at the same time. For those that don't know Coachella is one of the  best music/arts festivals in the world and attracts tons of media attention....not to mention many of the bright minds and deep pockets you would want at OneSpark.

-Work with the Florida Theater, Arena, etc to bring in big music acts that would make the event more enticing to out of towners. I went to a massive international conference in Toronto recently and Maroon 5 played a concert at the Arena just for attendees. Obviously Maroon 5 wouldn't be the target type of act for artists and creatives, but you get the point. The hosts could probably even work out deals to get creators into a concert/concerts for free.

-Piggybacking on the last one, find more carrots that will entice creators and visitors to come from around the state, country, world. Whether it be free access to concerts, the chance to win an opportunity to pitch your products to Silicon Valley or NYC investors, have a small blurb printed about winners in industry magazines, and so on.

-Don't brand it as the World's Crowdfunding Festival and not have much world representation. A lot of festivals started small and organically grew into what they are because they were special. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact it makes it even easier to grow because then the founders could say...wow we really have something here. We were just expecting this to be a regional/statewide festival and it far exceeded everyone's expectations. Just imagine how great it can be next year when we make it a national festival.

I didn't get to spend as much time at OneSpark as I would have like due to weather and work issues, so I don't have that many ideas on the setup/design/user experience, but all in all it seemed like a success. The true value of it will be the intangible...the people that realized how cool downtown can be and will now come to the Entertainment District, The Riverwalk, or Artwalk more; the people that may be more interested in investing DT now; the social connections made; the sharing of ideas; the exposure for creators, etc.....however, I would be really interested in the financials of the whole deal. How much did Jacksonville residents/businesses donate? How many city resources were spent/used? How much money did the event bring in to the local economy and how much money did the event bring to downtown businesses?

[02roadking]

OneSpark is kind of based on the same premise as Artprize.  http://www.artprize.org/about/history