Cultural Council. Their board is committed to providing services and resources for local cultural organizations with grants that ensure visitors choose St. Johns / St. Augustine as their premiere destination for authentic enlightenment. Through their Tourist Development Council Arts, Cultural, Heritage Funding Program( ACH), they administer significant grants to support the area’ s entertainment programs, with several venues receiving over $ 633,000 in fiscal 2026.
Jeff Potts is the executive director for the St. Johns Cultural Council. He is an ardent promoter of St. Augustine’ s authentic history and arts encounters that resonate greatly for tourists who are looking for a multi-layered vacation experience.“ Tourists love that we dig deep into our artifacts for their pleasure,” he said.“ Because we’ re identified as more plentiful than just a basic tourist attraction, more people visit here from more places and tend to spend more money.”
St. Augustine is home to many cultural specialists who are important resources for a travel industry that provides tourists with accurate, insightful
interpretations of local assets. Arts venues, the St. Johns Cultural Council and the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau( VCB) collaborate with tour operators, visitors’ bureaus and convention centers to provide information that showcases the cultural treasures of Florida’ s historic coast.
Circling back to Pedro Menendez de Aviles, would he be proud of the historical authenticity he’ d find now in St. Augustine? Would he appreciate how the city has grown into a place where history, culture, and creativity intersect so vibrantly? And would he offer a standing ovation for a curtain call at the Limelight Theater? You bet he would.
Jeff Potts
Marsha Lidskin has enjoyed a 40-year career in communications. She ' s written newsletters, speeches and articles and implemented community relations projects for nursing homes, school and park districts and municipal government.
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