Crowdfunding festival One Spark was founded in 2011, but its first milestone was July 30 when co-founder and Executive Director Elton Rivas announced the event had received more than $300,000 in private funding.
Rivas said the seed money allowed One Spark to establish its full-time staff and begin the process of making the event a reality, but the benefactor was anonymous.
Rivas revealed Wednesday the first investor in the project was Peter Rummell, real estate development executive and past chairman of the Jacksonville Civic Council.
"We call Peter Rummell 'the father of One Spark.' He believed in the vision and he gave us the credibility to raise funds," said Abel Harding, One Spark spokesman.
Harding said Rummell "not only wrote a check," but he helped secure other sponsors for One Spark and traveled extensively to research other cities' arts events while the details were being developed of how One Spark would work for exhibitors, attendees and volunteers.
"And he did all that on his own dime," Harding said.
Rummell said Thursday he was intrigued by the One Spark concept because the event could change Jacksonville's image as a city.
He said many cities have annual jazz festivals and others are known as "sports towns." Rummell, who was co-chair of the Super Bowl XXXIX committee, said even with the distinction of having hosted a Super Bowl, Jacksonville was one of many such venues.
"There were 38 others to compare it to," he said.
"Jacksonville desperately needs to own something that's different. One Spark can add character and personality," Rummell said.
"I'm sure we will learn a lot this year. If we keep One Spark focused on innovation, we can own something unique," said Rummell.
The next step in funding the event was conducted online last September with a kickstarter.com drive with the goal to raise at least $90,000.
After the 30-day campaign closed, more than $100,000 had been raised, Harding said.
The April 17-21 event is expected to bring thousands of people Downtown to experience new ideas, inventions, art and music.
More than 400 projects and ideas will be showcased at 65 venues including retail stores, galleries, office buildings and the Landing.
A $250,000 prize fund will be proportionally distributed to exhibitors at the conclusion of the festival, with award amounts based on popular vote of festival attendees.
One Spark's website lists community partners including Visit Jacksonville, JAX Chamber, Haskell, Hallmark Partners, Stache Investments Corp., Dalton Agency and Downtown Vision Inc.
PRI Productions is the "Official Event production partner" and Rogers Towers is the festival's "Official Intellectual Property Partner."
Florida Blue and Community First Credit Union are the event's "Premiere Benefactors."
Harding said Community First has entered into a $100,000, three-year sponsorship agreement.
At a news conference Wednesday, Mayor Alvin Brown said One Spark is "the beginning of something big" and the City is "fully behind the festival."
The City is providing services from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and Jacksonville Fire & Rescue
For more information about One Spark and to register to vote for a creator of project at the festival, visit beonespark.com.
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