Tallahassee is one step closer to turning Lewis Park into a downtown cultural destination after being named a national Levitt Foundation grant finalist.
If selected, the $90,000 to $120,000 award would support a free concert series over the next three years. The events would take place in Lewis Park, across from the Leon County Courthouse, and aim to create a vibrant space for community gathering and cultural expression.
Florida’s arts funding has taken big hits in recent years. The Council on Culture and Arts hopes the grant can help bring new energy to public arts programming in the city.
“This would be a big deal with a capital B.I.G.,” COCA Executive Director Kathleen Spehar said. “Arts funding at the state level has been in a bit of a valley. This would help infuse more arts and cultural activity into downtown, especially Lewis Park.”
COCA previously partnered with the Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority to host a smaller music series called “Music Under the Oaks”. That program ended when funding ran out. The Levitt grant would allow them to expand the idea into a full concert series with up to seven shows each year between April and October, beginning in 2026.
The concert series would offer more than just live music. Themed nights could include jazz, funk, family-friendly performances and cultural showcases. The grant would cover artist fees, production costs and equipment, helping bring in local and national performers.
Spehar said the series could also bring in community partners.
“We’d love to work with other organizations like the Children’s Services Council for a family concert,” she said. “There’s so much potential to involve the broader community.”
Local musicians say the project could help fill a gap in performance opportunities. Tallahassee artist and music educator Mickey Abraham noted that venues for local performers are limited, and outdoor shows give people a chance to connect in person.
“When you’re actually in real life, like Lewis Park, people could have very different views on life, but they’re all laughing and dancing,” Abraham said. “People are a lot nicer in person.”
Free concerts would also mean a lot to neighborhood residents.
“I feel like that would bring a lot of people out here,” said Elijah Harris, a regular at Lewis Park. “The community would be more involved, meeting new people. It would be a good thing.”
The Levitt Foundation will announce its 2025 grantees on Nov. 18, the same day as COCA’s free community celebration at Goodwood Museum and Gardens.
The event will also mark COCA’s 40th anniversary. If selected for the grant, COCA said it will share its plans for the concert series during the celebration and begin planning right away.
“We’ve got our fingers crossed,” Spehar said. “We’re going to win this.”
Regardless of the outcome, she said COCA remains committed to making the arts more accessible to Tallahassee residents.
“This is about bringing concerts and community into the same place,” she said. “That’s the heart of what we do.”