{"id":262203,"date":"2026-05-07T16:19:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:19:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/262203\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T16:19:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:19:32","slug":"voices-of-the-904-ep-5-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/262203\/","title":{"rendered":"Voices of the 904 Ep. 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Who\u2019s behind Cr8Jax<\/a>? <\/p>\n

Well, if you ask Toni Smailagi\u0107, it could be anyone else who claims the title.<\/p>\n

Toni founded the Jacksonville-based platform in 2016 after noticing a lack of visibility for local artists.<\/p>\n

While he shies away from promoting himself as the face of the brand, Toni describes his role simply as a \u201cpiece of the puzzle\u201d \u2014 a conduit, helping build a trusted resource that has connected the community to local arts, things to do and culture for nearly a decade.<\/p>\n

EPISODE 4 | Meet Wade Lee Richards – His path planted the seeds to turn grief into growth in Jacksonville<\/a><\/p>\n

On the next episode of \u201cVoices of the 904<\/a>,\u201d Toni steps out from behind the lens to talk burnout, personal growth and his evolving perspective on Jacksonville\u2019s growth and how those shifts have reshaped his approach to Cr8Jax.<\/p>\n

At his core, it\u2019s always been about people.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople shape how you feel about the city,\u201d Toni said. \u201cJacksonville, I really love the city. I love the people who are in the city. You get to know them through the events. You get to see them expressing joy. That\u2019s usually what I\u2019m looking for whenever I cover events.\u201d<\/p>\n

His direction may have shifted, but his mission remains the same: “Introducing Jacksonville to Jacksonville.”<\/p>\n

Catch more episodes:<\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n