The history of Tattooing goes back to the neolithic age, the period when humanity began its first transitions from hunter-gathers to farming. So, as an art form tattooing is old, about as old as any other art. And while tattoos can be seen across the globe, their meaning can vary vastly from culture to culture. One culture may expect tattoos to be given at the “coming of age”, while others may associate them with degeneracy. Josh Johnson sat down with Thomas Bacot, a tattoo artist and shop owner, to discuss the history of tattoos, the local sentiments and styles.

This week… Tom is About Town, and he is on location and talking with a Leon County school administrator and two officials from the Holocaust Education Resource Council (HERC), that were part of a group of 11 that traveled up to Washington D.C. to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the United Stated Holocaust Memorial Museum. The goal of the trip was to bring the lesson learned at these museums back to Leon County students and the community in general… This interview was recorded on-site.

Evan Rossi is filling in the host’s seat this week, and is sitting down with Kevin Cole and Madeline Giovannelli, the organizers of VHS Fest. The festival is an all-day event filled with buying, selling, trading, and watching your favorite movies on VHS. Although many consider VHS an antiquated technology, there is seemingly a lot of joy still to be found popping in a cassette and hitting play.

Spaces for art are always important, especially in close knit communities. This week, Josh Johnson is sitting down with Kena Bwembya, the owner of Bwembya’s Market, an art gallery and gift market located in downtown Quincy, Florida.

The 5th annual Juneteenth Empowerment Day Festival was hosted recently in Cascades Park. The event was originally founded to help boost local black owned businesses but has grown to help educate the larger public on the importance and significance of Juneteenth. Josh Johnson sat down with Al Williams and Britny Bacon, two organizers of the festival, to discuss this year’s event.

Music Therapy is the clinical use of music to accomplish individual goals within a therapeutic space. Peyton Davis is a music therapist and has been practicing for many years at the Apalachee Center. Josh Johnson sat down with Davis to discuss an upcoming art exhibit the Apalachee Center put together using pieces created by patients undergoing art and music therapy.

25 years is a long time, for anything, especially a job in a time where according to the Labor Statistics Bureau, most people spend under five years in a role. Sue Dick’s quarter of a century as the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce President is a display of dedication and a hard-earned retirement. Tom is About Town to talk to local business owners and Sue Dick on her tenure as president.

Pottery and ceramics are fundamental aspects of humanity. Thousands of years ago some ingenious person discovered mixing clay with water, and letting it dry, would create a hardened vessel. This allowed humans to not only store but also share food with each other. Over the millennia, people have worked to perfect the craft of pottery and to showcase their skills and passions with the art of ceramics. Josh Johnson is talking with Susan Stelzmann, the founder of Tallahassee Clay Arts, to see how this classic tradition is practiced modernly.

Last year, Tallahassee celebrated its bicentennial, and the Tallahassee Historical Society was at the center of many of the festivities. The rich tapestry of Tallahassee’s history spans many different periods and includes several diverse cultures. Josh Johnson is sitting down with Will Gandy, the assistant curator of the Tallahassee Museum and vice president of the Tallahassee Historical Society, to discuss Tallahassee’s history and all that goes into its preservation.

Railroad Square has been a center for the Tallahassee arts community for years, but following the May 10th tornadoes many of the small businesses in the square saw substantial damage affecting their ability to operate. One full year later and the impact of the tornadoes is still apparent, which has some concerned for the future of Tallahassee’s arts scene. Tom Flanigan is not ONLY about town, but also here with our live studio audience, talking with members of the arts community.

Since the birth of language, it is believed that humans would gather around a fire or meal and exchange stories, they would recount the hunt of the day or look up to the stars and invent legends. This uniquely human activity brings people together and highlights that humanity is a communal species. Josh Johnson is sitting down with Linda Schuyler Ford, a storyteller and word artist, to discuss the modern practice of this art.

Dance is one of the oldest forms of human expression. Some dedicate their lives to perfecting the craft and furthering its evolution, while for others it is an escape they find on a Saturday night dance floor. Josh Johnson is joined by local performance artist and dancer Maria White, to discuss the joys of teaching dance, Tallahassee’s dance scene, and more…