At a Glance
Fayetteville Advertising And Promotion Commission Funding Included:
Oct. 9-10 -- Fayetteville Half Marathon -- $18,000 (new)
Mid-September. Puppets in the Park -- $1,000
Sept. 25 -- Ozark Harvest Food Festival -- $4,000 (new)
Oct. 28-29 -- Lewis & Clark Adventure Races -- $1,300
Nov. 7 -- Cyclocross -- $2,500 (new)
Nov. 4-7 -- 540 Film Festival -- $5,000
Nov. 21 to Dec. 31 -- Lights of the Ozarks -- $30,000
June 25-27 -- All OUT June -- $4,000 (new)
Oct. 7-10 -- OffShoot Film Festival -- $5,000 (new)
May to October -- Fayetteville Underground -- $10,000 (new)
July 27 to Aug. 8 -- Beauty and the Beast* -- $25,000
Sept. 3-26 and Dec. 10-26 -- TheatreSquared -- $6,000**
Year Round -- Washington County Fair -- $25,992
Sept. 2 -- High School Football Kickoff Classic -- $10,000 (new)
June to December -- Shop Fayetteville Campaign -- $1,500 (new)
Total -- $149,292
*Walton Arts Center was awarded $30,000 for Artosphere
** TheatreSquared was awarded $7,000 in April for marketing.
Source: Staff Report
FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville's reputation as a festival-friendly sort of place will not be diminished if the Advertising and Promotion Commission's actions Monday are any indication.
The panel awarded almost $150,000 in funding to events and festivals for the second half of 2010. All requests submitted received some level of support.
Events getting funding are as varied as the 540 Film Festival, Washington County Fair and even a movement to remind Fayetteville residents about the importance of shopping at home, called the Shop Fayetteville Campaign.
"I think the Shop Fayetteville is a good campaign, and I would be willing to give them a little more," said Brandon Karn, a member of the commission and co-owner of Jammin Java, a coffee shop on the downtown square.
Commissioners awarded the campaign $1,500. The campaign was brought forward by Mayor Lioneld Jordan. The idea of launching a community pride and shopping campaign grew out of the mayor's Fayetteville Forward community development summit three weeks ago. It's not entirely clear how the grant will be used, since the campaign is still being formed, but the mayor said he envisions assistance with printing posters and other products to encourage residents to shop locally.
Using tax money generated through the city's hotel-motel-restaurant tax to promote local businesses is within the legal limits of how the money can be used, said Kit Williams, Fayetteville city attorney.
"It's seems that this is about as basic a use for this money as they could do," Williams added, after the commission meeting Monday.
Fourteen other events or organizations received funding. Groups sought $284,870 when funding requests were due last month. At the time, the commission reported having only $31,000 available. However, Marilyn Heifner, A&P director, said she was able to locate more funds from "income above budgeted funds from last year."
"We were able to find money in other areas," she added.